Managing PH with kalkwasser dosing WITHOUT a controller?

BanjoBandito

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I'm setting up a kalkwasser stirrer with a wifi dosing pump but I'm not going to use a controller (at least right now). I plan on testing the PH regularly and going slow with my dosing. Does anyone else do this or am I asking for trouble?
 

dwest

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You can do this. Dose small amounts throughout the day and night. Monitor alkalinity and adjust kalk based on alkalinity. I ran this way for more than 10 years (maybe 20).
 

gfox

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I'm setting up a kalkwasser stirrer with a wifi dosing pump but I'm not going to use a controller (at least right now). I plan on testing the PH regularly and going slow with my dosing. Does anyone else do this or am I asking for trouble?
To do this what do you need for equipment?I have a Avast Kalk stirrer now that is run thru my top off water.It is not keeping up with my Alk demands.
 

theMeat

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If you have an auto top off use that instead
 

Rjramos

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The first part of b-ionic 2 part( buffer) will raise pH by .2 as well as raise alkalinity. It can be added manually in the morning or using a doser.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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2 part isn't going to do what I want, I'm trying to manage and maintain higher PH

You can make a two part using sodium hydroxide for the alk part. It will have the same pH boost per unit of alk dosed as kalkwasser.
 

theMeat

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Clogs the pumps and it's not a guarantee that it's "super saturated"

2 part isn't going to do what I want, I'm trying to manage and maintain higher PH
Pump clogging is pretty much a nonissue. I get at least five years out of a cheap pump for this task. Add kalk when refilling ato container, give it a few hours to settle out, good to go. Adding vinegar will allow more kalk to be added, but vinegar will also lower phosphate and nitrate which may or may not be a good thing.
Having air intake for skimmer from outside may help your ph, if co2 in your house is higher than outside.
Personally would not use a stirrer without a safety back up, unless you are willing to commit to constant testing
 
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nereefpat

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You can't really manage pH in a tank with limewater.

If you're asking if you can run a kalk system using only a stirrer and a dosing pump, then yes. Kalk can be really simple. Most people over-complicate it, IMO. My kalk is just a bucket, aqua lifter pump, and a light timer.
 

ReefGeezer

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I feel like I'm being attacked by the 2 part police. lol.
Everyone just wants to help. Kalkwasser can certainly help promote a higher pH. It can also be administered using a stirrer and dosing pump. A controller is not necessary. It usually won't be as saturated out of the stirrer as it would from a bucket. Neither will you be able to add more than the quantity of water your system evaporated.

I used to run all of my ATO water through a stirrer... maybe a gallon and a half per day in my 90 gallon. It worked fine but was more maintenance than I had planned. I wouldn't say it did much for pH, but it surely didn't hurt. I changed to a calcium reactor when demand for calcium and alk got too high for the kalk alone to keep up. Funny, pH really didn't change.

I started over a year or so ago when I moved my tank. Demand for Alk & Ca are still very low so the calcium reactor is shelved. I use a little bit of Randy's newest two-part recipe just because it is simple and, much like kalkwasser, provides some pH boost. I'll probably continue to use it as long as it can meet demand without requiring me to mix it too often. Although, I'm looking forward to the day that the calcium reactor is needed again.
 

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I'm setting up a kalkwasser stirrer with a wifi dosing pump but I'm not going to use a controller (at least right now). I plan on testing the PH regularly and going slow with my dosing. Does anyone else do this or am I asking for trouble?
No I did it for many years my suggestion to you is to test regularly in the morning and in the afternoons are in the evenings then you will determine at that point what your fluctuation rates are with your pH your calcium your alkalinity your magnesium you can determine at that point the amount you need to add weekly to keep your numbers at optimum.
 
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No I did it for many years my suggestion to you is to test regularly in the morning and in the afternoons are in the evenings then you will determine at that point what your fluctuation rates are with your pH your calcium your alkalinity your magnesium you can determine at that point the amount you need to add weekly to keep your numbers at optimum.
OK, that makes sense. I know that even after lowering the dose PH can still rise so I'm trying to get a handle on testing frequency and suggested dosage on a 106 gallon system
 

ReefGeezer

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OK, that makes sense. I know that even after lowering the dose PH can still rise so I'm trying to get a handle on testing frequency and suggested dosage on a 106 gallon system
Oh... I understand now. I thought you were attempting to raise/control pH with Kalkwasser. Sorry. Yea. Dosing kalk via the stirrer is a good way to address alk and calcium needs in low demand systems. Badspstank has it right. Just test and adjust.
 

nereefpat

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testing frequency and suggested dosage on a 106 gallon system
Depends on the usual consumption of alk in the system. Somewhere around 1/2 gallon per day of kalk might be a good starting point, if you test alk daily and adjust as needed. 1/2 gallon of saturated kalk in 105 gallons would be about 0.5 dKH.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I feel like I'm being attacked by the 2 part police. lol.

As it should be.

I'm a die hard limewater/kalkwwasser only user for 20 years, but it has limitations that are not present when using a high pH two part. :)

There are potential reasons to pick limewater over a two part, but pH is not one of them. :)
 

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