Rookie Kalk user trouble shooting

[BeMoto]

I started kalkwasser to raise Ph and maintain Alk and calcium stable. I started dosing seachem kalk with a continuous doser. started slow and worked my way up to 4200ML (1.1 GAL). I'm already over my evaporation rate.

I have a 55 gallon reef tank. I don't concider it to be heavily stocked, mostly frags. My Ph has been stable at 8 befor dosing kalk. While dosing kalk I haven't seen any benefits of doing so. That being said I'm thinking I'm overlooking something or doing something wrong.

I'm currently dropping 1dkh/day and calcium will go from 450 to 150 within a week. So I've been dosing 2 part to deal with dkh and calcium. Mag drops slowly if that means anything.

I mix the kalk 3 grams/gallon in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. Dosing tube is held in place 2 inches from the bottom.

any advice would be appreciated!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is the tank water cloudy, or is that just the lighting?

How are you making the kalk?

 

[BeMoto]

I'm terribly at taking pictures. The water is clear in the tank.

I fill a 5 gallon bucket with rodi water and add 3 grams/gallon and mix lightly. The kalk is slightly cloudy after settling down.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm terribly at taking pictures. The water is clear in the tank.

I fill a 5 gallon bucket with rodi water and add 3 grams/gallon and mix lightly. The kalk is slightly cloudy after settling down.

That’s some dilute kalk. It’s fine to use, but can be upped considerably if needed. Saturation is around 5.7 g/gallon ro/di at 25 C.

 

[BeMoto]

For 5 gallons I mix 15 grams total of kalk. Directions say 3 grams/gallon.

When you say 5.7 g/gallon ro/di at 25 C, that's 25 Celsius correct?

 

[BeMoto]

I been dosing 1/2 max saturated. Had to read directions again. Full saturated is 6 grams/gallon. Thought I was doing max since there was more settlement on the bottom meaning the water wouldn't absorb any more kalk.

 

[Pntbll687]

I been dosing 1/2 max saturated. Had to read directions again. Full saturated is 6 grams/gallon. Thought I was doing max since there was more settlement on the bottom meaning the water wouldn't absorb any more kalk.

Definitely use the 6g or 5.7g per gallon if you have a scale to be that precise. When you do this, make sure you cut your dosage in half because you'll be using something that is 2x as strong. Then after a couple days, start increasing the dose as needed.

To see a ph boost from kalk, you'll most likely need to be dosing full saturation in the 1 gallon or more range.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

For 5 gallons I mix 15 grams total of kalk. Directions say 3 grams/gallon.

When you say 5.7 g/gallon ro/di at 25 C, that's 25 Celsius correct?

Correct.

Seachem also says it:

Never add this product directly to the tank. Add 3 g (1 teaspoon) to 4 L (1 US gallon) of water and mix to dissolve. If using pure water, a fully saturated solution is prepared by adding 6 g (2 teaspoons) to 4 L (1 US gallon). Drip this solution into tank…
https://www.seachem.com/reef-kalkwasser.php