Switching from AFR to kalkwasser

[rishma]

I am just explaining what works for me and my tank, it took me a long time to get the Kalk I use right, you have to be very careful with Kalk, and I learn through trial and error.

Ok, i still suggest the same thing. This forum is named after Randy Holmes-Farley for a reason.

 

[Peair]

Ok, i still suggest the same thing. This forum is named after Randy Holmes-Farley for a reason.

I am not trying to just say things, I put a lot of effort in the product I use, you don't have that experience, I am just trying to keep it as it truly is.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have been using this Kalk a long time, I started using using it on a practice tank at 43ML a day and it would spike Calcium too high, I than divided it by 7 and came up with 6ml a day, and than very little Calcium increase, and than after I found a safe dose, I dose 6ml a day in my main 53 gal tank, I have experience using this, you don't, you have to be very careful with Kalk to find the right dose, and this Kalk is safe if you use the right dose, and it does maintain a very good PH if you use it right.

I’m sure it is safe. I’m also sure it does nothing useful. Look at the exact product directions. It referred to gallons of kalk dosed, not mL of kalk dosed.

Try not dosing it and see if anything happens.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am just explaining what works for me and my tank, it took me a long time to get the Kalk I use right, you have to be very careful with Kalk, and I learn through trial and error.

Yes, I also used it for 20 years. I dosed about 1- 2% of the tank volume daily.

That said, this is not about user experiences or opinions. It is a simple chemical fact that what you are dosing is trivially low and will have no useful effect, assuming it is the product you specified and not something else.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am not trying to just say things, I put a lot of effort in the product I use, you don't have that experience, I am just trying to keep it as it truly is.

If you dont want to believe chemistry experts who have been studying it for decades, that’s fine. I suggest you ask the manufacturer if the amount you are dosing is useful if you think it may be.

 

[happyhourhero]

I run both and have pretty good results

 

[Peair]

If you dont want to believe chemistry experts who have been studying it for decades, that’s fine. I suggest you ask the manufacturer if the amount you are dosing is useful if you think it may be.

I am just explaining what is really happing with my many efforts of dosing and testing Kalk, I can't change or make up something to satisfied you.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am just explaining what is really happing with my many efforts of dosing and testing Kalk, I can't change or make up something to satisfied you.

Sorry, no, your statements cannot override my understanding of the product.

Next time you go to dose it, monitor alk and pH immediately before and immediately after dosing. That will show both effects.

 

[Peair]

Sorry, no, your statements cannot override my understanding of the product.

Next time you go to dose it, monitor alk and pH immediately before and immediately after dosing. That will show both effects.

When I am dosing Kalk, the number 1 test is Calcium, and if there is a spike you are dosing too much, than the number 2 test is PH to see any difference from last time, and the number 3 test I do is Alkalinity, I like my alkalinity to be a little high not to much so I also does 2.1ML of dkh to measure per day, for this steady constant dosing keeps my PH in range.

 

[twentyleagues]

When I am dosing Kalk, the number 1 test is Calcium, and if there is a spike you are dosing too much, than the number 2 test is PH to see any difference from last time, and the number 3 test I do is Alkalinity, I like my alkalinity to be a little high not to much so I also does 2.1ML of dkh to measure per day, for this steady constant dosing keeps my PH in range.

Do you realize you are arguing chemistry with a chemist? Not just some dude with a reef tank. A long time chemist. 2.1 ml of dkh is not correct units of measure either.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

When I am dosing Kalk, the number 1 test is Calcium, and if there is a spike you are dosing too much, than the number 2 test is PH to see any difference from last time, and the number 3 test I do is Alkalinity, I like my alkalinity to be a little high not to much so I also does 2.1ML of dkh to measure per day, for this steady constant dosing keeps my PH in range.

Again, I do not agree. I recommend dosing by alk. But at least that is opinion. The other issues are simple facts.

Just to be sure there is not some translation issue, you claim to dose 6 millliters of kalkwasser to a 53 gallon aquarium?

 

[Peair]

Again, I do not agree. I recommend dosing by alk. But at least that is opinion. The other issues are simple facts.

Just to be sure there is not some translation issue, you claim to dose 6 millliters of kalkwasser to a 53 gallon aquarium?

I am dosing Alk, look above, my daily Kalk is 6ML per day, that is from a long effort of dosing and testing in 50 gal practice tank and 53 gal main display, the dosing is correct because I use Hydros dosers and app.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am dosing Alk, look above, my daily Kalk is 6ML per day, that is from a long effort of dosing and testing in 50 gal practice tank and 53 gal main display, the dosing is correct because I use Hydros dosers and app.

Don’t get curt with me. I’m just trying politely to be sure that you mean what you wrote. I do not want to be telling you over and over you are wrong if you do not really mean what may have been incorrectly translated from some other language.

To be clear, ML is wrong, unless you mean you dose 6 million liters per day. ML means megaliter. I was trying to be sure you did not mean 6 liters per day, which is a useful and appropriate dose.

 

[Sean Clark]

 

[Peair]

Don’t get curt with me. I’m just trying politely to be sure that you mean what you wrote. I do not want to be telling you over and over you are wrong if you do not really mean what may have been incorrectly translated from some other language.

To be clear, ML is wrong, unless you mean you dose 6 million liters per day. ML means megaliter. I was trying to be sure you did not mean 6 liters per day, which is a useful and appropriate dose.

ML means milliliter, I have explained to you many times the process of dosing Continuum Aquatics Kalk, go back and read the posts, but it seems like you don't understand, or you do not want to understand, you just want to disagree over and over again without any reasoning, all I can do is tell the truth and explain the correct process that I went through, and I will not deviate from reality, for you have no experience using Continuum Aquatics Kalk, and you want to tell somebody that using that product everyday is wrong over and over again with no reasoning, wake up.

 

[rishma]

Oh boy….

From the website for Continuum Aquatics, it’s just calcium hydroxide https://www.continuumaquatics.com/marine_ca/reefbasis_kalkwasser.php

Brand name doesn’t matter. It’s Ca(OH)₂ in water. The chemistry is known and understood. Your experience with it doesn’t match the science or the experience of other reefers, which is why you are receiving feedback and questions. Respectfully, your responses are rude and defensive. Please consider a change of tone.

And just for fun…ml is milliliters while ML is megaliter, though I don’t think you appreciate the feedback.

Maybe you’ll enjoy these articles on kalkwasser :)

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Metals In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

The Degradation of Limewater in Air - Reefkeeping.com

Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium And Strontium In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

Chemistry And The Aquarium: How To Select A Calcium And Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

​

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

ML means milliliter, I have explained to you many times the process of dosing Continuum Aquatics Kalk, go back and read the posts, but it seems like you don't understand, or you do not want to understand, you just want to disagree over and over again without any reasoning, all I can do is tell the truth and explain the correct process that I went through, and I will not deviate from reality, for you have no experience using Continuum Aquatics Kalk, and you want to tell somebody that using that product everyday is wrong over and over again with no reasoning, wake up.

I fully understand the product.

Explain to me why, if a good dose is 6 ml per 53 gallons, the web site description of the product you are using says:

Each gallon of Kalkwasser solution will raise the calcium level about 48 ppm in a 20 gallon (80 L) aquarium.

That dose is 1,671 times as large as your dose.

 

[Reefing4L]

I personally had better luck with kalk. Also made the switch from AFR to kalk.

 

[rishma]

I have a 3 year old mixed reef medium stocked 90 gallon. I have been dosing AFR (50) ml a day. Keep me between 7 and 8 dkh. My pH is low due to CO2 in winter months. I have tried outside air to the skimmer and scrubbers but it never worked for me. So I'm thinking of dosing kalk and adding trace elements hoping to raise my pH. My pH is 7.6 to 7.9 currently. Summer time it runs 8 to 8.2. my question is how much kalkwasser would I need to dose.

I see you got your question answered but as a rule of thumb I remember that AFR is 53x more potent than saturated kalkwasser.

I’ve used both in my tank for years and I’m pleased with it.

 

[Peair]

I fully understand the product.

Explain to me why, if a good dose is 6 ml per 53 gallons, the web site description of the product you are using says:

Each gallon of Kalkwasser solution will raise the calcium level about 48 ppm in a 20 gallon (80 L) aquarium.

That dose is 1,671 times as large as your dose.

that

I fully understand the product.

Explain to me why, if a good dose is 6 ml per 53 gallons, the web site description of the product you are using says:

Each gallon of Kalkwasser solution will raise the calcium level about 48 ppm in a 20 gallon (80 L) aquarium.

That dose is 1,671 times as large as your dose.

You are wrong, 1,671 times my current dose is impossible, I get a Large Calcium spike at 43ML per dose when tested, that's why I brought it down, my current dose at 6ml per day gives no spike just a little increase over 30 consecutive days, I measure one tablespoon per 1.5L/0.4gal dosing container, and did many tests, that's why it's safe and working, you must be thinking of dumping the product in at a one time shot, dosing this product doesn't work that way, you may think you understand the product but you have no idea how it works because you have never use this product, it's a lot different using this product and actual testing this product than supposing how the product works because that is what you are doing.