Thinking of adding kalkwasser

LatinoHeat

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I was wondering if anyone has tips? I'm thinking of either getting the TLF KW 300 or just getting the reef breeders prism & dose from my 5 gallon jug. Let me know what has worked for you.
 

ntableman

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I did this for years using a pH probe connected to a peristaltic pump that was using a reactor from Reef Octopus. I know it is more money...but I now use calcium reactor and I regret ever having done it another way (for decades!!) because I set it up and it has barely needed anything in a year and my corals are growing out of control.
 
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LatinoHeat

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Are you going back to the peristaltic pump on reactor again?
Ideally I would like to add vinegar to the kalkwasser.
 

Tomorrow's Waters

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Here is my honest opinion. Kalk has a lot of great benefits and it is nice and easy to use if you have the proper equipment. However, if you continue in this hobby long term and find success with your corals there WILL come a point in time where kalkwasser simply wont cut it anymore. Eventually you will be forced to start dosing two part in order to maintain balanced levels and at that point you are faced with having to set up a two part dosing system (or a calcium reactor) and left with a bunch of leftover kalk and equipment that no longer has use to you. In addition, kalk adds calcium and alkalinity in equal parts. So if your corals start to take up more alkalinity than they do calcium you can not just dose alkalinity like you can with two part dosing. My advice: if you are going to spend the money to set up a dosing system, think long term and set up a system for your future needs instead of your current needs. This will save you a lot of time and money down the road.
 
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LatinoHeat

LatinoHeat

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So your advice would be to go the 2 part way? I always thought of it in reverse. I've seen many go 2 part & eventually just end up going to kalk in the end.
I'm really glad I'm posted this because it's opening my eyes more people's experiences.
 

reefinnewb

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I've reversed track and went from 2-part to Kalkwasser. I built myself a reactor like the IceCap. So far, i've seen more coralline growth in the 3 weeks using it than I have in 3 years using 2-part. I could never get the tank stable and had some issues with corals because of it. Since switching over, those issues have mainly resolved. Alk has been nice and stable. My calcium and mag do drop, but nothing a correction dose once a week won't fix. I'd prefer to do that than have my ALK bounce all over the place. If my tank outgrows the kalk, i'll look at either going with a small calcium reactor or kalk slurry.
 

Pntbll687

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I was wondering if anyone has tips? I'm thinking of either getting the TLF KW 300 or just getting the reef breeders prism & dose from my 5 gallon jug. Let me know what has worked for you.

I just mix 10g of saturated kalk in a 10g tank and dose it with a dosing pump. I use 1/2 gallon a day so 10g lasts almost 3 weeks.

If you want a kalk stirrer option, the TLF one needs an additional pump that is strong enough to stir the kalk, not just an ato type pump. If you have a large ato container, adding a dosing pump and a motorized stirrer is a solid option, especially if space is at a premium.

Most people can only dose so much saturated kalk before the need to add in two part. This is highly dependent on evaporation rate, and can vary wildly from season to season in parts of the country.

There is another option that has been creeping up every so often... Kalk Slurry dosing. Adding 1 cup of kalkwasser per gallon in a mixing jug, and keeping this solution constantly moving using some type of agitator. Then dosing the slurry to the system into a high flow area of the sump. Check out @telegraham and @mahinacoral on instagram and telegraham on youtube. A ph probe and some form of controller is needed for this option, to control dosing according to the ph of the tank
 

Tomorrow's Waters

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So your advice would be to go the 2 part way? I always thought of it in reverse. I've seen many go 2 part & eventually just end up going to kalk in the end.
I'm really glad I'm posted this because it's opening my eyes more people's experiences.
Absolutely, if you think you will find success in growing corals and you plan to do it long term I can promise you kalkwasser will eventually no longer suffice. Kalkwasser has a limit, two part does not. Go with two part, you will be grateful one day.
 

reefingaz

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Do both, I have dosed 2 part for 10 years and last year started dosing kalk for the PH help. Now I do 1 gallon a day of kalk and 30ml of each 2 part. Its the best of both worlds. All is hooked up to a 4 pump system and it’s easy. Also saves me on 2 part I was dosing almost 80ml a day.
 

outhouse

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Having a 10g pale with aqulifter to sumps ATO through my Kalk reactor has been priceless.
 
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