True story: ive never dosed kalk! ?'s

[becon776]

I've been reefing since 2001 and NEVER dosed kalk. Always thought about just always been a bionic fanboy.
So in my new house and newish build I am struggling a bit with pH. It drops to 7.6 at times. I dont have a lot of usage from sps right now and do minimal 30ml per day 2 part (brs). Alk 8 CA 420 mg 1280. Those are always my targets. Running full apex complete with multiple DOS and trident.

I am wondering if using Kalk as opposed to 2 part would help with pH????
Also planning to make some stocking additions (SPS) so need will gradually rise in coming months.

I could easily just meter it using the Dos I have set up for AWC.

 

[shwareefer]

I've always dosed kalk and keep my alk at 10 and my ph will still drop to 7.8 with the house shut up. I recently ran a hose from outside to my skimmer and the effect was not as dramatic as I expected - maybe .1. Nothing seems to beat an open window for raising PH for me which is baffling since I ran the hose through the same window.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Using hydroxide in any form will drive a higher pH than using carbonate (as in B-ionic).

You can use kalkwasser, or a DIY two part using sodium hydroxide.

Other ways to raise pH include fresher air tot eh room, outside air to a skimmer inlet, CO2 scrubber on skimmer inlet, and growing macroalgae.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I've always dosed kalk and keep my alk at 10 and my ph will still drop to 7.8 with the house shut up. I recently ran a hose from outside to my skimmer and the effect was not as dramatic as I expected - maybe .1. Nothing seems to beat an open window for raising PH for me which is baffling since I ran the hose through the same window.

The issue is aeration at other parts of the tank (such as the tank top) keep driving the pH down if the room air has excess CO2. So the outside air line will never raise pH as much as open windows.

 

[becon776]

Yup co2 scrubber on, fuge with h380 running full reverse photo period.

Still sit at 7.8 - 8. I'm gonna clean out sump this weekend and will check probe (it's been a VERY long time) if needed recalibrate. Who knows my pH may be the magical 8.3 and I dint even know it. Still interest in the kalk.

Would have to choose between
DOS used for kalk and no more AWC.

I'd put into ato but it's a diaphragm pump and I've heard that kalk ruins them in short order.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Why are you concerned about the AWC? It is not a pH issue.

 

[becon776]

Why are you concerned about the AWC? It is not a pH issue.

No money for another DOS (wife says so lol) so Id be using the AWC DOS to run the kalk.

 

[becon776]

So here is my big question i have ZERO room under tank. I do have some ato and awc and 1 link cord going to basement where my water station is.

My question is this... can I install a kalk reactor in basement with 8-10' of head on it. Most designs I see work on gravity fir the final output (e.g. avast)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So here is my big question i have ZERO room under tank. I do have some ato and awc and 1 link cord going to basement where my water station is.

My question is this... can I install a kalk reactor in basement with 8-10' of head on it. Most designs I see work on gravity fir the final output (e.g. avast)

I'm not sure you can use a reactor there, but my preferred method is from a settled reservoir and I dosed limewater (kalkwasser) from my basement reservoir to the first floor for 20 years.