Kalkwasser

[donkey77]

Gonna start using some Kalkwasser in my 120 mixed reef medium stocked
Going to use the ato method, I have a 5g bin, going with 5 teaspoons of kalk, my tank uses 5g of ro water every3-4 days does anybody see anything wrong with this, I also have a dosing pump but don't know how to convert over, meaning how many ml a day would you dose
Do people still use kalk

[Aquattro]

Not used nearly as much as it used to be, but your plan is how I ran mine successfully for years.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

I use Kalk and mix it in a 2 L juice jug which I manually dose (work at home). What you're planning sounds fine.

[brisco]

Curious to know why Kalk is not as popular anymore?

[sumpfinfishe]

Kalk is not as reliable and very caustic, reactors are stable and easier and two-part for smaller setups is safer too.

[FishyFishy!]

I use it religiously. Love the stuff. I have a 10 gallon Kalk tank that has an Innovative Marine Accu-Drip that goes into the return section. Works great. I rarely have to supplement Ca or Alk. My drip is set to about 1 per second. Keeps my parameters very stable.

I would use a reactor and use it with my auto top-off, but I evaporate about 7 gallons of water a day, so I think that would be a little much.

You just have to worry about swings. I got really sick a couple weeks ago, and let it run out. With no kalk dripping on my system, my alk dropped to 5.4 dkh. Got kalk burn on all the tips of my SPS. I'm about a week after getting my levels all correct again, and the corals are almost back to normal. But goes to show you that things can go wrong if not attended to properly (like everything in this hobby).

Kalk on low-medium demand tanks is still a great way to supplement the tank IMO.

[dcw1sfu]

I use a kalk stirir with a separate 50ml/min dosing pump for accuracy. I also dose 2 part but like the kalk for its PH raising properties and ability to bind phosphates.

[brisco]

I am looking to set up 2 part dosing, right now I just add manually but it seems that kalk has lots of benefits.

[Craigdillman]

I use kalk in my ato in my 125g set up (160g total water) works good I still need to dose calcium and mag manually I evap about 5 gallons every 2.5 ish days depends on summer or winter , and I keep the mix saturated In my 10 gallon ato tank works good I say give it a try :)

[albert_dao]

I've never had better results than when I used kalk. In fact, I've gone back to it recently with this modified reactor:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBgfhRai2bs/?taken-by=reefinabox

Pretty simple setup; modified the lid of an old Vertex UF-15 to run 1/4" lines -> built a base with a computer fan -> threw magnets on that -> tossed a magnetic stirring bar into the reactor -> connected to ATO -> BAM!

Edit: Hmm, image doesn't seem to be showing, but if you right click on the icon and "view image", it will take you to it.

[shiftline]

You guys are inspiring me to try it. I currently use 2 part with a doser but am upgrading to a 100g in the next month or so. I'm curious to try it. Is it better to dose via ATO or as a drip into the sump?

[Aquattro]

I used it for years, loved it. I only stopped due to changing my top off system, and I built my own Ca reactor for very cheap. And kalk can be harder to find, and expensive if you find it. If you can source pickling lime from the US, then it's cheap.
One member here supplied it in bulk, he got it from an Asian source, probably pickling lime.

But with all the new tech in dosing and such, people have started leaning towards that, simply because it's tech and bling.

[apexifd]

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=118054

More stab reasonable price for kalk!

[shiftline]

Is there a big advantage of a CA reactor over Kalk? You would still have to dose Alk. Right? Any pics of your build?

[apexifd]

Kalk.. Alk and ca dosing

Ca reactor.. Everything!

[whatcaneyedo]

I used it for years, loved it. I only stopped due to changing my top off system, and I built my own Ca reactor for very cheap. And kalk can be harder to find, and expensive if you find it. If you can source pickling lime from the US, then it's cheap.
One member here supplied it in bulk, he got it from an Asian source, probably pickling lime.

But with all the new tech in dosing and such, people have started leaning towards that, simply because it's tech and bling.

I haven't been paying attention. When did that happen? I bought 50lbs of Kalk for $2.50/lbs to my door a few years ago (probably from the member that you're referring to). I've sold some of it locally but probably still have enough that I will never have to purchase it again even if I continue to use it until my dying day.

I built my own simple Kalk Reactor to run it inline with my ATO system. Usually once or twice a month I'll dump 1 cup into the reactor and thats all there is to it. I do also run a Calcium Reactor as Kalk alone isn't enough to keep up with the coral growth and the two complement each other nicely.

[whatcaneyedo]

Is there a big advantage of a CA reactor over Kalk? You would still have to dose Alk. Right? Any pics of your build?

A calcium reactor can be built or purchased large enough to handle any size tank. Kalkwasser is limited in its application because only a certain amount can dissolve into a given volume of fresh water. I think its something like 1tsp per 1gal. So if your tank only evaporates 1 gal a day then that is all you can add without bringing down the salinity. The last time I dosed my tank with some sodium bicarbonate to increase the alkalinity was a year or two ago. The output of both Ca and Kalk reactors is balanced.

[shiftline]

Makes sense. I guess I'll have to see how much evaporation the new tank gets (66x20)

[Aquattro]

Is there a big advantage of a CA reactor over Kalk? You would still have to dose Alk. Right? Any pics of your build?

It's more set and forget, instead of mixing 5g of kalk every few days.

[Aquattro]

I haven't been paying attention. When did that happen?

Always been that way, but I'm referring more to buying retail packaging. You can go through a lot in a year. I paid $5 for a huge bag, so that worked out well.

[whatcaneyedo]

Always been that way, but I'm referring more to buying retail packaging. You can go through a lot in a year. I paid $5 for a huge bag, so that worked out well.

Oh yeah retail. I sometimes forget that people pay those outrageous prices for little name brand packaging.

[Aquattro]

Oh yeah retail. I sometimes forget that people pay those outrageous prices for little name brand packaging.


Ya, it's ridiculous :) I acquired a small jar somewhere, the sticker on it was near $20. Maybe half a pound??

[brisco]

People always seem to complain about how expensive this hobby is, but then make no attempt to keep the costs down. There is often alternate bulk chems available and lightly used equipment, trading coral etc. Sometimes I think that the cost causes people to leave the hobby when it really doesn't have to be that way.

[shiftline]

Trading in this hobby is a beautiful thing :). Any hobby can be cheap or very expensive.

[brisco]

This forum has been really great for me in that department especially. I have purchased my led lighting, skimmer, heaters, gyre pump, phosban reactor, apex controller, and dosing pumps all from Canreef members. I now only buy coral frags from other members and hope to start trading one day. This is just the stuff that you can put a $ value to....I wouldn't know how to price all the advice, ideas and hints that I have received and read:biggrin: and all the fantastic people I have met on the way.

Bryce

[albert_dao]

I dunno, I think stores are pretty awesome.

[hillegom]

I dunno, I think stores are pretty awesome.

I think stores and the people on this site are amazing. there is help where ever you turn.

[sumpfinfishe]

I think I like them both, the stores for the once in awhile latest product, sometimes knowledgeable staff, and things such as salt and fish.
This board has all the info a reefer needs, sometimes friendly people:wink:
all the trades and purchases of coral, fish, and used equipment.

and just for the record I'm not saying don't use kalk, you just have to be careful with it outside and inside the tank. I have switched like many others have either to upgrade to reactors, two part regiments, dossers and such. I actually dose a homemade mix of baked baking soda and bulk calcium chloride(thanks to a link off of canreef) and prefer that over some overpriced name brand mix.

Reef On All!:biggrin: