The best way to add calcium

[Tigger]

Has anybody used the Kent Liquid Reactor?
I'm trying to decided if it is better to use this stuff, or if it is better to use Kent Turbo Calcium and Super Buffer dKh and mix it myself. Would you say they are about equal? I am considering using the liquid reactor since you don't have to mix it and it is harder to overdose. John at J&L said that liquid reactor last for a long time. When you run out of liquid, all you do if add more water and you can keep on doing this untill all the stuff at the bottom is disolved. Has anybody done this? Is this stuff really soluble? Do you have to use DI/RO water to disolve it?

What do people think of the Turbo Calcium and the Super Buffer dKh?

[BCOrchidGuy]

When I kept African Cichlids I tried out the Kent stuff, I figured if it was expensive it must be good, lets just say it was an expensive lesson. I've never had good luck with Kent products and have sworn off them completely now. I use mainly SeaChem stuff and have NEVER had an issue with any of it. IMHO try the SeaChem stuff you wont regret it.

[Aquattro]

Tigger, you're better using the 2 part solution. Also, do you use kalk to maintain levels? You can get it cheap from Shao. Using turbo calcium is going to increase your chloride levels over time, and that isn't a good thing. You should only use it for one time adjustments. Really the best and cheapest way is to use kalk to maintain levels.
Also, a note on seachem products....I wouldn't dump that crap in my tank if you paid me!! Anytime I used it in the past, I got major ugly algae problems. Most people I talk to report the same thing.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Interesting I have just the opposite thing, Kent etc all cause issues for me but SeaChem has always been good. I guess it is like everything else, if you believe in a product it works for you and if you don't like it..... oddly enough it doesn't meet your expectations. It's like salt, some people swear by IO, some Bio Sea etc etc... I tried Bio Sea and found my pH consistantly over 8.8 and my alk close to 14dKH, with in a few days the alk drops but the pH stays high, also Ca has never been above 220ppt for me with Bio Sea. I add the SeaChem stuff and bang my water comes into balance and the livestock doesn't complain at all.. infact, it seems to thrive but maybe I just see it that way because I want to.

[Doug]

I go with Brad on this one. One of the 2-parts are the best. I have used both ESV B-Ionic and still do, plus I have also used C-Balance. Both are top quality products.

The cheapest way to add calcium, is to replace all evaporated water with kalk.

[Aquattro]

The cheapest way to add calcium, is to replace all evaporated water with kalk.

And remember, if you're in the lower manland, Smokinreefer (Shao) has the best deal on kalk.

[Tigger]

When you say the 2 part solution, do you mean to use the Turbo Calcium and the Buffer, or do you mean a different product?

[Aquattro]

Tigger, a different product. Kent has a 2 part A and B set of products.
One is KENT TECH-CB PART A CALCIUM BUFFER and the other is PART B. J&L can show you what it is.

[Doug]

I was refering to the one mentioned by Brad or the two mentioned by me above. They are designed to be dosed in equal parts of 1 & 2. One part is the calcium and the other a buffer. They also add elements like strontium, magnesium and others.

[Tigger]

Thanks Guys!

I read that we shouldn't mix them together, but can / should we add both parts to the tank at the same time?

Steve

[Delphinus]

Uh, no. I don't know what all brands say on this, but I used to use Seachem 2-parts (Reef Builder for alk and Reef Calcium), and the instructions said to wait at least a half hour between the two. I myself found it simpler to get in the habit of adding one in the morning and one at night, but YMMV of course.

Since the Seachem stuff is powder I would predissolve the stuff, and I found if I had just the slightest amount of residue on my stir stick from the previous mix, the reaction was so exothermic that the water would literally be boiling hot for an instant (if I had my hand under just the right spot). Then there would be an instant coating of calcium carbonate where the two additives had mixed.

[Dorkel Marine 1]

I was contemplating dosing my tank after I get my new skimmer up and running. I've read the two best ways are to use kalk or a 2 part system. B-ionic and C- balance recommended. When you guys say to replace evaporated water with Kalk could you elaborate. I have two 27 gal tanks. I hope to interconnect the 2 in the future. The reason I'm leaning on the 2 part system is the reading I did says that with smaller tanks it is affordable. Its seems to me it would be easier than rigging up a system to drip the kalk. If adding the Kalk is not to complicated I would go with that, because it seems cheaper. Your views and recommendations would be appreciated. When I say dose I mean I want to start keeping the calcium level where they should be. I haven't ever done this yet. My tank profile is not up to date I haven't been able to figure out the new stuff on the board. Not to bright when it comes to finding my way around the board.
Thanx in advance George M.

[Dorkel Marine 1]

ok I've put my specs for the 1 tank in the Tank Specs forum. I couldn't find room for the 2nd tank. It has about 10 lbs of live rock and a 3in. sand bed. bugs galore and a few crabs and snails. some algae is growing halimeda. The goal is to get the skimmer hooked up. Its a prism. Then I'd like to interconnect the two with a pump and some tubing still looking for some ideas on that. I'm rambling. i would like to get my calcium levels up to norm. I know water changes cannot replace the calcium. So any pointers appreciated. And pointers on how to hook the two tanks together and so on. Thanx in advance George.

[Doug]

Kalk can be added with just a jug or something more complicated. Just use a large jug type container. Throw in a spoon of kalk, fill with ro water, mix it up for awile and then let it settle, until the residue settles on the bottom.

You can drill a hole in it, about an inch up from the bottom, { so the residue does not drip}, and silicon an airline valve in. Just sit the jug over your tank or sump and turn the valve on to get a decent drip. Best to add kalk at night, when ph is lower. Kalk should be added slowly, whatever method is used, as it has a ph of 12.

I have dripped like this for many years, from 50g tanks to my current 225. It just replaces the evaporated water.

Of course there are other ways, like float switches and dosing pumps and kalk reactors and even garbage cans full of kalk.

By the way, kalk is an excellent way to maintain levels, but its hard to raise them, unless there is a large amount of evaporation. Best to use something like Kent Turbo calcium, to raise it up first, if its low. Or if both calcium and alk are low, it can be raised by using equal parts of a 2-part.

[Tigger]

When dripping Kalk, I know you should not use the precipitate at the bottom of the mixture, but I also heard that you should not use the layer of crusty stuff that forms at the top? Is this true? If it is, how do you avoid the stuff at the top if without transfering containers?

[Doug]

I would not be to worried about all that. Over the last 14yrs. I have added it all. Never hurt a thing.

I have never worried about the top crust forming. The sediment in the bottom is best not to add. There are those, including myself, that drip the kalk still in its milky state.

One problem with that or using the sediment, is if non pure water is used in the mix, that kalks ability to precipate out phosphate from the water, builds up a phosphate accumulation in the sediment.

For newer users, I suggest either the valve be high enough, so as not to dose the sediment or after mixing, just dump the clear liquid in your doser.

It should be know though that kalk reactors continually mix the kalk up and dose as such.

[BCOrchidGuy]

While at the LFS yesterday I met two of the reps from Kent. I asked them about Calcium levels and they both said Kalk is the unquestionably best product for raising and maintaining Calcium. They said the form or calcium in the two part lowers the pH and thus depletes the alk, this is why you have to add the second part, to restore what was already there. They both agree that Kalk is much better.

They also said SeaChem Reef complete and Reef Calcium is a nice treat for coraline algae, Calcium Gluconate will speed up the metabolism of corals including coraline algae but they can get "tired of it" too much of a good thing I guess. They said to use it once in a while and everything should be great.

[Aquattro]

I have yet to see anyone successfully raise calcium and/or alk by dosing kalk. Based on opinions of chemists (Randy Holmes-Farley, Craig Bingman) rather than sales monkeys, I would say that info is not correct. I have also tried to raise levels with kalk when I first started in the hobby, and I was not successful. As an aside, I am fairly certain I have seen this same info on Kent's website at some time. I'll take a look.

[Aquattro]

I would not be to worried about all that. Over the last 14yrs. I have added it all. Never hurt a thing.



Agreed. I just mix up the jug and hook it to the float valve. I don't worry about what part goes in and I've not had any trouble with it.

[Delphinus]

On that last point ..... just curious, do you find that kalk gums up your float valve eventually. If it does, how often do you find this, and can the clog be cleared by soaking in vinegar?

[Doug]

I agree with Brad. Its easy to maintain calcium levels with kalk, but hard to raise them. Its funny Kent said that, as their Turbo calcium is reported to be one of the best products to raise low calcium levels. I do agree on kalk being the best of all for calcium maint.

I find B-Ionic or C-Balance, to be incredible coralline algae growers.

As I still drip mine, {into a 225 gal, :lol: , I also was wondering how the float switches hold up.

[Aquattro]

I find if I brush off any residual kalk once a week (with my hand) from the float valve every other week, I don't need to soak it more than twice a year.

[Aquattro]

Sorry Tony..yes, it can be cleared with Vinegar. :D

[BCOrchidGuy]

Can't remember what they said about Turbo Calcium..... to bad we can't upgrade "our" memory like we can our computers. They did both say though that the Kalk mix was the best product they made for calcium raising, maintaining etc...

I'm not saying anyone is wrong, just saying what some people have already said was verified by the Kent reps, and telling you all why "They" said the two part isn't as good. I don't see the point in adding something to your tank and then adding something else to counter the adverse effects off it. Perhaps the reason the calcium level comes up quickly is that it is more available, but it does need the buffer part because it does lower pH and that depletes the alk.

Just as a side not, if you are a label reader like me I've found a number of the Kent products are the same thing in different packages (same with other companies). Some of their stuff sold for African Cichlids is identical to some of their Gold fish stuff. Discus essentials is $2 more/bottle than FreshWater Essentials, read the label and have a laugh, they are exactly the same thing, Kent reps verified that but didn't want to comment on the price difference.

[StirCrazy]

On that last point ..... just curious, do you find that kalk gums up your float valve eventually. If it does, how often do you find this, and can the clog be cleared by soaking in vinegar?

yes it does.. I just went through 2 weeks of mine overfilling. I soaked it in vinager for a day and it still didn't work... you need to take it apart and manualy remove any deposits the vinager doesent get (even if it is just to make sure that the vinager got it all.. in my case it didn't.. but now it is workin g 100% again..


Steve

[canadawest]

Ditto to Doug and Brad regarding mix-and-go (TM). :)

I dump 3 heaping teaspoons of Kalk into my Kent Aquadose 2.5gal container. Put in a little RO/DI water, and shake up the mix. Then top up the jug with RO/DI water and set the drip rate.

As I am sumpless, milky Kalk drips straight into the tank, near my Hang-on Skimmer so that it is quickly mixed into the tank water by either the skimmer outputs or sucked into the skimmer itself and mixed up.

Never had a problem with pH swings or calcium precipitate.

And I also agree about Kalk maintaining but not raising Calcium levels. I've been dripping Kalk for over a year, and my Calcium levels have actually decreased. I need to use a product like Kent's Turbo Calcium to boost my Calcium levels back up to 350-400ppm (they are at 230ppm now) and then the Kalk will just help maintain the levels. Even with larger Kalk doses, no appreciable increase in Calcium levels has been observed.