calicium hydroxide question

[phyto4life]

I just started using 2 tsp of calcium hydroxide dripped at night from a 2L in a 30G does this sound like it's a ok amount to add?

I have 7 small 2" sps and 60 lbs of LR 1/2 covered with coraline

other then that I was wondering if I should test ph right afterwords at night or during the day or both for the first little while?

Should I drip kalk everyday or every other day providing the ph stay's under 8.4 during the day?

also I was considering using purple up also in small amount's during the day
would this be too much or at all beneficial ?

i'm only planing a small sps population in the future with 20% weekly water changes

[untamed]

It sounds like you are concerned about watching your pH and you should not be. Yes, you can cause your pH to spike if you add Kalk too quickly....but you are allowing it to drip in which will prevent that from happening.

You can't determine the correct amount of Kalk by checking pH. You need to be checking Ca and Alk. (particularly Alk)

So...are you adding too much? We can't say because we don't know your Ca/Alk levels.

Add your Kalk every night as you are doing. Take Ca/Alk readings at a set time each day. If the levels are falling, you need more Kalk overnight. If the levels are rising, you are adding too much. pH will tell you nothing.

[phyto4life]

I have a ca test kit now and will post the test result tomorrow until friday I'll go with 1 tsp dailly until I get a alk kit


thanks for the reply it will be a up hill battle because I went totally backwards regarding the sps thinking that regular water changes and small amount's of sps will do find so all I have now is a ca test kit and kalkwasser this friday I can get a alk kit hopefuly

[rayjay]

For me, I mix 2 tablespoons of kalk to each gallon of water and drip into the sumps of each system nightly. I replace ALL my evaporated water with this. If I need extra then I use Randy's DIY mixes.
Kalk replaced calcium used by corals from the water, and, while it will boost pH, especially if added too fast, it does not boost alkalinity.
What it does do though is keep the alkalinity from being used up by kicking the pH a little with each addition.
I let my kalk mix sit about 24 hours and siphon off the fluid between the top crust if any, and the bottom settlement which contains precipitates and undissolved kalk.

[phyto4life]

for 30G would 1 tsp sound about right nightly?

what would be too much as a guesstimate?

[George]

If you are dripping, your PH will not be affected by it. You can't really add too much of Kalk because there is only so much of the calcium hydroxide can be dissolved in water. BTW, I hope you are dripping the clear stuff. The solid on the bottom of your Kalk water is un-dissolved Calcium Hydroxide. Most people, including me, find that Kalk can barely maintain their Ca and Alk levels if you have some number of stony corals. We need to use some other methods, like 2-parts, to raise Ca, Alk and Mg. Do a Google search for "Randy 2-parts recipe".

[PoonTang]

for 30G would 1 tsp sound about right nightly?

what would be too much as a guesstimate?

My best guestimate would be that it is too much. You need to balance it with the uptake of your corals. In my 120G i only use 2 tblsp per 5g of makeup water over a 3-4 day period. I only have about 8 frags in the tank. Only testing will tell you how much you need.

[phyto4life]

I'm using this to drip the kalk but it is a 2L not a G

http://i458.photobucket.com/albums/qq303/clintos08/Picture011.jpg

I was going to buy some carbon in the next week from bulkreef supply

I already have kalkwasser

would 1/2 G of calcium chloride last about a year on a 30G?

can I drip dose it during the day 12 hours after dripping kalk the night before?

was going to order things from bulkreefsupply anything else that I should order for mag or alk etc?

[PoonTang]

Oceaniccorals.com (a sponsor here) carrys the exact same stuff. So there is no worries about customs etc.

[phyto4life]

I'll keep them in mind

[untamed]

Kalk replaced calcium used by corals from the water, and, while it will boost pH, especially if added too fast, it does not boost alkalinity.
What it does do though is keep the alkalinity from being used up by kicking the pH a little with each addition.


The way you say that makes it sound like Kalk doesn't deliver Alkalinity to the tank, which it of course does. Kalk is a well known balanced additive..If you add too much, you will certainly raise both Ca and Alk. It think what you are trying to say is that Kalk isn't really a good choice if one needs to raise Alk independently of Calcium because it will drive both. (Although more of a balanced additive is frequently the real solution to low-alk issues)

As a beginning kalk user, I suggest reading this:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

I think this the key statement from the article:

"The calcium ions in the solution obviously supply calcium to the tank, and the hydroxide ions supply alkalinity. Hydroxide itself provides alkalinity (both by definition and as measured with an alkalinity test), but corals consume alkalinity as bicarbonate, not hydroxide. Fortunately, when limewater is used in a reef tank, it quickly combines with atmospheric and in-tank CO2 and bicarbonate to form bicarbonate and carbonate:"

[rayjay]

Yes, my statement is clearly wrong. Sorry about the misconception.
Kalk, or limewater IMO is a MAINTENANCE regime, and not a RAISING method unless you have pretty low take up of calcium in your tanks.
I dose limewater nightly in all my tanks, to replace all evaporated water.
When I want to give a boost to calcium or to alkalinity I use the calcium chloride dowflake and the baked baking soda.