Maxed out Kalk - Help on transitioning in Calcium Reactor Please

[BerukasReef]

I have a 161 Gallon custom tank with 250 gallons total volume. I am running a Avast K1 kalk reactor at 4 liters a day with pH drifting up and down between 8.2 and 8.4 with a kH of 150ppm (~8.5 dKh). I do add a bit a BRS mag mix solution every 6 weeks to bring up Magnesium to 1250ish every once in awhile when it goes down to 1200.

I have not quite maxed out Kalk yet as K1 stirrer is at consistent 80% saturation of lime water and perhaps I could add a fan for more evaporation but I want to use only balanced additives.

On stand by is a Lifereef Calcium reactor with a Carobondoser CO2 regulator. What is the best way to start this up in a few months? I am afraid alkalinity will skyrocket. I could time the Carbondoser for a few hours a day and keep continuous flow through reactor maybe.

I could also use All For Reef Powder before going to a calcium reactor. But might be more trouble than initially apears.

Suggestions would be appreciated. Kalk has done very well and will keep that going!

 

[Josh]

Make sure you are using a PH monitor on the tank 24/7, and ideally you have a reactor that has a PH probe integrated. I would put them both on at the same time with the ph for the reactor set to around 7.50 which should basically not do anything.

Slow the kalk flow until you see a change in pH of no more than .1, then dial down the pH in the reactor so you get back that .1 in the main tank. I would do this stepwise a max of -.1 pH per day until you are not flowing anything through the kalk.

Since the additives are not 100% chemically identical, I would suggest doing this extremely slowly so you don't upset your Ca/Alk balance.

 

[BerukasReef]

Thank you for a very clear response.

I do use pH probe to monitor kalk dosinging full time with the ability to shut it off. I will not discontinue kalk dosing though. I am just maxed out and see benefits of the high pH.

The kalk reactor will stay on at full use and ease in the Calcium reactor. I will go with suggestion of just plumbing it and easing it to pH 7.8 to 7.5 internally.

Thanks again It has been a long time...

 

[Josh]

The reactor is unlikely do anything until you start dropping the pH inside the reactor below 7.3 or so. Just do it very slowly.

 

[BerukasReef]

Well noted. I Just want it up and running a few weeks anyway. I have two 5 gallon buckets of the old version of TLF media I was saving.

I am on fence of using the Koemer variable perstaltic pump or just a Sicce Pro 800 with a reducing fitting to 3/8"

 

[ecvernon]

Calcium Reactor Setup Help

In the past I used this calculator to help me adjust my setting when running a Kalk and calcium reactor.