Kalk

[WayneL]

I know this is posted about a thousand times but I can't seem to get it straight in my mind so here goes.

Only a few softies and one buble coral right now in my 150 gallon oceanic, looking to start adding corals more and more corals soon. Currently I use Reef Advantage to maintain my calcium levels and I'm fairly capable of keeping them above 400 and dkh around 10 using buffer.

Questions:

1. Is it cheaper to use kalk than adding Reef Advantage?

2. I've read alot about how it pushes the alk (dkh) down, is that true and how do you compensate.

3. I've read some about a Neilson Kalk reactor. What is it, what does it do, why do you need one and does it use CO2.

4. How would I dose if I'm currently using an Auto top off system, kent float valve, directly connected from my RO/DI to my sump, without buying anything. I have very little space under my tank left, currently filled with pump, sump and fuge.

I guess that's a start. I've heard about dripping kalk but how do you keep the kalk from clogging up the line?

Thanks, this board has been a great find, a lifesaver. I'm using it in an attempt to make fewer mistakes in the future. Right now my tank is really coming around and I want to continue the trend.

 

[Osama]

Wayne; here is what I know
1) Kalk powder is usually cheaper than any other prepared additives
2) usually you drip kalk at night when the tank ph is low because kalk raises tge pH.Kalk will raise the alkalinity to disired levels . you need to test periodically till you know how much kalk to dose daily without getting too high on alkalinity.
3)A Nielsen reactor will mix the kalk for you and you can use a dosing pump to drip it into your sump. No CO2 is required for the Nielsen reactor itself to function. My system is controlled by a Neptune controller that will shut the reactor off if the pH spikes too high say 8.8
4)In my setup my RO/DI fills out a small container above my sump. This container feeds my Nielsen.The output from the Nielsen is dosed into the sump using a litre Meter dosing pump. More equipment to buy....
Tubes eventually clog and have to be replaced or cleaned but you are always dosing the clear portion of the kalk solution not the unsoluble powder itself .. good Luck

 

[plankton123]

1. You may still need to add CaCl to your tank if your calcification is great. Kalkwasser is limited in how much Ca can be added to your tank since only a limited amount will dissolve in pure water. One of the main reasons for adding kalkwasser is not to maintain Ca (although it will to some extent) but to prevent alkalinity from dropping by neutralizing acid via the base (OH-) is delivers. I think saturated kalkwasser has a pH of something like 12.

2. Actually, if prepared correctly which usually translates into freshly, kalkwasser will prevent your alk from dropping. See above. However, if old or if there is too much calcium carbonate in the solution then there is the potential of loosing both Ca and alk.

3. I don't have experience with one so I won't comment. But, I think the trick with them is to keep the kalkwasser saturated and absent of CO2.

4. Kalkwasser has a very high pH so you want to make sure the pH never exceeds about 8.45 (or bad things like calcium falling out of solution as calcium carbonate). So some just dose at night when the pH is naturally low, while others actually add it to a pH controller and only add when required. I had a friend you appears to be able to balance with pH from the kalkwasser with the somewhat acidic water comming out of a calcium reactor. I don't mean he added them together otherwise all you would see is calcium carbonate slag everywhere. I mean they entered the sump at different locations but the net effect on the pH was about neutral. Doesn't sound like a stable marrage, but who knows.

I've actually stopped adding kalkwasser to my tank after 4 years since it has a tendency to encrust in pipes and things and cause trouble. I just use RO/DI and a commercial two-part.

SCott