arking_mark February 7, 2016 Share February 7, 2016 So before I started dosing, all my top off was kalkwasser with carbon (vinegar). However, I found that even with 12% weekly water changes and kalkeasser top off, my parameters, while acceptable never really let my tank flourish. Parameters for the big 3 were 8dkh, 400 calc, 1220 mag. Also, ph was usually around 8.1. So I began testing and dosing the big three and everything is began flourishing. However, I never stopped the kalkwasser. So now that I graduated to a doser, can I just stop using the kalkwasser and tweak my calcium and carbonate dosing? Or is there some reason to keep kalkessser in the rotation. One reasons I am thinking of changing to RO/DI with carbon (vinegar) is to lower my PH which is now running a little high around 8.4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 8, 2016 Share February 8, 2016 You really don't need both. Plenty of very successful tanks are run without kalkwasser. Sent from my LG-V510 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2nhle February 12, 2016 Share February 12, 2016 Since I have acquired alot of kalk, i am currently using both dosing and kalk. I do kalk several times during the night hours and early morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 February 12, 2016 Share February 12, 2016 i thought about mixing a tiny bit of Kalk in my ATO that way if something happened to my doser It could possibly buy me a little time to catch the problem? The thing that makes me nervous is that it's something new I haven't used and it just dumps in fast with no precise amount. Bottom line to your question is that my SPS has done excellent with drip dosing with no Kalk. Just don't manually dose the alk make sure it goes though the drip doser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sad Panda February 13, 2016 Share February 13, 2016 I had just mixed the kalk in my ATO and it worked great. But the larger tank im going to I think will need dosing not just kalkwasser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keraxis February 13, 2016 Share February 13, 2016 You only need both if your tank is very large. BRS has a great video on this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sad Panda February 13, 2016 Share February 13, 2016 I always learn something from their videos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arking_mark February 14, 2016 Author Share February 14, 2016 What I found was kalkwasser and 12% water changes were insufficient for maintaining my calcium and all in my 34gal. So I added a doser and now feel I should be able to get off the kalkwasser. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami February 14, 2016 Share February 14, 2016 (Saturated) kalkwasser cannot keep up with a thriving, well-established tank growing a lot of stony corals. That's simply because the saturation level for calcium hydroxide is so low. There are benefits to using kalkwasser (namely higher pH - because, in the short term, it shifts the CO2 balance in your tank towards carbonate and bicarbonate) but there are also risks (overdosing). Kalkwasser is a balanced additive: That is, it provides calcium and alkalinity in a ratio that, theoretically, matches consumption by stony corals. Kalkwasser cannot supplement magnesium (because it contains no magnesium). Two-part and calcium reactors are two other means of supplementing calcium and alkalinity, which are complete. That is, your entire calcium/alkalinity dosing regimen can be fulfilled with either. Calcium reactors are naturally balanced because they work by dissolving coral skeletons and adding the ions back to the water. Consequently, they also add magnesium and other trace elements. Balancing two-part dosing is done by purposefully adding the supplements in to match the consumption ratio. This includes dosing the 3rd part of "two-part:" a magnesium supplement. So, ultimately an SPS tank using kalkwasser will ultimately need additional supplementation, while one using two-part or a calcium reactor will not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anemone February 14, 2016 Share February 14, 2016 I always learn something from their videos.Agreed. Small grain of salt that they are selling the stuff, but mostly they seem honest about the pros and cons of a given product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keraxis February 14, 2016 Share February 14, 2016 (edited) If you watch the videos they show multiple tanks. These tanks are in the office area in cubicles and in common areas and belong to the employees. They are reef enthusiast so they care and make solid recommendations. I can respect that and like the things they carry. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=719512828076445&set=a.326925147335217.92970.117073924987008&type=1&relevant_count=1 The image is not from their office but i just wanted to share this picture I found.... incredible Edited February 14, 2016 by Keraxis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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