Kalk/two part

[lletellier]

I have a bag of kalk but no reactor. I got it from Howard and I think he just mixes a bunch in with ro water and lets it go through a drip loop into his sump. Then I was told that you are not supposed to put the powder itself into your system just the effluent. Is there a good way to use it without a reactor? If that isn't the way to go what else should I be dosing. I see that a lot of people dose two part? what is that exactly?

[Grav]

Randy's 2 part or an off the shelf version like b-ionic.

 

The work great but the comercial ones can be expensive. Works better for smaller tanks, as larger-high demand systems will go through the product quickly.

 

Kalk is good, but can cause huge problems if over dosed. Safer with a kalk reactor, but still potential issues if too much goes in too fast. You want to add only clear saturated water going in.

[dhoch]

Is there a good way to use it without a reactor?

 

Yes.... just use any container and a dosing pump... just be sure the pump draw is not down in the "slury"

 

 

I see that a lot of people dose two part? what is that exactly?

 

Two part is another way to add calcium and alkalnity that are used by corals & coraline algae as building blocks. It's called two part because you add it in 2 parts (one for calcium and one for alkalinity). You can buy the stuff in most aquarium stores, but you can also make a DIY batch with fairly common ingredients much cheaper.

 

Two part is what most people start with as it's easy to do and requires no eqiupment to do, just a couple of measuring devices (small cups or Tsp/Tbsp measures). As corals grow and the tank ages and there is more of demand on calcium and alkanlity the amount you will add will grow, depending on the size of the tank you may decide to go to an automated solution (kalk or a calcium reactor).

 

Dave

[davelin315]

You have quite a small system so what I would do is actually decant the fluid off the top that is the effluent and dose just that by dripping it. You can use a doser, or you can even take a jug and put a pin hole in it and let it drip slowly in. You can also adjust the rate of the drip by adding a valve to the top and siphon it over with the valve being the air vent.

 

In larger systems, it's not a problem according to Dan to add the slurry as well. This is not going to necessarily dissolve in tank and throw off your system's chemistry.

[Larry Grenier]

In larger systems, it's not a problem according to Dan to add the slurry as well. This is not going to necessarily dissolve in tank and throw off your system's chemistry.

 

I believe I read somewher tha Calafo used to (or still does) dump Kalc right into his large systems sump; not that I would do that with a small system.

Edited January 9, 2008 by Larry Grenier

[lancer99]

My low-tech Kalk doser:

 

I took a plastic jug and drilled a hole about 2" off the bottom, then inserted a plastic airline tubing valve into the hole, sealed it with silicone, and added a short length of airline tubing onto the valve.

 

I add a bit of kalk powder as needed. Each day, I fill the bottle with RO/DI water, give it a shake, & let it settle. Once the lights are out, I adjust the valve to get a drop per second or so.

 

By putting the hole a couple of inches from the bottom, only the clear liquid drips out.

 

Yeah, it's a PITA compared to a dosing pump......but it works!

 

-R

[dschflier]

I have never done the 2 parts so I cant speak for that. Whenever I have to do something daily or every other day I never keep up with it. That being said you do have a smaller tank so maybe the 2 part is the way to go.

 

For me the Kalk stirrer is so easy because other then putting a bit more kalk in each week and then emptying it and refilling it like once a month their is nothing to do. It has really done a good job for my tank and mine is just atached to the auto top off.

[Rascal]

Another variation of Lancer's idea can be found here: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/nftt/index.php

 

Very easy to do and works like a charm.

[fry_school101]

Just a bucket and dosing pump is real easy. That's all I use. I have a 5 gallon trash can under my stand and fill it with rodi once a week. There is a float valve in the sump and all the top-off comes from the can. You don't even have to measure the kalk! Just dump some in the bucket. There is an article on RC somewhere where they talk about it.

[rsarvis]

If you decide to try the two-part solution, I'd be interested in trading you some two-part for some of that kalk bag. I'm thinking of trying to drip kalk. I have a 180g, and I think I'm getting to the point with SPS, etc., that two-part is a pain. I still have quite a bit left of these ginormous two-part jugs, so maybe we can do some experiments with each other's supplements.

 

I have a bag of kalk but no reactor. I got it from Howard and I think he just mixes a bunch in with ro water and lets it go through a drip loop into his sump. Then I was told that you are not supposed to put the powder itself into your system just the effluent. Is there a good way to use it without a reactor? If that isn't the way to go what else should I be dosing. I see that a lot of people dose two part? what is that exactly?

[quazi]

No one goes lower tech than me

 

 

 

Here is my low tech dripper:

 

 

 

[lanman]

I have a bag of kalk but no reactor. I got it from Howard and I think he just mixes a bunch in with ro water and lets it go through a drip loop into his sump. Then I was told that you are not supposed to put the powder itself into your system just the effluent. Is there a good way to use it without a reactor? If that isn't the way to go what else should I be dosing. I see that a lot of people dose two part? what is that exactly?

I have a reactor, but no kalk...

 

Okay - I have a little, but I'm obviously going to need my own bag. Recommendations??

 

bob

[ArtC]

I have a reactor, but no kalk...

 

Okay - I have a little, but I'm obviously going to need my own bag. Recommendations??

 

bob

 

A 50 pound bag cost $16 at the last group buy. And we bought a ton of it - so I wouldn't expect another buy any time soon. Find somebody to part out (a 50# bag is about 3 salt buckets.)