2 Part Vs. Kalkwasser Vs. CARX

[YHSublime]

I know it seems silly, but I was looking at a Calcium Reactor for my nano. A little research, and I realize that it's the least cost efficient way to tackle that issue. It would be worth the piece of mind if they all didn't have pretty big points of failure, but I think I've worked it down to either using Kalkwasser, or two part. 

 

I've used two part before, but never kalk. Pro's and cons? 

[epleeds]

I would go with 2 part. Get a profilux 2 headed doser and some ESV bionic.

 

A gallon of bionic will last you 6 months.

[YHSublime]

I would go with 2 part. Get a profilux 2 headed doser and some ESV bionic.

 

A gallon of bionic will last you 6 months.

 

I was looking at the BRS stuff, but you're right, the tank is so tiny that I could buy ESV and not have to worry. I already have a 3 headed bubble magnus doser.

[epleeds]

Then your set. Get a gallon of each and it will last you forever.

[BtmDweller]

I’ve been using the BRS mix yourself. It has worked great in my SPS tank. Used to only use bionic. Not dosing Mg, or just so little no auto dosing? Just wondering since my Mg has been high, but my corals are mini colonies at this point.

 

 

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[newbie2014]

I started with BRS kalk in my ATO reservoir. Didn't work too well. Maybe it was the way I implemented it.

 

So, I switched to BRS 2-part. It has worked much better. My system consumes ~ 0.3dKh/day, so I just manually dose 10ml/day of Soda ash solution to bring it back up. My daily Calcium consumption is negligible.  

Edited August 6, 2018 by newbie2014

[Origami]

I know it seems silly, but I was looking at a Calcium Reactor for my nano. A little research, and I realize that it's the least cost efficient way to tackle that issue. It would be worth the piece of mind if they all didn't have pretty big points of failure, but I think I've worked it down to either using Kalkwasser, or two part. 

 

I've used two part before, but never kalk. Pro's and cons? 

 

Calcium reactor is heavy overkill for a nano. Way more trouble and expense than it's worth.

 

Kalk helps keep average pH up, but in a tank with anything over a bunch of small frags, is unlikely to keep up with demand because solubility of calcium hydroxide in water is so low.

 

Two part along with regular water changes to maintain long-term ionic proportions is probably your best bet for your system.

[YHSublime]

I’ve been using the BRS mix yourself. It has worked great in my SPS tank. Used to only use bionic. Not dosing Mg, or just so little no auto dosing? Just wondering since my Mg has been high, but my corals are mini colonies at this point.

 

Usually most folks don't have to be to concerned with the Mg, but I've read that new tanks can struggle with it. I used to use BRS 2 part. 

 

I started with BRS kalk in my ATO reservoir. Didn't work too well. Maybe it was the way I implemented it.

 

So, I switched to BRS 2-part. It has worked much better. My system consumes ~ 0.3dKh/day, so I just manually dose 10ml/day of Soda ash solution to bring it back up. My daily Calcium consumption is negligible.  

 

I'm wondering if mine will be as well, negligible. I don't know what my consumption is, if any, that water changes aren't addressing. Either way, I want to be prepared, no point in rushing into it when the time comes. I have ESV coming tomorrow, and a bracket for the doser. 

 

Calcium reactor is heavy overkill for a nano. Way more trouble and expense than it's worth.

 

Kalk helps keep average pH up, but in a tank with anything over a bunch of small frags, is unlikely to keep up with demand because solubility of calcium hydroxide in water is so low.

 

Two part along with regular water changes to maintain long-term ionic proportions is probably your best bet for your system.

 

Yeah, I figured a CARX would be pretty inefficient after a bit of reading. That's good to know about the low solubility with kalk. I was reading there are some people that do both (kalk and 2 part) and to me that just seems like one more thing to worry about. 

 

I've not tested for anything since this tank has been setup, aside from temperature (sometimes) and salinity. I'm curious to see if there is even a current demand, with 30+ SPS pieces, and some of the most rapid growth I've seen in all my tanks owned, I have to imagine there is. Luckily I have new reagents coming tomorrow for all my Hannah Checkers, as well as some Salifert testing kits, and so beings the games. 

[Origami]

I'm sure that there are a lot of people that combine kalk with two part. There's also a lot that combine kalk with calcium reactors. In both cases it's to boost tank pH. This approach is probably better "justified" with calcium reactors to counterbalance excess dissolved CO2. However, it can serve the same purpose with systems using two-part. Of course, one option that two-part users have that can help boost pH is to use an alkalinity additive based on dissolved soda ash (sodium carbonate) rather than dissolved baking soda (sodium bicarbonate).