Kalkwasser - ALK not stabilizing?

[KENNYSREEF]

Hello All,

I recently installed an @AVAST Marine Kalk Stirrer using Seachem Kalkwasser on my Innovative Marine 100g (Total Volume 125g).

Based on Avast Marines Kalkculator on their website as a beginning point I’ve started to dose about 2250ml during the night, but I’ve seen Alk start to drop more and more every day without any increase or stabilization.

I know that Kalk isn’t as concentrated as two part, but is it better to just now have to add two part with my kalk? Was trying to just leverage kalk for overall alk/ca dosing.

Or do you guys think my Alk consumption is too much for just Kalk?

i have upped the dosage to almost 3200ml but that then triggers my ATO over night..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is certainly possible that your demand outstrips the dose you are adding, and kalkwasser tends to increase the demand by increasing pH.

Note that even if the kalkwasser is saturated, you are adding very little alk. Only 0.6 dKH per day.

It is also possible the reactor is not delivering saturated limewater (kalkwasser).

 

[KENNYSREEF]

It is certainly possible that your demand outstrips the dose you are adding, and kalkwasser tends to increase the demand by increasing pH.

Note that even if the kalkwasser is saturated, you are adding very little alk. Only 0.6 dKH per day.

It is also possible the reactor is not delivering saturated limewater (kalkwasser).

Hi Randy,

I’m concerned about the last point you indicated above, but I’ve added 1 cup of KalkWasser to the bottom of the reactor, and there is a consistent sludge that gets mixed 24/7, so not sure how that would be the cause unfortunately.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hi Randy,

I’m concerned about the last point you indicated above, but I’ve added 1 cup of KalkWasser to the bottom of the reactor, and there is a consistent sludge that gets mixed 24/7, so not sure how that would be the cause unfortunately.

Most folks who use them and companies who make them often make the same assumption you did, but when actually measured, they sometimes find less than saturation.

 

[Mjl714]

Hello All,

I recently installed an @AVAST Marine Kalk Stirrer using Seachem Kalkwasser on my Innovative Marine 100g (Total Volume 125g).

Based on Avast Marines Kalkculator on their website as a beginning point I’ve started to dose about 2250ml during the night, but I’ve seen Alk start to drop more and more every day without any increase or stabilization.

I know that Kalk isn’t as concentrated as two part, but is it better to just now have to add two part with my kalk? Was trying to just leverage kalk for overall alk/ca dosing.

Or do you guys think my Alk consumption is too much for just Kalk?

i have upped the dosage to almost 3200ml but that then triggers my ATO over night..


View attachment 3053819
View attachment 3053820

Nice looking tank.

 

[KENNYSREEF]

It is certainly possible that your demand outstrips the dose you are adding, and kalkwasser tends to increase the demand by increasing pH.

Note that even if the kalkwasser is saturated, you are adding very little alk. Only 0.6 dKH per day.

It is also possible the reactor is not delivering saturated limewater (kalkwasser).

Best way to check? TDS meter or is PH better indicator?

 

[KENNYSREEF]

Nice looking tank.

Thanks! Now I just need to get it dialed in.. haha

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Best way to check? TDS meter or is PH better indicator?

If your tds meter can read high enough, it’s by far the best.

Make a for sure saturated solution of 2 tablespoons of calcium hydroxide in a cup of ro/di and mix a bit. Then measure its tds.

Then compare the reactor effluent to that value.

That said, the volume amount dosed is low and raising it (increasing evaporation if necessary) will help.

 

[KENNYSREEF]

If your tds meter can read high enough, it’s by far the best.

Make a for sure saturated solution of 2 tablespoons of calcium hydroxide in a cup of ro/di and mix a bit. Then measure its tds.

Then compare the reactor effluent to that value.

That said, the volume amount dosed is low and raising it (increasing evaporation if necessary) will help.

Thanks, Randy.

Spoke to another reefer via the AskBRS on Facebook, and he told me the 1 cup to this specific stirrer is very low and is not max saturation, so I added another 1.5 cups, so hopefully I'll see some noticeable returns from this.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Thanks, Randy.

Spoke to another reefer via the AskBRS on Facebook, and he told me the 1 cup to this specific stirrer is very low and is not max saturation, so I added another 1.5 cups, so hopefully I'll see some noticeable returns from this.

Ok, but measuring is better since I’m not sure the potency is a strong function of the amount of solid present.

 

[arthurTC]

If your tds meter can read high enough, it’s by far the best.

Make a for sure saturated solution of 2 tablespoons of calcium hydroxide in a cup of ro/di and mix a bit. Then measure its tds.

Then compare the reactor effluent to that value.

That said, the volume amount dosed is low and raising it (increasing evaporation if necessary) will help.

Hey Randy, what would be a good tds reading to a saturated Kalk solution? mine is reading around 480

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hey Randy, what would be a good tds reading to a saturated Kalk solution? mine is reading around 480

Saturated kalkwasser is around 10.3 mS/cm.

There actually are several different TDS scales around, so there is no unique conversion of conductivity in mS/cm to ppm TDS, but 10.3 mS/cm is about 6700 ppm TDS.

You sure the 480 ppm is not just maxed out?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

This article explains what I mean by different TDS scales:

What is TDS? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[arthurTC]

Thank you Randy. I will double check later today to my readings. This is very helpful

This article explains what I mean by different TDS scales:

What is TDS? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com