Maintaining Calcium and Alkalinity. What do you use and how does it work for you.

[skinz78]

Mrs Wages is Kalkwasser. Kalkwasser is just the German word for "calcium water" and Mrs Wages is the cheapest way to do it. I have added it a couple of different ways, I mark a line on my sump where I want to keep the water level, each day I drip some Kalk into the tank to maintain this level. I have a 1g bucket with a airline valve drilled into the side of the bottom of the bucket. I just sit the bucket somewhere ether on the top of the tank or over the sump where the Kalk can drip into a high flow area. I also have a 5 g bucket with a lid that has a 1/4" hole and a rigid piece of acrylic pipe that go's all the way to the bottom. I have my sump in a closet behind my tank and I have a shelf over the sump that I put the bucket on. From the 1/4" pipe I have some airline that go's to the sump and on the end of the airline I have a valve. Each day I just open the valve and let the Kalk drip into the sump and this works great.

 

[spscrazy]

I finally have a use for my euro bracing I can set the jug right on it & it drips right where I have a mod. maxi jet so gets mixed very fast I don't have a sump so had to go with what I had I have been using this method for about 3 months now makes keeping things stable & top off easy

 

[Murfman]

Also, if I was to switch from dosing the kent products to either dosing another brand or to start dripping kalkwasser, I am worried about loosing coral due to fluctuation in the parameters while trying to figure out how much to dose. I have all the test kits, so I can test daily.

IMO it is easier than dialing in a Ca reactor and you can adjust each component individually.

 

[IPisces]

I like being able to adjust each component individually too, like you said.

 

[gofor100]

A lot of us struggle with maintaining calcium and alkalinity in our smaller tanks. I have a 75 gal mixed reef that I am trying to maintian the calcium and alkalinity by dosing a two part product. I am currently using IO Reef Crystals salt mix. I am dosing Kent Marine Tech CB. 2oz of part A and about 1/2 oz of part B every morning. Alk fluctuates between 8.4 and 11.2. Not over night but over a period of a couple weeks. Cal stays low. Around 280-340. I know this is not the ideal ratio but its tought to dose just the right amount to keep the calcium and alkalinity at a constant level. I am still really new to this hobby. I started my first tank 2 years ago last month. I would like to learn more about the different approaches to maintaining these levels and to keep my system stable.

I would like to hear what others are doing to keep the calcium and alkalinity in there system. Please include
What size tank you are keeping?
Are you keeping sps and is it a lot of sps or just a few?
What salt mix are you using?
Are you dosing anything and what and how much? Are you running a calc reactor & how does it work?
Are you able to keep your system stable with what your doing or are you having trouble keeping the levels consistant?
How often are your water changes and do you dose your new saltwater before doing the water change to match the calcium and alkalinity levels in your tank?
Any other information that you feel will be helpful is appreciated.
How often do you test your water for calc & alk levels.

Hello,

I've been doing this about 8 years now, and find that things become more and more logical the more you've experienced (this includes things like keeping my levels constant).

To answer your questions, I have a 60 gallon plumbed into a 33 gallon frag tank, keep A LOT of SPS and clams (probably too many for the size of tank I have, but I'm currently planning an upgrade), use Instant Ocean (cheap, and close to normal levels, but I do dose both calcium and alkalinity before doing the weekly water change), I dose 2-part Bionic using LiterMeter III dosing pumps and they work like a charm (the key is just figuring out what the consumption rate your tank is- i.e., figure out how many milliliters the tank consumes by testing it at the same time each day), and test weekly (sometimes bi-weekly). Oh, and I also top off with RO mixed with kalkwasser...

I'll read the rest of the thread now, but I just wanted to initially post my info and go from there.

-Chad

 

[IPisces]

Thanks Chad.
I was thinking that I should dose the newly made saltwater to match the levels of the tank before doing a water change. Cause if the alk and calc didnt match it would throw off the levels and then the normal dosing wouldnt keep the tank where it should be.
I am understanding more and more from everyones input here. I really appreciate it and I am sure there are a lot of others new here and to the hobby that will appreciate learning more about it before they dive into SPS keeping, spending a lot of money on a piece to just have it die on them.

 

[IPisces]

Well I think what I am going to do is get two containers, one for dripping for calcium and one for dripping for alkalinity. Irrigation drippers from Lowes. Set them on the endtable next to the tank and drip into the return section of the sump. I think I will manually dose magnesium when needed, since my mag seems to stay at a good level. We will see how that works out for now. I will probably invest in a dosing pump in the near future.

 

[Reefnjunkie]

What size tank you are keeping? Presently 150, I just moved out of a 75 gallon and th e150 is a temp tank while I build my 400 gallonn

Are you keeping sps and is it a lot of sps or just a few? All SPS-

What salt mix are you using? Kent new and I will add "improved" salt mix

Are you dosing anything and what and how much? Are you running a calc reactor & how does it work? I may need to dose mag every 6 weeks-My mag stays around 1420, I like it a little higer. I have been using a Ca reactor ran presently by an APEX but have always used a controller to run the unit

Are you able to keep your system stable with what your doing or are you having trouble keeping the levels consistant?
I have always had a rock solid stable system by means of the controller and Ca reactor and I dont think I would ever change_ I have thought about going to a 2-3 part doser merely becuase my PH leveks are low but that is the trade off with a reactor vs dosing. My corals look fantastics-as mentioned it is satbility that keeps things happy

How often are your water changes and do you dose your new saltwater before doing the water change to match the calcium and alkalinity levels in your tank?
I change out about 15 gallons every other week maybe every 3rd week. I dont test the make up water, I did in the beggining but its to much work and 15 gallons into 150+ is nothing, I match SG is all.

Any other information that you feel will be helpful is appreciated.

Keep it simple-I run a phosban reactor and the Ca reactor and I float Purigen in the filter sock. I got great water movement via the Vortechs and skimmer that rocks,


How often do you test your water for calc & alk levels.

I test at least every other week and only becuase it is a relatively new set up, I made the move into the temp tank about 3-4 months ago, my old tank I would test the water maybe 1 a month

I tested yesterday and and have been testing weekly since its a "newer" and the levels are stable
PO4-.01-.03-Hanna meter
Ca-480-Salifert
KH 8.86 Sulfiric acid titration method-I used to think I was close to 10 using salifert test kit but I guess I was about a 1 point lower, that acid method is awesome, and CHEAP-700 tests for 24.00 with 100% real actual accurate reading
NO3-.01-Salifert
MG 1440-Salifert, my Elos kit says its around 1500

I am an advocte of the Ca reactor with corals having such a high demand for Ca and the simplicity and stability it provides, the down side if you want to call it that is a lower PH value that is nothing to worry, I have up "chasing" the perfect PH years ago-
My PH will drop at night to 7.70 and raise in the day to 8.1, maybe 8.25 if I open the dorrs and windows to the house up-
And my corals look great-polop extension color etc.

Good luck with wtever you decide

 

[IPisces]

I'll have to check into this Purigen stuff.
I think if I was keeping more sps, I might go with a calcium reactor. I'd say only a quarter of my tank is sps. They are all growing rather well. Sometimes I think they are growing too fast.

 

[swannyson7]

I would like to hear what others are doing to keep the calcium and alkalinity in there system. Please include
What size tank you are keeping?
I dose BRS 2 part with peristaltic dosing pumps and have a kalk reactor plumed into my ATO on my 180 w/ 55 gallon sump.

Are you keeping sps and is it a lot of sps or just a few?
I have quite a bit of SPS, but most are still small colonies at this point.

What salt mix are you using?
Reef Crystals

Are you dosing anything and what and how much? Are you running a calc reactor & how does it work?
I dose BRS 2 part, BRS mag and use about a half cup of kalk each week. I don't use a Ca Rx.

Are you able to keep your system stable with what your doing or are you having trouble keeping the levels consistant?
Calcium & alk levels remain pretty constant.

How often are your water changes and do you dose your new saltwater before doing the water change to match the calcium and alkalinity levels in your tank?
I complete 25 gallon water changes every two weeks. I check the pH, Alk, & Ca levels on the new water before completing a water change and dose as needed to get in the ballpark of my system's parameters.

How often do you test your water for calc & alk levels.
I check my Calcium, Alk, & Mg weekly.