Got kalk ?

[quote author=hottielover14 link=board=Water;num=1077872753;start=60#69 date=03/23/04 at 17:47:25]do u have to put it in a sump. can't u put it in the main tank or a refuge. How much kalk do u think I would use for a 55 gal. aquarium. How much a month do u spend on kalk. Do u have your kent marine aqua doser hanging above it. Or is it the non hanging version.[/quote]

Kalk can be dangerous if you over dose the tank. I would not recommend dosing the tank directly. I have not used the the jar up yet and just started this around this first post on this thread. the doser is a hanging one and I have it hanging behiind the tank.

I fell asleep and did not get to test cal-alk and off to bed now so will look tomorrow.

 

I tested CA/ALK this (yesterday) morn and the CA has gone up from 330/340ppm to 365 ppm and the ALK down from 10.6 to 8.3 I know this was to be expected but I want to act on it now  before it gets too low.
Whats the best way to counter the decrease?
Is using baking soda and washing soda a viable solution as this is the least costly and quickest.

 

Zone 2 is also an easy problem to correct, and is very common. In this case, both calcium and alkalinity are on the low side of normal. If you take any tank in the red target zone, and let corals and coralline algae grow (i.e., calcify), then you will move into zone 2. Just as above (Figure 2), you will move downward in a fashion such that you parallel the lines bordering the zone. That fact is why it is so common to have this problem: anyone not adding enough calcium and alkalinity to balance demand in the tank will likely enter this zone.

To correct this situation back to the red target zone, one wants to add calcium and alkalinity in a balanced fashion. Fortunately, there are many ways to achieve this balance, such as with limewater (kalkwasser), calcium carbonate/carbon dioxide reactors, and the many balanced two-part calcium and alkalinity supplements (such as B-ionic, C-Balance, etc.). The more that you add of these, the further upward your correction will go (the blue arrow in Figure 3). Of course, adding too much will push you into zone 1, but if that happens you can just sit back and watch it drop back to the target zone. I’ll discuss balanced additives more at the end of the article.


Figure 3. A graph showing how to correct values within zone 2 by supplementing with a balanced calcium and alkalinity additive system (the blue arrow).

Of course, you can add calcium and alkalinity that are not “balanced” (that is, not tied to one another in any specific ratio). For example, adding calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate will work fine, but you must fine-tune exactly how much of each you add. Consequently, more careful monitoring of calcium and alkalinity levels is necessary if you go this route.


The rest of this is on Randy's web page.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

 

Oh boy looks like I need to start reading this thread from the begining

 

This sounds like my situ. Im going to go the two part Bionic cause im still iffy on adding my chems to my tank

Thanks again Dave

 

can u add kalk to the refuge instead. How big of containter do u use of kalk,Natillius.

 

how do u hang yours.

 

[quote author=hottielover14 link=board=Water;num=1077872753;start=75#76 date=03/24/04 at 12:49:15]how do u hang yours.[/quote]


Thats a little personal.... ohhhh you mean the Kent aqua doser.LOL ;D My tank is close to a counter between the kitchen and dinning area so I have this screw at an angel that I slip the doser onto.
I don't think I would drip it into the refugium.

 

I did not test last night because I was wiped out. [smiley=juggle2.gif]
When I got home a few minutes ago I tested and was at 420 on Calcium and 11.2 on the alk and 1.025 on SG.
I did not drip anything last night. added the balanced CalxMax 2 parter and will drip tonight. [smiley=thumbs_up1.gif]

 

Has all this been your" feeling out your tank "process in that what it requires dosing wise,or is this what you do to keep your levels where you want them?
Cause  what youve done so far seems like a pita :-/ I hope this is only a feeling out stage as i am worried ill also have to be constantly fiddling dose one day w/ kalk not the next, then back to a two part
I hope once we get our tanks dialed in it will be alot easier to maintain