kalk or 2 part?

So I have been just dosing my tank with individual cal, mag and KH or PH buffers weekly or so after I test my parameters but I want to start a routine that is more stable. I have read a lot between the 2-part method and dripping kalk or using it in an ato.

After speaking the with owner of the LFS he tells me kalk is dated and no one uses it much anymore. Hmmm, really? I have spoke to some people who swear by it.

So what are your thoughts 3reefers? I need some advice, I plan on going and picking up whatever my final decision is within the next couple days.

Thanks guys!

Nitty

 

I used kalk for 10 years and liked it, maintained a decent pH and ca level.

I have used 2 part religiously for 2 years and love it. I know use kalk only if I run out of 2 part.

 

What are your reasons and how were you dosing the kalk?

 

I've done both and I am going back to kalk. I had great results with both but 2-part was more laborious (without an auto-doser) and requires a lot of homework to determine proper dose. Kalk has worked best on the drip for me. I had a reactor on my ATO and it would dose too much. Most affectively I used gravity and kent float - I am going back to this technique tonight. Look for a post with pics tomorrow. The last month I have not been using kalk and my rocks are going brown and I am getting more algae. I've noticed this every time I stop using it.

 

Wow, really? Huh! Well, I will diff be looking forward to your post with pics. I want to implement something now, so it looks that I am in luck. What brand are you using for Kalk or are you utilize the ms. wages or BRS stuff?

 

I use a name-brand from my LFS. Honestly can't recall which one right now. I would not get too hung up on the brand as this is one of those things that you can go generic on if you want.

I want to add this this whole kalk/2 part thing is a personal preference and I actually was doing both at the time, but have stopped the 2-part for good. Husbandry skills, size of tank, coral demands will all play a part in this. Kalk just works best for me. The less calculating or dosing that I personally have to do, the better.

 

I was using a slow gravity feed (very old fashioned). The reason I currently like the part A/B by Kent is because I get more stable values. Kent part A has strontium and magnesium in it as well, although I still do supplement some magnesium. But as Matt posted the demand and other variables are different for each tank. In a 28 gallon nano, the amount I have to dose daily is a small amount and easily administered, in a larger tank it may not be as practical.

 

I agree with that. I want something easy and works. Plus the added bonus of kalk helping keep your ph up I guess makes it an attractive option for me. Looking forward to your how to.

 

I think 2-part is generally safer, but kalk is cheaper and easier when incorporated into an ATO.

I have never found kalk to be sufficient to keep up with my ca and alk demand alone however. So, I also dose 2-part. Currently on my 93g (140ish total gallon system, I seem to be using about 1.5g of saturated lime water per day, plus 30ml each of C-balance part A and B.

Kalk tends to precipitate fairly easy as well, so you loose some potency. I recently hooked up my ATO to a pH controller and have it set to turn off when the pH rises above 8.2. I have found that it dosn't take much kalk to get my sump past pH 8.2 even at a slow drip and by doing I am using about 10ml less, each, of part A and B.

 

Hmmm, well I am not sure if I will be dosing through a drip system or my ato. Thats why I want to see the post on his implementation. But good insight!