Kalkwasser info

Discussion in 'Water Chemistry' started by chuckdee, May 31, 2009.

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  1. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    Circulating the water will increase it's gas exchange rate so I would circulate it as little as possible. I don't even circulate mine and it works just fine, cuts down on CO2 exchange once the crust forms etc.

    The way I do it, and I think how a lot of people do it is just to dump in the amount of kalk you want to use into your ATO container and just keep your pump a couple inches off the bottom of the container.

    Figure out about how much you evaporate per day and try and use that as a basis for how much you want to try dosing per day and then dissolve that much into the volume of your ATO container. I started out with like 1/4 tsp per gallon and just tested alk every day to see how that kept up and then just increased the amount of kalk I added for my next ATO batch and just used 2part to make up the dosing until you have the kalk dialed in.
     
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  3. chuckdee

    chuckdee Peppermint Shrimp

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    My reef is quite small about 40gal total. Per day evaporation is minimal. Per week is about a gallon. I usually refill or top off my ATO holding tank once a week. The holding tank is about 1 1/2 gal. If I refill the tank with Kalkwasser everyweek, you think that might be ok??

    Right now, the pump aready sits about 1-2 inches off the bottom of the tank. I could also flip it or turn it on its side that way the pump doesn't pickup any undissolved particals on the bottom of the tank.

    Dont you think the gas exchange would be minimal because the pump outlet stays submerged? Bad thing about the pump is it runs 24/7. The ATO is a consistant drip into my sump. I could make a tighter fitting top for the tank, to decrease percipation.

    Would it be a bad idea to mix the kalkwasser in a seperate jug and pour it in the ATO tank, that way I have less undissolved particals?? I thought it would be a better idea then mixing the kalk powder and RO in the ATO holding tank.
     
  4. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    You can probably mix it up separate to keep as many solids out. The solids aren't necessarily bad, although most people try and keep them out of their tank because they aren't needed and if some of the particles don't dissolve and land on a coral or something it could cause a problem. Some people actually dose a "slurry" of the kalk into their sump with the precipitates and everything. If you mix it up in another container that should keep most of it out of there.

    One thing with the pump running all the time is that normally kalk forms a crust on the top of the water that cuts down on gas exchange, depending how strong the pump is it might prevent that from happening and thus it will constantly be in contact with air at the surface of the water.

    Evaporating only a gallon a week is pretty incredible. I have a 30 gallon with a 20 gallon sump and I evaporate more like 5 gallons a week. ;D

    I don't know any ATO systems that run like yours does so you might need to do some experimentation, the good news is that there's not really much damage you can do, even with fully saturated kalkwasser, 1.5 gallons in a 40 gallon reef is not likely to do anything except maybe raise your calcium/alkalinity levels a little bit. With that little evaporation I'm not sure you're going to see much benefit to using kalk though honestly.
     
  5. chuckdee

    chuckdee Peppermint Shrimp

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    My DT and sump are both covered. I use a chiller for all my cooling.

    I guess I could start with replacing the regular evap with kalk, and if I don't notice a diference, I can add a couple fans to evaporate more causing me to use more Kalk per week.

    I'm actually looking to do just that. Help raise and maintain my Alk/Cal a little. I wasn't expecting the kalk to take care of everything. I pretty much need to supplement my supplements... lol

    Imma give it a go. I'll give you guys an update on how everthing is going.. Any recommendations on which brand to buy? I think I'm gonna try Seachem..

    I really been thinking about trying Kalkwasser, not only to try something new, but to educate myself on it.
     
  6. Screwtape

    Screwtape Tonozukai Fairy Wrasse

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    Wow, both are covered? I would be concerned about oxygen levels and low ph. How do you get gas exchange into the tank?
     
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  7. chuckdee

    chuckdee Peppermint Shrimp

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    Ok, I take is back, the overflow section of the DT is open, and the sump has an opening about 3in x 12in where the skimmer stickes out and the drain and return lines are plumbed. Plus my skimmer helps in gas exchange too. My PH is pretty consistant around 8.2-8.3. I've thought about oxygen levels many times, but I have no way to test for it. Monitors are expensive. The tank is 2 years old. If it were a problem, I probably would have noticed, but you never know til you test, I guess.
     
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  9. Otty

    Otty Giant Squid

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    If you are going to run Kalk in that small of a tank with top off water I would have a controller watch the pH and shut down if needed. Then you will have to have a back up for top off like a float. That is how I do mine.
     
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  10. chuckdee

    chuckdee Peppermint Shrimp

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    I'm thinking I'm going to make my first batch of kalk less potent then usual. I'm going to start with the minimal amount 1/4tsp per gal.

    I thought about picking up a controller, but my eyes are bigger then my wallet. Maybe soon though. I wont settle for a cheap monitor/controller. I like that new Digital Aquatics Reefkeeper Elite. I'm going to start saving.

    In the mean time, I'll start with doing daily parameter checks, and go from there. I'm pretty responsible with my reef. So I'm sure it'll turn out ok. I'm going to buy some Kent or Seachem Kalk tomorrow.
     
  11. chuckdee

    chuckdee Peppermint Shrimp

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    Ok so I've been using the Kalkwasser for a little over a week now. I mixed the first batch using 1/2tsp per gallon. While it was dripping in my ATO, I kept adding my regular supplements. I tested every other day to notice there wasn't any change in parameters.
    My parameters are as follows -
    Nitrate - 0
    Calcium - 380
    Alk - 4meq/L
    Mag - 1300
    Ph - 8.1 -8.2
    I am looking to get my calcium to around 460-480 and mag to around 1460-1500. Im gonna increase my Kalkwasser dosage, so should I really crank up my magnesium supplement too?

    So the next batch I made has twice as much Kalk per gallon. I mixed 1tsp per gallon. Hopefully I see some increase in Calcium. With the increase in Kalk, will I see an increase in Alk?

    Basically, in case you haven't read the rest of the thread, I'm trying to dose Kalkwasseer to lessen the amount of individual supplements I need to dose. Once I get my levels up to where I want them, I will rely more on the Kalkwasser to keep levels high, and use supplements just to make adjustments.
     
  12. madlarkin

    madlarkin Peppermint Shrimp

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    What are you running for your mag supplement?
    Right now im running 1tsp with 45ml of vinegar per gallon as my top off water going through 1-2 gallons a day. My calc *was* staying at 460-480 but is now dropping down.