I am shifting to SPS dominant tank. With this shift, it’s only a matter of time that water changes will not keep up with calcium and alk requirements. I have a 40 display, with about 50 gal total water. What is the best systems for supplementing calcium and alkalinity. Im thinking dosing pump or kalk stirrer.
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Calcium & alkalinity supplementation
- Thread starter David
- Start date
I agree. Kalk stirrer is the way to go. I am doing the same thing
Kalk addition are a good first step. But you can only add so much before it reaches saturation. I have skipped kalk in every yank but one. In that one I used kalk in top off and I liked it, but demand was very low, and I had to add vinegar to top off to allow higher saturation of kalk. There are many way to supplement kalk, all have there ups and downs. And a fail safe is very important as an overdo6can wipe out everything in short order.
2 part is a good way to go and can really handle up to heavy loads, but can get expensive over long run. And 2 part really becomes 3+ part as the tank matures. Magnesium become a regular addition at some point and you may want to get trace elements going as well.
Calcium reactor are expensive to start up but once set, deliver exactly what the coral needs.
It does not take much to outgrow kalk addition in only 50g of water.
Since I am planing on a kalk stirrer, I am now also interested in monitoring PH, and since I’m getting some automation, I minus well integrate a temp controller as well. My first thought was an Apex JR, but it appears to have been discontinued. The regular apex, does more than I need, and is out of my price range. I am looking for a basic cost effective ph/temp monitor. Any suggestions? I would consider used stuff as well.
I don’t know about a single solution but I like my pinpoint ph controller. Right now I just use it as a monitor. But I am happy that I can use it as a controller when I am ready. As far as temp I use an inkbird but it’s fairly strait forward. Doesn’t send any messages. Just let’s me see the temp and shuts off heater if out of my selected range. Also has an audible alarm which I like
That stuff seems perfect, and fit the budget too. I don’t need messages, just a little preventative measures.
It turned out, someone gave me a jebao 4 head dosing pump. I set it up last week, and my calcium has been rock steady ever since. I’m only using 1 Chanel for cal right now. I’m still using Kent Marine supper buffer dkh, in my ato, witch is also rock solid at 10.2 dkh and 8.2 PH. I drop in about 10 ml of aquavitro ions a week to maintain magnesium.