Kalkwasser

[NanoJoe]

I started doing kalkwasser dosing VIA a dosing pump. Fairly new to kalk but I am familiar with how the chemistry works just not in practice.
I’m just looking for general tips and what to really look out for when dosing it.

I am testing alk and CA everyday to monitor that and keeping a close eye on pH. Already peaked at 8.4 but am skeptical about it actually being 8.4 given the issues hydros app has been having as of late;

my milka stylo seems a little upset and so goes my torch. But still giving me polyp extension. Is this normally for the corals to react negatively for a little bit. If my memory serves me right, someone had mentioned corals may seem a little bit upset for a few days but after that will do much better.
Any advice or tips is appreciated!

 

[amado]

How big is your tank?

 

[NanoJoe]

How big is your tank?

Total volume is 65 but calculated 50
After displacement. I usually always dose to 50 gallons of water to play it safe.

 

[amado]

Total volume is 65 but calculated 50
After displacement. I usually always dose to 50 gallons of water to play it safe.

This is just my 2cents.
I am using kalk I love kalk but I have a large system.
If something happens and the doser dumps a bunch of kalk in my system nothing is going to happen. On tanks 50 gallon or smaller I would say stay away from kalk.
I would dose 2 part or something like “all for reef”
It will be a lot safer to use and manage dosing.

 

[NanoJoe]

This is just my 2cents.
I am using kalk I love kalk but I have a large system.
If something happens and the doser dumps a bunch of kalk in my system nothing is going to happen. On tanks 50 gallon or smaller I would say stay away from kalk.
I would dose 2 part or something like “all for reef”
It will be a lot safer to use and manage dosing.

I get that. Just seems the benefits from kalk are highly desirable for where I want tank to be down the road.
All for reef is something I would look into as well since many reefers have Had positive experiences with it.

 

[Salted]

An equipment use bit of knowledge when dosing kalk - if you’re dosing into your sumps return and using an ato keep an eye on the ato fill sensor. The kalk will crust over the sensor causing it to not sense. I had to remove and scrape mine clean weekly. I’ve since stopped using kalk and am using two part. No more ato issues.

 

[kabal2]

just dose about 75% of your evaporation and watch your alk, calc and ph, you might have to lower the amount of kalk dose, your ph at 8.4 is not extreme but i will keep an eye on it just in case goes higher. when dosing try to get the outlet at your overflow if possible

 

[NanoJoe]

Never thought of that, thanks. Good call

An equipment use bit of knowledge when dosing kalk - if you’re dosing into your sumps return and using an ato keep an eye on the ato fill sensor. The kalk will crust over the sensor causing it to not sense. I had to remove and scrape mine clean weekly. I’ve since stopped using kalk and am using two part. No more ato issues.

 

[NanoJoe]

just dose about 75% of your evaporation and watch your alk, calc and ph, you might have to lower the amount of kalk dose, your ph at 8.4 is not extreme but i will keep an eye on it just in case goes higher. when dosing try to get the outlet at your overflow if possible

Will do

 

[NJTaxMan]

An equipment use bit of knowledge when dosing kalk - if you’re dosing into your sumps return and using an ato keep an eye on the ato fill sensor. The kalk will crust over the sensor causing it to not sense. I had to remove and scrape mine clean weekly. I’ve since stopped using kalk and am using two part. No more ato issues.

Yeah..i had the same issue. I had to move my Kalk ingress to my fuge because it kept putting a coating over my digital eye in my return section. Now I am worried that there is not enough agitation to properly mix the kalk..but tank is doing fine so fingers crossed