Switching to Kalkwasser

[RudeBoy]

I've been using B-Ionic for the last 2 months in my tank. It seems to do well but lately, my Calcium level hovers seriously low at 350ppm. It's very frustrating considering that I'm putting about 15-20ml of each (Alk and Cal buffer) in my tank per day. I went out tonight and bought a can of Kalkwasser mix and I want to try it. Can anyone tell me how this fairs against B-Ionic and for someone like me who doesn't have a dripper, how do I add it to my tank?

[ridetheducati]

Please keep in mind that Kalk is used to maintain levels not increase them. I suggest getting your parameters in order and then begin to drip Kalk.

I have a 5 gallon bucket dripping @ 1 per second. Usually last about 5-7 days.

[ridetheducati]

What are your parameters.
pH?
Alk?
Calcium?

Use something like Kent Turbo Calcium to raise Calcium levels and Kent Buffer to raise Alk. I have never tried the B-ionic method. What type of reef are you maintaining?

SPS? LSP? Softies?

Give more info so we accurately lead in the right direction.

[RudeBoy]

Well, the first sentence on the container says "Kalkwasser is the original European method of ADDING Calicum to a reef." After reading this, I assumed that it helped to raise calcium levels. My Calcium level is 350, Alk is 2.5 and PH is 7.5. All my tank mates are listed in my profile. I hate having to retype them in posts all the time. BTW, nice user name! What do you think about the 2002 Yamaha YZF600R? I want to buy myself one for Christmas.

[ridetheducati]

Your right. I did not read your profile prior to posting.

Your calcium and buffer are slightly low. However, I am concerned with your pH. What time of day did you test pH? That low reading sounds like during lights out.

Get some Kent Turbo calcium or equivalent and raise the level to 400-450. Then raise your buffer. Its easier to raise calcium levels when the buffer is a little low. When the buffer gets about 3.5 - 6 dkh your pH should fall right in place.

Once your in the zone; start dripping the Kalk. The kalk will maintain your levels. Unless you have a lot of clams and SPS you should be fine.


I have the 748. Love it. Has a lot of character. Get the R6. Will this be your first bike? Get the R6 and take the MSF course.

[SCETT316]

FWIW Rudeboy I agree with ridetheducati, Kalk is used to maintain CA levels, not to increase them. I had a similar problem in my 20gal, with low CA levels, I was adding the Kent Ca suppl, and dripping Kalk, and my levels would continue dropping. I was then adviced by a member of this board to check my Magnesium levels, which I did, and found them to be extremely low. (if mag levels are low, then ca levels will be too) I then slowly added Salifert Mag. suppl. until I bought it up to the correct levels, then did the same with my Ca suppl, and had no further problems. I was able to maintain 450ppm of Ca consistently while dripping Kalk.
HTH

[RudeBoy]

Thanks again for the kknowledge. I' gonna try exactly what you all recommended. Have any of you had any experience with ARAGAMIGHT? I've been using this in my top off water and it seems to help my Calcium rise quite well. Yes, this will be my first REAL bike. I had a '92 CBR about 9 years ago but owned it all of 2 weeks. My brother and I had identical bikes... brand new. I flipped mine adjusting the brakes and it damn near crushed me after I went over the bars. That's all my mother needed to see. The bike got sold 2 days after that.

[Mobious]

I dont know about B-Ionic but the directions on a bottle of C-Bal says to use Kalk with it to maintain the level..

Anyone else try this?

[jcwbnimble]

Howdy,

What should the Magnesium level be? I want to add some Mag to see if that helps keep my CA levels higher. I have had problems with keeping the CA up in my newest tank.

Thanks,

Scott.

[RudeBoy]

I've been topping my tank off with tap water and an additive called Aragamight. It's working VERY WELL and has brought my Calcium levels and Magnesium levels up considerably. It costs like $14 and will probably last me about 6 months.

[ReefHawk]

After a spell, getting the same results of parameters in my tank I quit testing for a long time. It became a regular ritual of the same additives. Recently, June '01, I began with sps corals. This changed my tanks requirements of calcium I knew and wanted to see how things were going so I began to test again. I found my Ca at 350 like you and wanted to raise it. I tried several things including more kalk in the top off water, all to no avail. I have always used B-Ionic, but was more for the alk level than the Ca. It just didnt raise it or even keep up with the demand. Kalk did at that time. I'm not sure what caused the increased use of Ca in my system, maybe the addition of some sps corals or the corraline which has spread everywhere.

Anyway here's what I did..
I stopped the addition of B-ionic to allow the alk to lower, got Kents Turbo Calcium, used the recomended dosage(well slightly higher) for a week. I saw no increase in Ca levels until the alk lowered. High alk levels hinder the increase of Ca levels, I cant tell you all the chemist mumbo jumbo but I know what cause effects are...LOL. I used to keep the alk at 12dkh but let it lower to 9dkh by stopping the addition of B-ionic for a week. After the Ca got to 450 I stopped the turbo and used kalk drip method again. I have still slowed down my addition of B-Ionic to like every other day and no more than 5ml in my 40 gal tank (probably 30gal water with all the LR in it) I still use turbo for the first top off after a water change and only the recommended dosage, after that I use kalk.

Oh the turbo was just used in the top off water before when I added btw. To much too fast and, well you know PH stuff..

So now my alk is still at 9 to 10 dkh and I havent tried to raise it. I hjave gotten intyo a rythmn I guess. I like to do the samer thing for a spell and watch things, then one change at a time with my additions. After a while I will get to that place when things seem a ritual again I'm sure. The time to do all this is when changes are made in the tank's inhabitants. This changes the needs of the system I think.

My experience...HTH

[ReefHawk]

other comments I forgot...
I also made sure I had Magnesium by using Kents Strotium/Molybdenum which has the Mag in it. I used normal dosage.
I still add 4ml every four days to my tank.

Occasionally I add 5ml vinegar to the kalkwasser mixture(1/2 teaspoon to 1/2 gal water..."well water" I might add...LOL) to aid in dissolving more of the kalk and aids in PH concerns too. I cant tell you the specifics of that much but I understood the process and theory behind it. It has been proven by many. I havent backed this up with immediate tests however I have been testing the whole tank as normal.