[Frank N Beans]

any suggestions? it`s on a 125 gal reef tank. how many days is a batch good for? how fast of a drip? any suggestions from people experenced with kalk on any aspect would be apperciated

[adron420]

Well kalk use differs from tank to tank. I prefer to drip fresh kalk on a daily basis, the fresher the kalk, the more Ca and bicarbonates it contains. The amount youll need and how fast you need to dose it will depend on how much evaporation your tank gets and how much calcification takes place in your tank. The best thing you could do is start mixing enough kalk to replace your evaporation on a daily basis and then test your Ca and alk and then go from there, either adding less, or increasing the evap in order to add more. Just be sure you add it to the tank slowly especially if your using a fresh batch each time. I also like to add my kalk after the lights go out to compenstate for the drop in pH. HTH

[Lunchbucket]

if you have a sump, get a float valve and hook up your kalk to that. then you dose w/ top off all the time. mine helped my 55gal out a lot!!

now w/ the nano i can't even try it!!

later
Lunchbucket

[golfish]

Hmmmmm, I wouldn't use a float valve to add kalk. Even a float switch would add too much at one time and can cause high PH and really mess with your ALK. I'm not saying it doesn't work for Lunchbucket I'm just saying in general its not a good idea. Kalkwasser is meant to be dripped not poured......or is that shaken not stirred

I have read people mix it once a week but I'm like adron420 and made it every 1 or 2 days. I would try to drip it so that it keeps up with evaporation.

[Lunchbucket]

the float adds little amounts at a time. just enough to replace the top off.

i have never had a problem w/ it. only replaced the amount that was lost due to evap. my water paramiters were perfect and coraline was going nutz!! that is my oppinion though. cheap and easy too....less hassle then dripping.

Later
Lunchbucket

[eses]

What are your methods for removing the clear water from your fresh kalk batch without getting any of the crust or sediment? I've yet to come up with a good way of siphoning or scooping it out.

[Lunchbucket]

i just mixed it up in a 1 gal jug and dumped it into a 3 gal just that was attached to the float valve. yeah this isn't the desired method buy my evap was so low barely any of it was added into the tank before it settled out.

later
Lunchbucket

[orion25]

I have a Nurace that I use to dose Kalk. First I mix the kalk in a 5g bucket and use a powerhead to circulate it for at least 5 hours. Then I let it sit undisturbed overnight with the powerhead in it (turned off) with a piece of tubing attached. I then use the powerhead and tubing to fill the Nurace with the Ca enriched water that forms between the sediment and crust.

I also use Kent's 2 part buffer and Superbuffer DKH.

Ryan