Kaukwasser dripping. Need some help?

VIC · 03-07-2002, 12:04 PM

Fellow Reefers,
I am finding that I must add reef buffer to my system 2x a week to keep my DKH from dropping below 10. I read that replacing top off water with fresh Kaulkwasser will keep the DKH up. This is not happening. I usually mix my kaulkwasser 12 hours before use and drip it overnight at about a drip per second. I do 15% water changes on my 300 gallon system every 2 weeks and use instant ocean salt which mixes for about a week prior to use. Yet the DHK drops after I add the Kaukwasser. What am I doing wrong. The SPS's look good and have good growth. I have to add reef buffer (Kent Marine) after each Kaukwasser dose (approx. every other day).
When I go away for a few days, the dkh and ph stay perfect.
The last time I tested the calcium it was 450.
What do you guys think?
Thanks,
Vic

Northman_with_reef · 03-07-2002, 04:20 PM

Strange...
I'm pretty sure Kalkwasser should increase your pH.
Maybe your tank gets a pH drop every time you add Kalkwasser, and it goes normal after a few hours....

Really, Really strange..

Casie · 03-10-2002, 12:56 AM

I've been reading up on the kalk-alkalinity-ph-calcium relationship lately and had this paragraph fresh in my head so I thought I'd post.

And Northman is right, Kalkwasser has a pH of around 12 so you have a real mystery on your hands.

It sounds like you have a firm grasp of your situation but perhaps...

Delbeek/Sprung recommend a dKH of 7-10. They go on to explain:

*Alkalinity can be maintained via addition of Kalkwasser as make-up water, and through the use of commercial buffers. Kalkwasser maintains alkalinity by supplying both hydroxide ions and calcium ions. the hydroxide ions neutralize acids and therefore prevent the loss of alkalinity. The calcium ions can combine with dissolved CO2 to replenish dissolved calcium carbonate. However kalkwasser can deplete alkalinity when administered improperly. Too much kalkwasser added to the aquarium at once will raise the pH high enough to cause calcium carbonate to precipitate spontaneously from the water. For this reason it is best to add kalkwasser via a dosing system. Old Kalkwasser typically has precipitated calcium carbonate settled on the bottom of the container. If this white powder is dosed into the tank with the kalkwasser, the high pH around the calcium carbonate particles floating in the water will cause further precipitation of calcium carbonate onto the particles that act as nuclei for cystyllization. Use fresh kalkwasser only, or periodically remove the accumuated precipitatate from the kalkwasser resevoir.*

I am only running 90 gallon, but I dose a little over a gallon of Kalkwasser (over an hour of time) each night to maintain levels.

Good luck!

Trailer Trash · 03-10-2002, 06:08 PM

I see you have a 300 gal tank with SPS. How muck kalk do you add?

IMHO asking kalk to maintaine alk levels in a tank this large with SPS may be difficult.
I could never maintaine calcium/alk levels in my SPS dominated 180 with kalk alone. I now own a calcium reactor.
If you are only adding a gallon or two as replacement for top off, this is not enough in a large tank with a high demand.

mrok12 · 03-10-2002, 06:19 PM

Get a ca reactor. I agree with trash for sure. Go to ww.myreefcreations.com ndy wil set you up. I have a dual stage from him and it is great

VIC · 03-11-2002, 09:37 AM

I have a calcium reactor. It is a dual stage unit made by Marine Technical Concepts. The problem is that it drops my ph to below 8.2 and it caused algae growth including turf algae. I could not slow the reactor down enough to balance the benefit with the negative.
Does anyone know of a good unit that will not cause algae bloom from co2. Any help would be appreciated.
Vic

Trailer Trash · 03-11-2002, 08:12 PM

Vic (My name is Vic also)
I have a reactor and yes the ph does run lower. Whats wrong with 8.2? My ph seldom rises above this and falls to7.9 at night.

Excess CO2 can be a problem. Have you tried a second chamber?
One advantage besides "squeezing" a little extra calcium/alk from the CO2 saturated water is the second chamber will allow some CO2 to "blow-off".
I run a homemade second chamber.

organicreefer · 03-11-2002, 08:58 PM

imho ,idealy,the ph should be 8.4....24/7
vic,i think you need to add a kalk reactor to youre calcium reactor

talk to golfish,he recently did just that.hth

VIC · 03-12-2002, 09:51 AM

Hey guys.....
Are you telling me Ineed to add a Kaukwasser and a calcium reactor?
How would I run them to counteract each other? Now I am more confused than before. The scary thing is that I have a tunze kaulwasser reactor and a calcium reactor. My calcium reactor has 2 chambers but there is still too muck co2 in the water. Why not add another chamber and fill it with ?. then i can drip kaukwasser 2-3 times a week. wont that do? help!!!!
vic

VIC · 03-12-2002, 09:55 AM

Hey Vic (trailer trash)
Tell me about your second chamber and what you have in it. I have 2 chambers already so this would be a third one for me. I know that the co2 is excessive because the second chamber has green and red algae growing in it. Give me your thoughts.
Vic

Trailer Trash · 03-12-2002, 07:43 PM

My second chamber is homemade and some CO2 is lost because the ph is .5 higher going out than in.....

I see you already have this feature and if you get algae in it.....I might no be so quick to blame this on CO2......I had a little algae when I first set up my reactor in the tank but have never had any algae in the reactor.....I have a DSB and a heavy growth of razor caulerpa in my refugium.....

No experience with kalk reactor.....havent need one ....YET!!!!!

03-07-2002, 12:04 PM	#1
VIC Citizen Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Elmwood Park, N.J. U.S.A Posts: 134	Kaukwasser dripping. Need some help? Fellow Reefers, I am finding that I must add reef buffer to my system 2x a week to keep my DKH from dropping below 10. I read that replacing top off water with fresh Kaulkwasser will keep the DKH up. This is not happening. I usually mix my kaulkwasser 12 hours before use and drip it overnight at about a drip per second. I do 15% water changes on my 300 gallon system every 2 weeks and use instant ocean salt which mixes for about a week prior to use. Yet the DHK drops after I add the Kaukwasser. What am I doing wrong. The SPS's look good and have good growth. I have to add reef buffer (Kent Marine) after each Kaukwasser dose (approx. every other day). When I go away for a few days, the dkh and ph stay perfect. The last time I tested the calcium it was 450. What do you guys think? Thanks, Vic

03-07-2002, 04:20 PM	#2
Northman_with_reef Stonehammer Productions ™ Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Norway(Scandinavia) Posts: 461	Strange... I'm pretty sure Kalkwasser should increase your pH. Maybe your tank gets a pH drop every time you add Kalkwasser, and it goes normal after a few hours.... Really, Really strange.. __________________ They said aquariums would be relaxing......(yeah right) Saltvannsforum My LFS

03-10-2002, 12:56 AM	#3
Casie Just Moved In Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: La Posts: 6	Howdy Vic =) I've been reading up on the kalk-alkalinity-ph-calcium relationship lately and had this paragraph fresh in my head so I thought I'd post. And Northman is right, Kalkwasser has a pH of around 12 so you have a real mystery on your hands. It sounds like you have a firm grasp of your situation but perhaps... Delbeek/Sprung recommend a dKH of 7-10. They go on to explain: Alkalinity can be maintained via addition of Kalkwasser as make-up water, and through the use of commercial buffers. Kalkwasser maintains alkalinity by supplying both hydroxide ions and calcium ions. the hydroxide ions neutralize acids and therefore prevent the loss of alkalinity. The calcium ions can combine with dissolved CO2 to replenish dissolved calcium carbonate. However kalkwasser can deplete alkalinity when administered improperly. Too much kalkwasser added to the aquarium at once will raise the pH high enough to cause calcium carbonate to precipitate spontaneously from the water. For this reason it is best to add kalkwasser via a dosing system. Old Kalkwasser typically has precipitated calcium carbonate settled on the bottom of the container. If this white powder is dosed into the tank with the kalkwasser, the high pH around the calcium carbonate particles floating in the water will cause further precipitation of calcium carbonate onto the particles that act as nuclei for cystyllization. Use fresh kalkwasser only, or periodically remove the accumuated precipitatate from the kalkwasser resevoir. I am only running 90 gallon, but I dose a little over a gallon of Kalkwasser (over an hour of time) each night to maintain levels. Good luck!

03-10-2002, 06:08 PM	#4
Trailer Trash Citizen Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 154	I see you have a 300 gal tank with SPS. How muck kalk do you add? IMHO asking kalk to maintaine alk levels in a tank this large with SPS may be difficult. I could never maintaine calcium/alk levels in my SPS dominated 180 with kalk alone. I now own a calcium reactor. If you are only adding a gallon or two as replacement for top off, this is not enough in a large tank with a high demand. __________________ VISIT MY REEF!

03-11-2002, 08:12 PM	#7
Trailer Trash Citizen Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 154	Vic (My name is Vic also) I have a reactor and yes the ph does run lower. Whats wrong with 8.2? My ph seldom rises above this and falls to7.9 at night. Excess CO2 can be a problem. Have you tried a second chamber? One advantage besides "squeezing" a little extra calcium/alk from the CO2 saturated water is the second chamber will allow some CO2 to "blow-off". I run a homemade second chamber. __________________ VISIT MY REEF!

03-10-2002, 06:19 PM	#5
mrok12 Mayor Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Van Buren, MI Posts: 1,052	Get a ca reactor. I agree with trash for sure. Go to ww.myreefcreations.com ndy wil set you up. I have a dual stage from him and it is great

03-11-2002, 09:37 AM	#6
VIC Citizen Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Elmwood Park, N.J. U.S.A Posts: 134	I have a calcium reactor. It is a dual stage unit made by Marine Technical Concepts. The problem is that it drops my ph to below 8.2 and it caused algae growth including turf algae. I could not slow the reactor down enough to balance the benefit with the negative. Does anyone know of a good unit that will not cause algae bloom from co2. Any help would be appreciated. Vic

03-11-2002, 08:58 PM	#8
organicreefer Governor Join Date: May 2001 Location: Northern CA Posts: 2,171	imho ,idealy,the ph should be 8.4....24/7 vic,i think you need to add a kalk reactor to youre calcium reactor talk to golfish,he recently did just that.hth

03-12-2002, 09:51 AM	#9
VIC Citizen Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Elmwood Park, N.J. U.S.A Posts: 134	Hey guys..... Are you telling me Ineed to add a Kaukwasser and a calcium reactor? How would I run them to counteract each other? Now I am more confused than before. The scary thing is that I have a tunze kaulwasser reactor and a calcium reactor. My calcium reactor has 2 chambers but there is still too muck co2 in the water. Why not add another chamber and fill it with ?. then i can drip kaukwasser 2-3 times a week. wont that do? help!!!! vic

03-12-2002, 09:55 AM	#10
VIC Citizen Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Elmwood Park, N.J. U.S.A Posts: 134	Hey Vic (trailer trash) Tell me about your second chamber and what you have in it. I have 2 chambers already so this would be a third one for me. I know that the co2 is excessive because the second chamber has green and red algae growing in it. Give me your thoughts. Vic

03-12-2002, 07:43 PM	#11
Trailer Trash Citizen Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 154	My second chamber is homemade and some CO2 is lost because the ph is .5 higher going out than in..... I see you already have this feature and if you get algae in it.....I might no be so quick to blame this on CO2......I had a little algae when I first set up my reactor in the tank but have never had any algae in the reactor.....I have a DSB and a heavy growth of razor caulerpa in my refugium..... No experience with kalk reactor.....havent need one ....YET!!!!! __________________ VISIT MY REEF!

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