Reef Discussion

[Rob]

I'll start by saying I have Calcium reactor envy and if I had a choice I would follow in the footsteps of some senior members and jump on board the reactor train of 2014. The bottom line is my sump is too small to house one. I looked at the Tunze calcium reactor (great size) however without the ability to measure pH in the reactor chamber I have decided to forget it.

@Sam Parker responded to a request I had to get a second hand Tunze Calcium dispenser, OK its just a glorified bottle however its Tunze so its cool.

I have always used Randy's two part mix (auto dosed) and will continue to use 2 part throughout the course of the next few months with the Kalkwasser. Although I just plan to mix 50% RO with my normal mix so I do not have to change my dosing pump timing so I can go back to full 2 part if all this fails to provide any results. I am assuming conservatively Kalk may provide 50% of my Ca/Alk needs, would be great if it turned out to be 100%.

Why.... In reading up on what I really wanted, the Calcium reactor, I started to review on kalkwasser and its implied ability to also lower phosphates. So I thought I would give it a go. I also like the idea of lifting pH with Kalkwasser so I have also disconnected my CO2 scrubber on the skimmer air.

Installation... I had planned on putting the bottle in the sump however decided to place it in my RO reservoir which is approx 7 meters from the tank. I am concerned on the 1/4 line slowly blocking however time will tell.

The installation is real basic as it runs with your ATO. The topoff RO entering the chamber mixes the settled kalk whilst the saturated lime water exits the top. The chamber has an air tight lid.

Starting 17 - Nov 2014 -
Ca :425, Alk :3.3, Mg :1300 (all 2 part mix, Reefsafe)
No3 0.25 (NoxPox 2~3 ml per day)
P04 0.03 ~ 0.08 (nano rowa reactor)
pH 8.1 ~ 8.35 (using Co2 scrubber -Now disconnected)

Mixed two good teaspoons of Kalk into the dispenser. Diluted Ca and Alk 2 part by 50% RO.​

 

[ezza]

Just for the record... I have a Seneye + system! it does a really good job of tracking parameters like PH. It's one thing i don't have to think about because it's done for me.

 

[Sam Parker]

Woo! Looking forward to seeing how this goes. Then we'll find you a calcium reactor ;)

Just when you get bored :D

 

[Franklin Dattein]

I wouldn't recommend it.
I have tried exactly that, purely because I had Kalk already running when I bought got dosing pumps for the first time. The reasoning was that I could keep kalk as the main source and the pumps to do the fine tuning. It turns out that kalk was just one more parameter in the equation and made things more complicated to fine tune.
Also, the advantages of Kalk (PO3 lowering, and nigthly pH lifting) are easily achieved by other means.

Other disadvantages that come to mind: cost of new kalk reactor; ATO ideally should be controlled by a pH monitor; ATO becomes even more dangerous if it gets stuck.

 

[MagicJ]

I used to dose kalk 10 years ago :)

Why aren't you happy with Randy's ?

 

[Rob]

I am a control guy..... and for "whatever reason" I would like to be able to control the pH of my aquarium and reduce the variability. I cannot justify the reason maybe take it as a challenge.

I have tried the CO2 scrubber on the skimmer air however that in fact had a huge delay in response so although I could turn that on/off it just raised the overall pH and cut variability be about 30%.

So when I read about kalk being used in parrallel to a calcium reactor which drops the pH and Kalk balancing that out, it further inspired me to give it a shot, coupled with the side effect of adding ca/alk and maybe a small benefit to Phos. I thought Id give it a shot.... So far cost me nothing except a product swap os some products with SamP.

If it can infact influence the pH to a point where I think I could control the pH variability I will switch it in/out of the ATO supply circuit so it only adds kalk during the low periods of the pH cycle. I can easily add another ATO pump and either topoff with RO or Kalk lime water. Anyway's gotta see how much kalk influences the pH before I connect it up to the profilux.

 

[Franklin Dattein]

I am also a "control freak", I spend all my free time developing reef controller :P
However, in this move I believe you will be abdicating fine tuned control of Ca/Alk, in exchange to gaining a bit of control over pH at night. Also, it will depend on evaporation, which isn't under our control.

It will no doubt work, as it was the method adopted by many for many years. It is just more complex, more expensive and more difficult to tune.

In addition, pH fluctuation at night can be minimised by making sure the tank has proper gas exchange, like more surface agitation, open hoods, skimmer, etc. If none works, a reverse schedule reefuge will, it also brings other benefits to the tank and are relatively simpler to implement.

This article has a nice cost and complexity comparison table of the different methods.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/chemistry

 

[Rob]

After running kalk now for a couple of weeks I did a quick test last night. Ca 420 and alk 3.1 which is about the same as when I started.

I did not change my 2 part dosing pump schedule however diluted my 2 part by 50%. So it seems two spoonful's of kalk per week provides ~1/2 of my tanks Ca/Alk requirements.

I have noticed on one of my larger SPS that the rear is slightly darker than the front. The rear of this coral is in direct line with the sump return. I cannot remember if this was before or after Kalk addition however I have repositioned the return so it is not directed straight at the SPS anymore. I have a feeling it was like this before kalk so not too concerned however will keep an eye on it.

I am more interested to see if kalk does indeed help with PO4. I have a pretty good cycle established before kalk in that two spoons of rowaphos in my nano reactor was enough to keep Po4 <0.1 for a 3 week period. Time will tell.

It very subjective if it has made any positive change to the .tank although I would say my softies are looking the best they have ever been.

 

[Rob]

6 months on and this is one thing im not going to stop using. Although I feel I must be the only one using kalk in the 2000+ members of the reefuge. I still dose randys recipe however Kalk through the ATO to suppliment my 2 part. I know when it needs another spoonful in the reactor as my morning pH reading (email from profilux) gets lower than 8.00 pH so I just put a couple of teaspoons of Kalk. Generally have to do this 2 or 3 times a week.

It has been reported as also helping with Phosphate levels and although my P04 is not too bad it would be difficult to state Kalk has done anything, I still use NoxPox for this and Rowaphos...Although the amount of rowa I use is VERY small (2 tablespoons) and lasts about 5 weeks. Phos is sitting around 0.04~0.08. I think my Rowa change has stretched out from 3 weeks to 5 weeks although there could be alot of reasons for this, one of which may actually be Kalk is helping!

Anybody else using kalk ? and yes Id luv a calcium reactor but absolutely no room in sump.

 

[MagicJ]

Good to hear you are having positive results.

Kalk is probably an 'old school method' which has been overtaken by some somewhat easier methods over the past 5 years or so. That doesn't mean it doesn't have some merit in the current era, as your results are showing.

 

[Sam Parker]

I'd definitely be keen on running a kalk reactor in future, but no room with current set-up. Have to wait till I get a fish room :)