whats the lowdown on kalkwasser?

[markeo99]

getting into sps my alk is always low will kalk raise alk and calcium or what does it do? and how much should I dose to start with? light to med coral load 80 gal capacity I am looking for a baseline I have all test kits for fine tuning

[SCIFI_3D_zoo]

There's quite a bit to learn about this subject. Here's a great place to start. Randy's article (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php) part II. There's a section on Ca/Alk.

[markeo99]

wow I know where I will be for awhile

[x2uranium]

Yes, and dont get overwhelmed by it.. its very easy thing to do.

[markeo99]

I've gotten a grasp on most of it before the partnerships anyways I was just curious what kalk was all about but it looks like a reactor is the way to go. right now I am gwetting away with adding a little kh buffer and frequent water changes to keep cal up

[sps1-2-b]

From what I've read, calcium reactors tend to raise alk while kalk reactors tend to lower alk. Most people run both to balance out these effects. Also, kalk will help with stabilizing your pH, increases skimming effeciency through saponification, and supposedly it precipitate phosphates. IMO, if you have to choose only one I would get the calcium reactor. If you could afford it, get both because of all the benefits of kalk as mentioned above. HTH

[mixed_reefer]

Calcium reactors Help keep alk balanced... they lower pH. Kalk helps replenish alk and calcium at a balanced rate similar to the consumption of corals, it raises pH. People use kalk alongside their cal reactor to help balance out the pH.

[camarojweed]

+1 on Mixed Reefers comments, -1 on sps1-2-b's comment.

I use both, started only with a homemade Ca reactor, but as my SPS took off the Ca consumption rate started to really go up and I needed more Ca from the reactor which drove my pH down, I built a Kalk reactor to add more Ca and bring pH back up along with my alk which was a little low for me (5-6, now it is at 8-9)...As growth rate changes i need to tweek every now and then, but it is much easier to use both. (IMO)

[jadeguppy]

For tanks with a low demand for supplements, I would go with adding kalk to top-off water. It is very easy to do. If you can get Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime, it is a food grade kalk that is MUCH cheaper than those sold for tanks and it works great.

[60Cubed]

I have never seen my kalk drip increase my alk. Years ago I only ran a kalk top off and no reactor. The kalk never raised my alk. Strange comment. Kalk does raise cal, ph and allows phosphate precipitation. Never seen it raise my alk.

The calcium reactor raises alk. It keeps a balance of cal and buffer to keep the tank alk up.

[camarojweed]

Some more light reading from Randy on why Kalk raises Alk(not a large amount, but does raise it), and ton of other good info...

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

[mixed_reefer]

Neither Kalkwasser or a Calcium Reactor is intended to raise ALK or CAL, only maintain them.

[volcom69]

However if you do drip to much your alk and calcium levels will go up and that has happend to me.