dosing alkalinity and calcium together

[felixdacat]

I know that you're not supposed to dose alkalinity and calcium together, something about them canceling each other out... Look at the 5:10 mark on this video I found:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hH_DSMpues

Is that possible to do? Or are you still back to square one of canceling each other out?

Any help please.

[eros]

If you drip them in different locations you will be fine. That's how I have mine but it's on a dosing pump

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The goal is to not have them interact significantly before being diluted in tank water. Separating them physically can work, as does time separation. Also, the less you add at once, the smaller the concern. :)

[wakeboardgeek]

I put my calcium in my return section of my sump then wait a couple of mins then add my alkalinity. Does this sound OK?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, that's fine, :)

[downhillbiker]

Sorry to get off topic. But I have been dosing kalkwasser powder strait to my tank, is this canceling out, or is it ok? I have a 300g system and the pH fluctuates about .5-1.0 point when I do this.

[somethingphishy]

that's good to know that you can dose at the same time....i add Alk in the morning and Ca at night

[Paco]

Sorry to get off topic. But I have been dosing kalkwasser powder strait to my tank, is this canceling out, or is it ok? I have a 300g system and the pH fluctuates about .5-1.0 point when I do this.

I don't think it will dissolve properly in salt water. It needs to be dissolved (or at least suspended) in fresh water and then poured into the salt water. I've noticed that if I pour too fast (I add half a gallon of super-saturated kalk every morning) I get the Calcium Carbonate sandstorm going on.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Sorry to get off topic. But I have been dosing kalkwasser powder strait to my tank, is this canceling out, or is it ok? I have a 300g system and the pH fluctuates about .5-1.0 point when I do this.

You mean like pH 8.0 to pH 9.0? That's bad. That's why lime or limewater should be dosed slowly. Most people slow drip or slow pump it. Adding a tiny bit as a slurry is OK, but you'll have to do it at least several times per day to keep the pH spike from getting too high.

Adding the equivalent of 1.25% of the tank volume in saturated limewater, boosting alkalinity by 0.5 meq/L (1.4 dKH) all at once boosts pH by about 0.6 to 0.7 pH unit instantly, which is too much.


This has more:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

[DT's_Reef]

Sorry to get off topic. But I have been dosing kalkwasser powder strait to my tank, is this canceling out, or is it ok? I have a 300g system and the pH fluctuates about .5-1.0 point when I do this.

I think may likely cause more problems than help....precipitation due to high pH, effect on corals/fish, etc. When one thing goes up suddenly, often times something else goes down!

I would also imagine you might get more calcium buildup on the impeller of powerheads/pumps.