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View Full Version : Kalk vs 2 part dosing and Water changes


bcheriyan
06/09/2011, 12:39 PM
This is an old topic but .. Since I am doing Kalk through top off water.. The evapration rates varies so it's hard to determing about how I need to mix each time.. MY Question is is it better to dosing Cal and Alk seperatly using pumps vs Kalk.. Which is the most used method.. Also How mush water you all change a week or in two weeks . What is the best is it 30% water change a month or 30% every two weeks ...

Thank you all..

Toddrtrex
06/09/2011, 12:44 PM
It is going to vary from tank to tank -- mainly depending on the cal/alk loads.

Back when my 58 was full of SPS I was dripping kalk -- to make up for evap, and doing weekly 5 gallon water changes; I still was dosing nearly 100ML of 2 part.

I like using both Kalk and 2 part, the kalk is my poor man's auto top off, and the 2 part is my main source of Cal/Alk.

WaterKeeper
06/09/2011, 12:46 PM
Hi bcheriyan-

It depends on how much of a control freak you are. KW is cheap and easy to dose but, as you point out, varies in how much is added because of uneven evaportion rates. Two part on the other hand can be added precisely based on your daily or weekly test results and it does maintain better alkalinity control than KW. The best answer is-"Does KW give you the calcium and alkalinity control you need?" If not, then consider 2-part.

disc1
06/09/2011, 12:47 PM
Calcium replenishment is a big topic. Which method is the best comes down to your individual tank. The answer is different for everyone. I recently switched from kalk in the top-off to 2-part for just the reason you state.

Most folks do 10% weekly or 20% biweekly water changes. That is another issue that varies a lot depending on your individual tank. It's one of those things where you gotta find your own happy medium with your tank.

bcheriyan
06/09/2011, 01:18 PM
Thank you all.. I might choose for a 2 part .. what are the products/ brand you all use for the 2 part .. Also I planning to make my own Salt water; what brand of salt mixes are used for Reef Acqurium generally.. I recently got a got the BRS RO/DI Unit .

Sk8r
06/09/2011, 01:25 PM
How I dose? I do water changes. But I also maintain a 32 gallon topoff reservoir for my 54 gallon tank and dump a couple of pounds of kalk in every couple of months; I pour in new ro/di about every 2 weeks; the residue in the bottom dissolves, voila, new kalkwasser.

disc1
06/09/2011, 02:27 PM
I switched from kalk to Randy's DIY because I have a lot of evaporation some days and none on others. I was noticing big swings in alk and pH as these trends stretched out into weeks. Sometimes I lose 2ga/day for a week and then go the whole next week on 5ga. It all depends on humidity and temperature and whether or not the fans kicked on in my sump. Since I made the change, I have been doing regular amounts of Randy's DIY 2-part and things have locked down to what it says in my sig. I have to do a little booster dose whenever I do a water change, but that's about it.

So if you'll look, my tank and Sk8r's tank have almost the same numbers, but we have completely different methods of getting there depending on what's going on in our individual tanks. I think kalk in the top-off is the easiest to do, so that's where I started and where I would recommend others start. It not only requires the least equipment and supplies, but it is also the hardest to mess up as long as you don't dump a bunch at once and spike the pH. With kalk there's more room for error as you learn to test and track trends to adjust dose. It just wasn't working out for me.

gweston
06/10/2011, 10:51 AM
I use both 2 part and kalk. Since starting Kalk i use the 2 part far less. Basically I do a weekly water change. Hit it with 2 part maybe mid-week for a booster. I topoff with kalkwasser and regular RODI daily. I keep PH up around 8.3-8.4. If PH dips, I use kalkwasser and it rises a bit. If PH is staying near 8.4. I use RODI rather than Kalkwasser.

Of course, I test periodically to ensure levels are within range, as after a bit they can get off and need an adjustment. It seems to be working well so far. Later I hope to use a ca reactor instead... but there are budgetary and time priorities in the way.