Kalkwasser with ATO or 2 part dosing

[Laborator]

Would like to hear RC members opinion.

Thanks!

[ryeguyy84]

Depends on your needs. I like 2 part with a dosing pump because i like to know exactly what's going in the tank.

If I take a quart of water out for some reason I don't want to replace it with kalkwasser. That's just the way I see it.

[reefgeezer]

Why not both? Replace evaporation with kalkwasser and a dosing pump. The quantity would be preset so taking water out of the tank wouldn't change the kalkwasser added. When that quantity doesn't meet demand, start dosing two-part also.

[ryeguyy84]

Why not both? Replace evaporation with kalkwasser and a dosing pump. The quantity would be preset so taking water out of the tank wouldn't change the kalkwasser added. When that quantity doesn't meet demand, start dosing two-part also.

I just was never able to keep my parameters stable with kalkwasser. On hot days the tank would evaporate more and add more top off hence more kalkwasser. Maybe I'm just lazy but this way works.

[rezaktp]

I would try Kalk first then add 2 part iy you need it, I use both.

[Dre59]

I use my RKL as a timer to dose ATO/kalk every hour for 1min and controlled by a PH probe to turn off if it reaches 8.4. The same time I have another ATO/1 gal just incase evaporation is to much and as a back up.

I do weekly 5gal water changes as my 2 part :D

[bertoni]

Two-part dosing can keep the parameters in line in most any system. The problem with limewater is that it's very dilute, and often it can't keep up with the alkalinity and calcium demand of the system. Kalkwasser is easiest to dose with a very slow pump as ATO, IMO, although I agree that evaporation can fluctuate.

[kellerexpress]

Kalk alone doesn't keep with my tanks demands, so i use both.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I use only limewater since it is adequate for my tank. :)

[reefgeezer]

I'd like to chime in here to point out that I didn't like using kalk in my ATO when it was controlled by a level controller or float switch. There always seemed to be too much variation and occasional mishaps dumped more kalk into the tank than I intended. A dosing pump seems to have solved that issue. Now, no matter what happens, kalk is delivered to the tank in small doses on a regular basis. This does result in some very minor sump level fluctuation. It requires some timer adjustment or adding a little extra fresh top-off water manually every once in a while.

[Sport507]

Two-part dosing can keep the parameters in line in most any system. The problem with limewater is that it's very dilute, and often it can't keep up with the alkalinity and calcium demand of the system. Kalkwasser is easiest to dose with a very slow pump as ATO, IMO, although I agree that evaporation can fluctuate.


Ok hold the train, I’m missing something here. I thought all this time that Kalkwasser was the German word for limewater.

Jon in his post talks like they are 2 different things. I use Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime. What is it considered to be Limewater or Kalkwasser?
Confused!

[baby1-]

im confussed also sorry to chime inbut i thought kalk&lime were the same

[RtReef]

I thought they were the same also. People manually dosing or using limewater, how much do you mix and how often is it added?

I'm trying to switch from a buffer to limewater but want to get better feedback first.

[bamf25]

I thought they were the same also. People manually dosing or using limewater, how much do you mix and how often is it added?

I'm trying to switch from a buffer to limewater but want to get better feedback first.

I use kalkwater at 2 teaspoons per gallon in my ato. This is not enough to keep my values high enough. Right now I am manually dosing alk and calcium (the brs 2 part) at about 100 each per day in a 120g system. I will be setting up dosing pumps in the next few days. I have heard dosing alot of limewater as topoff water can shock the system with regards to ph. It is better to drip it in via an ato.

[skunkmere]

I use kalkwater at 2 teaspoons per gallon in my ato. This is not enough to keep my values high enough. Right now I am manually dosing alk and calcium (the brs 2 part) at about 100 each per day in a 120g system. I will be setting up dosing pumps in the next few days. I have heard dosing alot of limewater as topoff water can shock the system with regards to ph. It is better to drip it in via an ato.

look into using vinegar to increase the kalk to 3 tsp per gallon.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok hold the train, I’m missing something here. I thought all this time that Kalkwasser was the German word for limewater.

Jon in his post talks like they are 2 different things. I use Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime. What is it considered to be Limewater or Kalkwasser?
Confused!

There are the same thing, although some folks might distinguish the two based on whether the label on the bag of calcium hydroxide said pickling lime or kalkwasser mix. :D

In Jonathan's case, he simply switched names in the same paragraph without intending, I expect, any difference. :)

[allsps40]

I only dose kalk in my ATO. It is very simple, no need for daily dosing by hand and it keeps my alk and ca stable.

[mos90]

im doing kalk in ato on my 125g. i use 1tsp per gal and a slow drip (60 drops per min) from my calcium reactor. i test once a week and make adjustment to drip rate to raise or lower alk as needed. i really dont need the reactor on this tank i had it lying around so i figured id use it.

[pweissma]

I dose kalk with a timer and have a seperate ato.
I don't have much sps, mostly lps and clams, but I think many people who aren't, meeting demands with kalk aren't using saturated kalk. Randy has written that pH is a crude measure of saturation and that at 50% saturated the pH is still over 12.

[barjam]

I had a difficult time keeping alk stable using kalk with an ATO so I now use only 2 part. I wouldn't hesitate using kalk on a metered dosing pump or perhaps on a non sps tank.

[Sport507]

There are the same thing, although some folks might distinguish the two based on whether the label on the bag of calcium hydroxide said pickling lime or kalkwasser mix. :D

In Jonathan's case, he simply switched names in the same paragraph without intending, I expect, any difference. :)

Thanks for the clarification Randy. I thought that might be what happened in Jonathon’s post but need to be sure.

[JohnV8r]

I dose Kalk in my ATO. I don't find it difficult to maintain proper parameters with kalk. If for some reason I'm going through a lot more ATO water due to increased evaporation, I will simply skip adding more kalk to every other time I fill up my ATO reservoir.

If you're testing your water at regular intervals, you'll know what the draw down on any particular parameter is. You can use the chemistry calculator in the link below to figure out how much saturated kalk (limewater) you need to use. For example, if your Ca drops from 450 to 430 in one week, the calculator will tell you how much saturated limewater you have to go through throughout the week to raise it/keep it at 450.

Here's the link: http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

Kalk in an ATO is simple.

[Sport507]

Kalk alone doesn't keep with my tanks demands, so i use both.

Same here but it sure helps, I’m using fully saturated limewater 2 tsp/gal. The demand in my tank uses about 1.2 dKH per day and when I started using lime it dropped to the point I only need to supplement an additional .4 dKH per day. I’m considering trying the extra-saturated limewater at 3tsp/gal. Correct me if I’m wrong (and I can be a lot) it takes 45ml of vinegar per gal. to make this work. Does that sound right?

[nanojg]

45 ml is correct, watch for bacterial blooms and try to skim more because vinegar is a carbon source

[Sport507]

45 ml is correct, watch for bacterial blooms and try to skim more because vinegar is a carbon source

I thought that was it. I have a really good skimmer just might give it a whirl.

Thanks