Hard to keep my KH high

[Casey8]

Randy, I really need your help here, I am totally getting frustrated with keeping my KH high enough for my tank. I understand it will drop around 2 KH a day and I am trying to keep up with it. The problem is, I want my KH at least 8, ideally is 9. I do drip Kalwasser at night with Kent Kalwasser. I use 5 tbsp mix in 1.5 gallon, but I only can bring it up to 7.5 maximum a day. When I wake up in the morning, I test the KH and it was 7.5 but if I test it again around 1PM, my KH had already dropped it to 7.
1 gallon of Kent Kalwasser does not last very long for me because I have been ussing it too much lately. My tank is only run with sps corals, but they are mostly still frag sizes, only 5 medium size colonies. Why they are sucking too much of KH ? I have read it somewhere (maybe from your articles) that if feeding too much of frozen food it could cause it to drop more on KH too, is it true ? I feed my fish twice a day with 2/3 of frozen brine shrimp and mysis shrimp, only 1/3 is pellets.
Is it possible if I mix Arm & Hammer with Kalwasser to reduce the costs, or it is time to invest in a calcium reactor ?
I have never check for calcium and Magnesium, but I do drop 3 ml of Mag a day for my 100 gallon total volume.
Please tell me what I need to do to keep my KH up to 9.
Thanks for reading, Randy.

[shiladitya1991]

Are you having any problem with elevated or decrease in calcium levels?...

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by shiladitya1991

Are you having any problem with elevated or decrease in calcium levels?...

I really don't know, I have never checked the calcium and I have never owned that test kit. I usually just look at my rocks with too much of purple coraline algae on them, so I guess I have more than enough. Also, I think dripping Kal using 5 tbsp a night, it is not a tea spoon but table spoon, so it must have plenty of calcium in it

[bertoni]

Coralline algae can consume a lot of calcium and alkalinity, too. I suspect the tank just needs more supplement. Kalk often can't keep up with the demand in tanks. You could consider using some 2-part for a while.

[shiladitya1991]

I think test kits are necessary for every reef tank. 350ppm Ca will nt make your coralline algae look less purple,bt it will effect the other parametres in the tank.
Check out this article by Randy
http://web.archive.org/web/200211270...v2002/chem.htm

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by bertoni

Coralline algae can consume a lot of calcium and alkalinity, too. I suspect the tank just needs more supplement. Kalk often can't keep up with the demand in tanks. You could consider using some 2-part for a while.

Thanks for your advice, I willl try to google it about that 2 part tomorrow and see what else I can do to deal with this problem. I really don't like to mess with a calcium reactor. I am a woman, I don't have that kind of a skill to set it up or even to keep an eye on it if anything goes wrong. But right now it costs me $50 to buy a gallon of Kent Kalwasser and it doesn't last long.

[baskin]

try some pickling lime for the kalk. much cheaper. imho you have to be able to check at least alk and cal.

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by baskin

try some pickling lime for the kalk. much cheaper. imho you have to be able to check at least alk and cal.

Maybe you don't believe me, but I had already checked at Walmart here trying to get that pickling lime for cheaper cost, but they said this is "Canada" Walmart, they don't carry it. I am really stuck with that pricey Kent Kalk

[double_g2k]

Take a look at www.reefwater.net. They sell bulk reef supply kalk in Canada which will be your cheapest source of supplementing. AFTER of course you buy a Calcium and Magnesium test kit. You might not be able to maintain a high alk level due to a low Mag level.

[PokerReefer]

I agree with others suggestions. Although Alk is the most important it has a symbiotic relationship with calc and mag. You are only looking at a 1/3 rd of the picture. Invest in a calcium and magnesium test kit and see where those are before proceeding with a calc reactor. Gl.

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by double_g2k

Take a look at www.reefwater.net. They sell bulk reef supply kalk in Canada which will be your cheapest source of supplementing. AFTER of course you buy a Calcium and Magnesium test kit. You might not be able to maintain a high alk level due to a low Mag level.

Thank you, I will look into BR Kalk then. It is so frustrating when we don't get nice and cheap stuff like in the US eh ?

[shifty51008]

2 teaspoons of kalk per 1 gal of water is all it can take, adding more won't give you any more cal. or alk. it will just give you a slurry that you don't want in your tank.

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by PokerReefer

I agree with others suggestions. Although Alk is the most important it has a symbiotic relationship with calc and mag. You are only looking at a 1/3 rd of the picture. Invest in a calcium and magnesium test kit and see where those are before proceeding with a calc reactor. Gl.

I don't think I am able to set up a calcium reactor. If there is no choice then I may have to sell all my sps corals to avoid this headache.

[shifty51008]

you can get a 2 part setup started if a reactor isn't an option

[bertoni]

Two-part with a dosing pump does seem to be a bit lower-maintenance than a reactor.

[kevensquint]

Originally Posted by Casey8

I don't think I am able to set up a calcium reactor. If there is no choice then I may have to sell all my sps corals to avoid this headache.

Originally Posted by Casey8

Thank you, I will look into BR Kalk then. It is so frustrating when we don't get nice and cheap stuff like in the US eh ?

No not BR kalk, reefwater.net its in guelph and sells BRS 2-part dosers and kits, just as cheap as in the US or almost. Its easyer than a reactor. You just set up a gallon jug of the Alk part with the doser on a timer and the same for the Ca part. In no time everything is balanced. All you need to do is test Alk and Ca once a week or so and refill the jugs when they're almost empty.

[Casey8]

Oh my goodness, what made me think that was from BR supply Thank you kevinsquint !
I know every web site I have read it says only use 1 tsp of Kalk for 1 gallon, but it didn't work for me that way at the beginning. It did nothing for my tank and I ended up using 5 tbsp for 1.5 gallon. It sounds crazy but that the only way I can keep it up to 7.5. I was thinking if I use 10 tbsp maybe I can make it up to 9DKH, but I am afraid it will make my tank crash.
I am trying my best to keep my corals, but like I said if only reactor can make my tank stable then I have to give up my corals.

Thanks for all your inputs, it really helped me because I don't know what to do next.

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by double_g2k

Take a look at www.reefwater.net. They sell bulk reef supply kalk in Canada which will be your cheapest source of supplementing. AFTER of course you buy a Calcium and Magnesium test kit. You might not be able to maintain a high alk level due to a low Mag level.

This web site says it has a security certificate problem, I don't want to take a chance if I continue it. Too bad

[bertoni]

It's working for me. Maybe the network lost some bytes when you tried it.

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by bertoni

It's working for me. Maybe the network lost some bytes when you tried it.

I still get this warning "continue to this website not recommended". I'd rather pass on it I might have to pay a couple hundreds dollar if I get some kind of virus into my computer.
It looks like everything is just working against me

[bertoni]

That's strange. Oh, well, better safe than sorry.

[dannable]

www.reefwater.net is legit, I use it all the time. Its just a generic message that happens,especially with google chrome.

[sig_1959]

Originally Posted by dannable

www.reefwater.net is legit, I use it all the time. Its just a generic message that happens,especially with google chrome.

I used this store always, but if you buy big quantities it is cheaper to get from BRS

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by dannable

www.reefwater.net is legit, I use it all the time. Its just a generic message that happens,especially with google chrome.

I don't have a google chrome, but I don't know why it just kept showing that scary message.

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by sig_1959

I used this store always, but if you buy big quantities it is cheaper to get from BRS

I will order the 2 parts from BRS around next month. I am waiting to use up the left over Kent Kalwasser. I think I am going to go bankrupt if I continue using this brand LOL.