Alk still low with Kalk
- Thread starter balistik1
- Start date
squidd
Active Member
Kalk powder is "Calcium Hydroxide" so you are adding calcium by dripping Kalk...
With the addition of "free" calcium ions, your corals need additional carbonates to form calcium carbonate, which they draw from the water colum...
So, yes...you will need to supplement Alk/Carbonates when dripping Kalk to maintain balance in a high demand system...
With the addition of "free" calcium ions, your corals need additional carbonates to form calcium carbonate, which they draw from the water colum...
So, yes...you will need to supplement Alk/Carbonates when dripping Kalk to maintain balance in a high demand system...
squidd
Active Member
Then where might the extra alkalinity be going...?
I've noticed the same affect in my tank (k reactor only) that calcium is "relatively" stable (occasional bump needed) but alk has a consistantly higher demand...
I've "heard" that the K reactors do well with calcium but need alk supplementation, and the C-reactors do better with alk but may need calcium supplementation...
Kind of "why" they complement each other so well...
But then I've also heard a C reactor is all you need for a balanced tank and now your saying a K-reactor should supply a balanced supplementation...????
:notsure:
I've noticed the same affect in my tank (k reactor only) that calcium is "relatively" stable (occasional bump needed) but alk has a consistantly higher demand...
I've "heard" that the K reactors do well with calcium but need alk supplementation, and the C-reactors do better with alk but may need calcium supplementation...
Kind of "why" they complement each other so well...
But then I've also heard a C reactor is all you need for a balanced tank and now your saying a K-reactor should supply a balanced supplementation...????
:notsure:
bang guy
Moderator
The main reason why ALK sometimes slowly drops is a lack of CO2. The Hydroxide needs CO2 in the water to produce CO3 (Carbonate) and (CO3)2 (Bicarbonate). If it's dripped too fast or if CO2 is being actively consumed by algae then the hydroxide will be unable to form CO3. The solution is to drip slower, drip at night, and/or drip directly into a skimmer intake.
The reason Calcium reactors go so well with K-reactors is that C reactors usially have an excess of CO2 and K reactors have a deficit of CO2.
Another reason that is currently just theory is that Hydroxide can also react with Phosphate. This will lower PO4 levels but it will also tend to slowly bring down ALK.
An occational teaspoon of baking soda will usually fix the ALK imbalance.
In the case of "Cal is 420 but my alk is about 8.3 dkh and Mag is 1350" there is no problem to fix in my opinion. Natural Sea water around reef systems is about 410 Calcium with an ALK of about 7.0dKH.
The reason Calcium reactors go so well with K-reactors is that C reactors usially have an excess of CO2 and K reactors have a deficit of CO2.
Another reason that is currently just theory is that Hydroxide can also react with Phosphate. This will lower PO4 levels but it will also tend to slowly bring down ALK.
An occational teaspoon of baking soda will usually fix the ALK imbalance.
In the case of "Cal is 420 but my alk is about 8.3 dkh and Mag is 1350" there is no problem to fix in my opinion. Natural Sea water around reef systems is about 410 Calcium with an ALK of about 7.0dKH.
squidd
Active Member
Not to disagree with you Bang...
Ah, what the Heck...I think I will...
Dripping into the cup or collection tube will put the Kalk at the optimal point of contact with phosphates and at a higher CO2 level (point of oxygenation)...
Dripping near the pump inlet puts kalk concentration at "heat source" and most likely will cause rapid buildup of caco3 in pump and on impeller...
Ah, what the Heck...I think I will...
Dripping into the cup or collection tube will put the Kalk at the optimal point of contact with phosphates and at a higher CO2 level (point of oxygenation)...
Dripping near the pump inlet puts kalk concentration at "heat source" and most likely will cause rapid buildup of caco3 in pump and on impeller...
squidd
Active Member
There's not that kind of "pressure" from the collection cup, so no it won't "push" it's way up the tube...
In fact I run one of my skimmers "topless" ...(OK...So I "lost" the top...
) and the skimate just comes up and "rolls" over the edge into the collection cup...
Never had it "shooting" to the bottom of my stand...
In fact I run one of my skimmers "topless" ...(OK...So I "lost" the top...
) and the skimate just comes up and "rolls" over the edge into the collection cup...Never had it "shooting" to the bottom of my stand...
