kalk
- Thread starter booya
- Start date
reefnut
Active Member
The key to using kalk is to get your calcium and alk levels where you want them and drip enough kalk to maintain those levels. I think dripping the 1.5g to start would be fine if you went with a light solution. With my 55g I drip a gallon a day with a mixture of 1tsp per-gallon and it's keeping up fine.
cprdnick
Active Member
Originally posted by dburr
Uh, what type of corals does he have? How many? Do you know anything about his system?
I don't claim to know more, but without knowing anything about his system, how can you recommend how much to dose, or that he needs any? Maybe you know more.:notsure:
Don't worry, I was being serious. I'm still learning the Kalk thing, so every thread like this one, I learn something new. I wasn't trying to down you or anything, but I was assuming through you being in to SPS and the beginnings of your website that you probably know more about Ca and Alk dosing than I do.
All I have for now are softies, so I don't know the full swing of Kalk dosing.
Sorry if I pissed you off, it wasn't my intention.
reefnut
Active Member
Originally posted by booya
All I have are soft ones
1 green shroom
1 yellow polyp
1 xena
1 star
and a few things that are growing out of my rocks.
Your calcium consumption will be pretty minimal. I still think it's a good way to maintain calcium and alk... even in a softy tank. As said, you will need to test for PH, calcium and alk if you plan to drip kalk. My 55g is mostly softies and 1tsp per-gallon is working out good for it. You could also get by with using a two part additive like B-Ionic if you wanted...
dburr
Active Member
Sorry if I pissed you off, it wasn't my intention
No no no, I don't think that. It just good to know want kind of corals to know how much he's using. To just say drip it, I would assume you mean at full strenght. That is to much for his softies.
First it would be good to know where he at as far as calcium, alk, and PH.
Reefnut says
I think dripping the 1.5g to start would be fine if you went with a light solution. With my 55g I drip a gallon a day with a mixture of 1tsp per-gallon and it's keeping up fine.
Well I know he has more corals than booya. I would suggest just water changes for now and keep track of the levels inbetween changes. He may find out he don't need any. Maybe very little, like a half teaspoon per 1.5 gallons.
Kalk mantains levels but it also drives up PH levels. So I really don't think he will need to much if at all.
Happy reefin.
Dan
No no no, I don't think that. It just good to know want kind of corals to know how much he's using. To just say drip it, I would assume you mean at full strenght. That is to much for his softies.
First it would be good to know where he at as far as calcium, alk, and PH.
Reefnut says
I think dripping the 1.5g to start would be fine if you went with a light solution. With my 55g I drip a gallon a day with a mixture of 1tsp per-gallon and it's keeping up fine.
Well I know he has more corals than booya. I would suggest just water changes for now and keep track of the levels inbetween changes. He may find out he don't need any. Maybe very little, like a half teaspoon per 1.5 gallons.
Kalk mantains levels but it also drives up PH levels. So I really don't think he will need to much if at all.
Happy reefin.
Dan
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Booya: sound like you are progressing nicely.
I added crushed oyster shells to the filter box on my external refug/sump. It is fairly large compared to HOB filters. Bout 10" wide 4"thick and the water flows through about 6" of media.
Since I did that and upgraded to a mag5 pump (4-5' pump height), my calcium has risen from 250-300ppm to 400-425ppm in about 3 months.
You may want to consider something similiar. I do have to rinse out the media every couple of weeks, but the price $3/40#) was very good and it sure has been effective.
I added crushed oyster shells to the filter box on my external refug/sump. It is fairly large compared to HOB filters. Bout 10" wide 4"thick and the water flows through about 6" of media.
Since I did that and upgraded to a mag5 pump (4-5' pump height), my calcium has risen from 250-300ppm to 400-425ppm in about 3 months.
You may want to consider something similiar. I do have to rinse out the media every couple of weeks, but the price $3/40#) was very good and it sure has been effective.
reefnut
Active Member
Originally posted by beaslbob
Booya: sound like you are progressing nicely.
I added crushed oyster shells to the filter box on my external refug/sump. It is fairly large compared to HOB filters. Bout 10" wide 4"thick and the water flows through about 6" of media.
Since I did that and upgraded to a mag5 pump (4-5' pump height), my calcium has risen from 250-300ppm to 400-425ppm in about 3 months.
You may want to consider something similar. I do have to rinse out the media every couple of weeks, but the price $3/40#) was very good and it sure has been effective.
What is it at now? I would highly discourage anyone from adding CC for calcium benefits (unless it's in a reactor). Common sense tells me that this is BS.
reefnut
Active Member
Originally posted by dburr
Well I know he has more corals than booya. I would suggest just water changes for now and keep track of the levels inbetween changes. He may find out he don't need any. Maybe very little, like a half teaspoon per 1.5 gallons.
Kalk mantains levels but it also drives up PH levels. So I really don't think he will need to much if at all.
Happy reefin.
Dan
Good point... water changes may keep up fine if done regularly. Key is test and determine what your tank's needs are.