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Kalk dosing in a 20L


VW_TDI_02

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I've been looking through loads and loads of threads and I just wanted to make sure I have everything straight. I measured my calcium and dkh today and they are low. I did a three gallon water change on this past Sunday and I plan on testing them again in order to see what kind of change I get over a 24 hour period. As of now my measurements are 300 calc and 7/125 alk. I'm currently keeping some acans, a ricordia mushroom, and some zoas. Probably going to get a few more LPS corals in the next week or two but want to get my water parameters in better conditions first. From what I have found, Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime works great and is pretty cheap. I plan on starting off with one teaspoon per gallon in my auto top off reservoir. Does that sound about right?

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The amount of kalk you use depends on how saturated you want your solution to be. About 2 - 1/2 level teaspoons, well mixed, should give complete saturation. Whatever can't go in solution just sits on the container bottom along with some calcium carbonate precipitate.

 

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

I've looked at that thread a number of times but it is a lot of information and I just wanted to make sure that I understood it correctly. I did see that 2 teaspoons was about the limit for regular ro/di water (no vinegar), I also saw that one should start at 1 teaspoon per gallon and work their way up. I think that's what I'm going to end up doing unless someone has a reason against it.

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I've looked at that thread a number of times but it is a lot of information and I just wanted to make sure that I understood it correctly. I did see that 2 teaspoons was about the limit for regular ro/di water (no vinegar), I also saw that one should start at 1 teaspoon per gallon and work their way up. I think that's what I'm going to end up doing unless someone has a reason against it.

 

You can do that...or...just make a saturated solution each time, siphon off the clear saturated kalkwasser after 2-3 days and 'cut it' with RO water to whatever strength you need.

 

I do the later and use it in my ATOs.

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You can do that...or...just make a saturated solution each time, siphon off the clear saturated kalkwasser after 2-3 days and 'cut it' with RO water to whatever strength you need.

 

I do the later and use it in my ATOs.

I was trying to cut down on the maintenance that needs to be done during the week. I have a 5 gallon reservoir for my tank currently that lasts at least a week. I'm in the process of adding a sump to this tank so I'm assuming I'm going to be using more of it at a time.

 

In regards to my current numbers, I just finished testing my water and my numbers are only getting worse. Calc came in at 280 and the dKH came in at 6. pH has also stayed stable at 8.2. The LPS are doing great right now and are eating mysis whenever I feed them (every other day or so). Right now I'm waiting on a package to come in and then I'm going to make a run out to walmart and lowes in order to get some supplies for the sump and also get that Mrs. Pages for the reservoir. I currently don't have a skimmer but it should be here in about 3 days.

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Less work the better, so go with what works best for you :)

 

Yeah, that is low Ca and Alk. Kalkwasser will certainly help there, but it'll take some time to raise those numbers (don't want to spike your pH too high by adding too much all at once).

 

Good luck!

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Thanks. I think for now I'm just oing to start at the 1 teaspoon per gallon mark. After a week I'm going to step it up to 1.25 teaspoons until I get a stable Ca and Alk reading. If I remember correctly, Ca should be 400-440 and Alk should be around 9? Everywhere I go there are different levels that they recommend.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Whatever you do, don't try to raise your levels with Kalk.

 

My idea of "perfect" parameters:

 

Ca: 420

Alk 9-10DKH

Mg: 1350

What do you mean by the first part??

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