Vincerama Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 I drip kalk when I can, just to help the coralline get an edge on my current ALGAE FARM TANK but the 10g just doesn't seem to evaporate enough! Is it OK if I just remove some salt water, mixed in some kalk and dripped that in instead of kalk-RO water mix? Vince Link to comment
JIM27 Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 I cant really tell you why(I dont know myself), but there's a reason they say mix with fresh water on the mixing instructions. Link to comment
dickwayne Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 I don't use kalk myself, but I think that using too much at one time can cause massive PH swings. Dripping it in allows the system to handle it slowly. Link to comment
onthefly Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 Kalk proly won't go into solution in Saltwater, or atleast not as well......I know Superbuffer dKh will not, but put it in FW and its fine. Link to comment
DeskJockey Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 Adding a bunch of kalk doesnt mean the coraline is going to spread over night. Have you checked your alk readings? If they are low then any calcium dependant organism wont be able to utilize the calcium (as well) anyway. So check your alk if you havent. Link to comment
Dustin Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 I get like no evap in my tank, and still dont have a way to dose through top off.... Link to comment
Vincerama Posted July 15, 2003 Author Share Posted July 15, 2003 I checked alk and calc readings. Alk was too low (I can't remember exact reading right now) and calc was at 320 (as far as I could tell with the Salifert (nice) and Hagen (less nice, but not bad) kits, respectively. Dripping kalk for a few days moved the calc to 400-420 (depending on if I correctly guessed the colour change between pink and violet) which is a good range, and the alk moved up one dKH reading, which is also good since it was too low before. I know it is not going to bloom my corraline, but I had heard the following benefits... 1) boosts calcium and alkalinity (apparently it works!) which is good if your water is deficient in it...due to consumption by corals or calcerous algae (I haven't any corals yet, nor will I until my tank is no longer a green hair algae factory!) 2) skimmers work better (pull more gunk) when the pH is a bit elevated...but that means dripping kalk right near skimmer input. 3) phosphate precipitates out of the water, binding it into a non-useable form 4) other stuff. For me, this is a weapon in my battle against algae. If I can help out my corraline a bit, that's good. If I can deprive the green menace of phosphate and nutrients, that's good. I guess that the point is that kalkwasser is not just calcium hydroxide, but the actual saturated solution of Ca(OH)2 in "pure" water. So in retrospect, I guess it doesn't make sense to try and dissolve pickling lime in salt water as salt water already has so much other stuff dissolved in it that you'd end up precipitating it (or other salt mix stuff) out. For me the problem is that I'd like to drip a bit of calc (one small peanut butter jars worth) evey night, but my evaporation rate is not high enough. I'm worried that if I simply drip in kalk above and beyond what is evaporated, then I will decrease the salinity of the tank water. Well, I guess I answered my own question... In anycase, I know there is also advice not to use kalkwasser in a nano, for fear of overdosing such a small tank, but I think that the benefits outweight that danger...if you are careful about your dosing! My main concern right now is beating down that green algae and trying to help out the corraline take a stronger foothold so that it can help with the battle! I am in fact getting specks of corraline on my tank glass, on the powerhead and in the HOB filter. Vince Link to comment
fishbabies Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 when kalk is mixed with saltwater, it can react with some of the minerals in the sw and start to crystalize while it sits. when this is added to your tank water, the crystalized solution will draw more calcium to the crystals and instead pull calcium out of your aquarium. Link to comment
fishbabies Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 i wish i had no evap in my tank Link to comment
Jandree22 Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 since you're getting no evap over your tank, I'm guessing it's covered by a glass canopy? If that's the case, then take off the canopy and you'll be sure to get PLENTY of evap. if your tank isn't covered and is just open water, buy a small cheap(<$10) fan from Target and aim it across the surface. This will cause a buttload of evap. If you're gonna do this, be advised that this process causes water temp to drop, so just make sure your heater is ready for a battle;) HTH ~Joel Link to comment
reefan Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 Unless your adding 3 400w MH's to a 210 soon. Without a glass covering ill have like 5g+ top off. I agree though just remove the glass cover or point a fan across the surface and you should get some evap. JJ Link to comment
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