Kalk in Topoff

[kthehun89]

So I have a 4g resevoir with aqualifter for my 34g solana (total water volume of 28g), and I'm reading about kalk dosing in the top off. I'm not sure how much kalk to add or the method for adding etc. Can anyone give me the general gist of what to do? My tank evaporates .4-.5g a day and is heavy SPS. thanks peoples

 

K

[dtfleming]

I believe its two tsp of kalk to one gal of ro/di water. I go on the safe side and dose two to 5gal.

 

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/Kalkwasser-Instructions

[kthehun89]

I believe its two tsp of kalk to one gal of ro/di water. I go on the safe side and dose two to 5gal.

 

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/Kalkwasser-Instructions

 

 

thanks dt! do I need to worry about stirring it or anything? How much of a pH drop is expected? I just got my pH meter hooked up to my RKL and i wanna monitor something lol

[SpringFever]

You can't do big adjustments with Kalk. You need to get your levels up with non-Kalk aditives, then maintain them with Kalk. If you try to bring levels up with Kalk, you will have big Ph swings. Also, the ammount you add to the top-off water depends on how much is being used by your system. If it were me, I would start out puting in one tea-spoon per gallon of top off water, monitor, increase if necessary.

[dtfleming]

well, you wont have a ph drop, but an increase with kalk. remember kalkwasser has a ph of around 12. ro/di water ph is around 6. you can stir it after you add it. I dont stir mine after that. Keep an eye on your alk and ph. Dose CAREFULLY, you do not want to overdose on kalk.

[kthehun89]

You can't do big adjustments with Kalk. You need to get your levels up with non-Kalk aditives, then maintain them with Kalk. If you try to bring levels up with Kalk, you will have big Ph swings. Also, the ammount you add to the top-off water depends on how much is being used by your system. If it were me, I would start out puting in one tea-spoon per gallon of top off water, monitor, increase if necessary.

 

ok cool, i use 2-part currently, but it just is too much dosing now. Thanks guys

[cptbjorn]

I think it is a good idea to get one of the prefilters for the aqualifter to use with kalk too.

[SpringFever]

I think it is a good idea to get one of the prefilters for the aqualifter to use with kalk too.

 

Did granules clog yours up? Never thought about that...

[dtfleming]

springfever is right. I dose 2-part, use the kalk in the topoff to help maintain my levels. You can use the prefilter, but I just replace the 1/4" OD when needed.

[cptbjorn]

I haven't set up my dosing yet and I'm going to be doing two part dosing with aqualifters and not kalk so it is merely speculation, I've just heard that some grades of kalk don't dissolve completely and the filters are cheaper than new aqualifters.

 

With kalk through an aqualifter you are already running a caustic substance through the rubber diaphragm so might as well make sure there isn't any grit in there to speed up the degradation.

[dtfleming]

Havent had an issue yet. Running for over a year.

[SpringFever]

Hey DT. Just checked out your tank... very nice! Good luck with the GHA.

 

Question for you: do you still have the tubing inserted into the bend of your overflow PVC drain? I was thinking about doing that but wasn't sure if it would leak or not. My drain does not have any vacuum release and gurgles like a b!tch. Do you think I could just drill a hole in the drain pipe and insert airline tubing? Would I need silicon?

 

Sorry for the hi-jack!

[dtfleming]

Thats kind of the idea with the hole and the tubing. If you look in the DIY forum Tigahboy show's how to drill the hole and what size for the flow.

 

Yea the GHA is Poing me. It mostly because of moving the tank in a hurry and stirring up the sand bed.