suubz Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 Okay, so I just got my UTR topoff diy installed the other day (lovin' it). So I just picked up a container of Kent Kalkwasser Mix. I would like to add this to the autotopoff container and let the autotopoff add the kalkwasser for me (evap water replacement). Anyway, I know that Kalk tends to accumulate at the bottom (and the surface) of the water that it is mixed in. If I ensure that the water being drawn from the container is NOT from the very bottom of the container... do I really need to worry about adding some sort of a powerhead to this whole thing to mix it as it's being added? Can't I just shake/stir up the container daily? The addition of a powerhead is going to be difficult inside my V8Splash Bottle -J Link to comment
MrAnderson Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 Shaking it every now and then is fine, and it would be best to let it settle a bit before adding. Even if you didn't shake it it would probably not re-precipitate to the extent of depleting substantial Ca/HCO3. Link to comment
B16A2NR Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 I don't know what the UTR top off is, but if its air driven just have your airline tube sit a few inches above the bottom where the saturated kalk sits, if its a powerhead driven one, the powerhead resting on its side shouldn't suck up the saturated kalk because the intake on powerheads sits right in the middle. Link to comment
suubz Posted January 23, 2005 Author Share Posted January 23, 2005 thanks for the help... then its a go. UTR (UnderTheRadar) posted a diy for an air driven auto topoff system with a battery powered air pump. Anyway, this sounds like I won't have any issues then. (Simply mix in the Kalk, and let it sit for a day or so before putting the mixture in the auto topoff reservoir). As long as the return line takes the liquid from just above the bottom of the reservoir (where the undissolved kalk rests) then I should be okay. Beautiful! thanks again... -J Link to comment
B16A2NR Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 Or if your going to mix the kalk in a separate container and wait for it to settle, just pour in the top clear portion of water leaving the saturated kalk out. Link to comment
suubz Posted January 23, 2005 Author Share Posted January 23, 2005 Amazing how the most simple suggestions make the most sense. That is going to be my method then... why didn't I think of that? Link to comment
DarkXerox Posted January 23, 2005 Share Posted January 23, 2005 I think that you are supposed to let it sit for a few hours or so in an airtight container so that the precipitate stays at the bottom and a crust forms at the top. Then you decant it so that the crust pours into the sink and then you slowly pour it into the top off so that none of the bottom precipitate comes out. Link to comment
suubz Posted January 24, 2005 Author Share Posted January 24, 2005 well, it sat for about 2-3 hours in a mixing container, and I could see a thin layer on the surface. I poured the kalk into my topoff container and stopped just before I emptied the mixing container. I only mixed 1 teaspoon of the stuff into 2 quarts, so there was not alot of kalk at the bottom (but there was some). Anywho... I just hooked it back up to the topoff and watched it add about .1 of the container in the tank. Now I've got to pay attention to see if this Kalk really makes a diff. -J Link to comment
EtOH_is_good Posted January 25, 2005 Share Posted January 25, 2005 it'll make a difference. nice coralline algae growth. i premix my kalk and then add to top-off container. Link to comment
rbeirne Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 it'll make a difference. nice coralline algae growth. i premix my kalk and then add to top-off container. How much kalk would you mix up into a 7 gal jug? 1tsp per gallon? Or start off lower? If I use one container for mixing/settling and then pump out the top portion into my reservior will stuff also settle on the bottom of the reservior? How do you get that white film off the bottom of your mixing jug if you can't put your hand in there? Is there any harm in leaving the film on the bottom and continue to remix over & over again in the same jug with the film continuing to build up? Link to comment
air_doc28 Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 I think that you are supposed to let it sit for a few hours or so in an airtight container so that the precipitate stays at the bottom and a crust forms at the top. Then you decant it so that the crust pours into the sink and then you slowly pour it into the top off so that none of the bottom precipitate comes out. I don't think that it makes much difference if you use the clear portion of a kalk mix or not. It will still have a high pH. That's what's really going to shock the reef if you add kalk too quickly. Better to drip it rather have the ATO just dump in too quickly. unless of course the ATO is a drip system anyways. Somebody chime in here to confirm please. Link to comment
BrassMonkey030 Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 i did the calculations a while ago. got the numbers from a article, maybe a reefkeepers online? i dont remember. if i remember correctly, i can add up to 1 1/2 cup saturated kalk at a time in my 40g, raising the ph .1 or .2 Link to comment
air_doc28 Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 i did the calculations a while ago. got the numbers from a article, maybe a reefkeepers online? i dont remember. if i remember correctly, i can add up to 1 1/2 cup saturated kalk at a time in my 40g, raising the ph .1 or .2 I'd be interested in how you calculated this, if possible. Link to comment
agoutihead Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 please help explain a few things to me... using kalk is going to be a new venture to me, so im not sure how to start. im going to do a DT of around 9 or 10 gallons, then im going to have a 10 gallon fuge. im going to be using fiji mud and sand in the fuge, in separate sections, both with chaeto. having around 20-30 lbs hopefully of rubble rock. with maybe 10-20 lbs in the display. i will also be using tropic marin pro reef. and no skimmer. but i am going to have a bucket full of water for an auto top off. now that you know my tank set up, is kalk worth dripping on such a small system? if it is, i would like to do what you guys are talking about adding it to your auto top off water. why do you have to mix it ahead of time and let some parts of it separate? what exactly is in the separated parts? once i add the middle section into my ATO, do i then have to keep that water mixed with a power head? or once its mixed, its mixed? Link to comment
Mr. Fosi Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Pretty old thread... Dosing kalk in a nano is risky and it isn't really useful unless you have livestock in it that sucks up Ca (read: SPS, clams, etc...). Have you read through some of these threads? http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...p;highlite=kalk Link to comment
agoutihead Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 well i dont plan on having an abundance of sps or clams, but i will be keeping at least one crocea, and one maxima and what ever super bright sps i happen to see. the clams will probably be smaller sized anyways. i am going to use tropic marin pro reef, which has a higher calcium count, so ill just wait and see how things turn out and then decide if i need to research kalk i guess. thanks! Link to comment
gotboost15psi Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 even though you dont have high calcium demanding corals, dosing kalk is still good to maintain ph and keep cal, and alk in check. Instead of using a teaspoon in one gallon, use less and test to see if your using enough kalk or not. Using kalk takes the headache of doing freqent water changes to replenish things. I use Kalk+2 by brightwell which contains calcium, magnesium, and strontium. I also use kent essential elements, and kent iodine to replenish important elements. This has allowed me to do less water changes with great results. Link to comment
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