How Do You Maintain Ca and Alk?

[NaH2O]

I'm curious as to everyone's favorite way of maintaining Calcium and Alkalinity levels in your system. Please choose one from the poll, and if you select "Other", then add your method below.

For those that are interested in these links...

A Reef Chemistry Visual Aid

Reef Chemistry Calculator

 

[Curtswearing]

I can't really answer honestly. I use more than one method. Kalk is my favorite but I sometimes adjust with B-Ionic. Periodically, I adjust with a waterchange. (However, I adjust the levels in my waterchange water ahead of time with B-Ionic because I never mix to balanced NSW levels).

 

[NaH2O]

Curt...wouldn't your response be in the "other" category?

BTW - you bring up a good point about correcting the water change water to levels you maintain in the system.

 

[spongebob lover]

i don't need to worry about my Ca since i don't have sps and i do water changes every weekend

 

[Krish]

I just use Kent liquid calcium and do weekly 15 gal water changes.

 

[Woodstock]

I chose "other" since I use kalkwasser for all evaporated top off and I also use a true sodium carbonate (baked- baking soda) as needed to keep alkalinity up.

 

[Illusion]

I use my Ca reactor alone... There is no point/need for me to do anything else... I do my water changes monthly however I dont even bother with checking it as the last 4 batches of salt have always been the same... Still working on the 5th batch and will be for some time..

James

 

[reedman]

I run a Ca Rx for almost all of my Ca and Alk. I do have to add some Alk buffer or Ca buffer occasionally, and more and more have to add Mg to the tank to maintain it.

 

[big t]

I run a calcium reactor. I am sure that it could maintain the calcium demands all by it self, but I have chosen to dial it back and also use a Kalk reactor, and a daily dose of tropic marin bio calcium (the bio calcium is a expirament that I started last week)

 

[cheeks69]

I drip kalk and add WM 2 part when necessary, don't do no stinkin W/C's :exclaim:

BTW is that you Curt ? Good to hear from ya hope all is well

 

[spongebob lover]

wwouu i can't believe that i'm the only one who only does water changes .
Krish just one question why do you add calcium to your tank? i mean i know to keep your calcium up but why? sorry dood i just had to ask

 

[Beakerbob]

I have been using the homemade two-part solutions: Peladow for Calcium and Baking soda for for alkalinity for 2 years now.

 

[oldsaint]

Well I chose other. I do both Kalk and 2 part.
Daily, I add 10 tsp of Ca hydroxide in a Tunze osmulator that's hooked up to a topoff system plus 1/3 cup of B-ionic 1&2. This keeps levels around 430 and 3.66.

 

[CarlaW]

Kalk dripped 24/7
cacl2- 1/8 cup every other day
Baking soda-washing soda buffer 6-1, every other day.

 

[wrightme43]

I just throw some ol chikin bones in every few days.

 

[spongebob lover]

lol Steve what happened to the squirrel ones :lol:

 

[The Apprentice]

Not the only one! say no to dosing

Gabby I do weekly / Bi weekly water changes to my 75 gallon SPS & CLAM tank with great results! and I do about the same in my 150 gallon LPS tank and MY PH stays right at 8.2 to 8.3 calcium is almost always at 410 mg/L some times it will be a little higher @ 422 mg/L as for my Alkalinity its is almost always around 5.7 to 6.7 dkh I use IO salt, when I used to use Oceanic My DKH was a little lower 5 to 5.7 dkh but my Calcium was always around 485 to 500 mg/L with a lower PH of 7.8 at night to 8 during the day...
Just my 2 cents...Jeff

wwouu i can't believe that i'm the only one who only does water changes .
Krish just one question why do you add calcium to your tank? i mean i know to keep your calcium up but why? sorry dood i just had to ask

 

[NaH2O]

Well I chose other. I do both Kalk and 2 part.
Daily, I add 10 tsp of Ca hydroxide in a Tunze osmulator that's hooked up to a topoff system plus 1/3 cup of B-ionic 1&2. This keeps levels around 430 and 3.66.

Do you perform maintenance to your Osmolator? I have one as well, and often wondered if I'd cause build-up on the pump so bad that it might stop working one day.

ROFL @ Chicken bones! :lol:

 

[spongebob lover]

Gabby I do weekly / Bi weekly water changes to my 75 gallon SPS & CLAM tank with great results! and I do about the same in my 150 gallon LPS tank and MY PH stays right at 8.2 to 8.3 calcium is almost always at 410 mg/L some times it will be a little higher @ 422 mg/L as for my Alkalinity its is almost always around 5.7 to 6.7 dkh I use IO salt, when I used to use Oceanic My DKH was a little lower 5 to 5.7 dkh but my Calcium was always around 485 to 500 mg/L with a lower PH of 7.8 at night to 8 during the day...
Just my 2 cents...Jeff

way to go Jeff, i was starting to feel lonely .

 

[DonW]

Do you perform maintenance to your Osmolator? I have one as well, and often wondered if I'd cause build-up on the pump so bad that it might stop working one day.

ROFL @ Chicken bones! :lol:

Nikki,

All pumps will crud up with kalk. Your set up is so nice and clean I'd get a small kalkreactor instead of the bucket method. If your using the WM stuff the results are much better in a reactor.

Don