I have a big problem with my Ca, PH and Alk

[Jose]

What is the different between kalkreactor and Calcium Reactor?
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=PM4111
http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_calcium_reactors_knop.asp?CartId=
How work each of them???

My Ca was 300 this morning. I don't know why???? Probably because I put so much kalwasser plus buffer to get up the alkalinity so this mix produce a precipitation of the Ca....
Also, sometimes is difficult drip the kalwasser to the tank....
How many gallons of lime water i need to put in my tank per day???

I have 55 gl tank // 20 gl refugium // 15 gl sump...

Thanks
Jose

 

[wrightme43]

Go to the great threads section, under forums. Then go down to reef calculators. Click on that thread. Then, go to CA/ALK calculator. It will tell you how much kalkwasser liquid to use.
Very important. DONT overdose kalk.
Man if your ca, and alk are low. The cheapest easiest way to fix it, is a few large water changes. Uses reef crystals, and it will be fine right quick. Then dose to maintain.
Doseing to fix a low level is a very bad idea. Horrible things usually happen.

 

[Sherman]

I use kalkwasser for 100% of my topoff. However, my tank is pretty SPS heavy, so calcium uptake is pretty significant.

A kalk reactor is a way to mix kalk (calcium hydroxide) and water. When I started, I used to use a 2 litre bottle filled with RO/DI water and a teaspoon of kalk. I'd mix it up so it all clouds, then wait for the kalk to settle, then drip it into the tank at night. Now I just use a reservoir that gravity feeds into a kalk reactor, which feeds into the tank through a float valve to maintain water level.

A calcium reactor is a specialized external chamber where you introduce CO2 into a chamber filled with tank water and aragonite. The CO2 lowers the pH of the chamber to well below 7.0, at which point calcium breaks down into the water. As the water picks up more of the "melted" aragonite, the pH starts to come back up, and the newly saturated tank water is cycled back into the tank. It's a constant feed/return through the calcium reactor from the tank.

Another option is a two-part calcium/buffer additive. Lots of people use B-Ionic, and I use SeaChem Reef Advantage Calcium and Reef Buffer. There are many options out there. I'm in the process of building a calcium reactor because I'm getting tired of the heavy dosing I'm having to do, even with 100% kalkwasser top off. I add 1 tablespoon each of buffer and calcium daily (one at night, one in the morning), just to keep my levels decent in a 38gallon tank.

The easiest first step is a kalk drip. I once DIY'd one, and just RO line and a John Guest ball valve to regulate it predictably.

 

[Jose]

Thanks guy for the advice...
By the way how is your blue face angel fish??
Jose

 

[Jose]

Hi Sherman
Thank you for your advice.
What kind of kal reactor do you have?

 

[Sherman]

Mine is a DIY. Just an 8" acrylic tube, 20" tall. The RO/DI reservoir feeds into it, and a line comes out the top and into the float valve. I have the recirculation powerhead come on for 1 minute every 12 hours to stir up the kalk powder at the bottom and completely cloud the water. I initially installed about one quart of kalk powder into this reactor, and I'm just now due for changing out the kalk, 6 months later, since it's lost its effectiveness by now. About half of it (by volume) has been used up.

 

[Jose]

Thanks
Jose