Kalkwasser Is the Most Under Appreciated Reef Tank Additive There Is.

Following the 52 Weeks of Reefing - Ep. 30 Kalkwasser: All-In-One Calcium, Alkalinity & PH Supplement... What are you missing if you overlook Kalkwasser? Today Ryan & Randy discuss what matters most and some hard lessons learned about Kalk, including the 4-recommended ways to use it.
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[@Slide-Loc]

Great chat, I'm always a little surprised at people who don't have luck with a kalk stir. I've run the Avast for years and add 5" deep at a time. Fill it once a month, run it separately T'd from my ATO reservoir, quick clean every 4mo, & never need to run a pH probe on it. As long as you have the appropriate pump & run phama grade it will perform like a rockstar. Evidence of it's effectiveness in my last tank video (partially posted here, full on Rumble).

[@Slide-Loc]

You do need to add zip ties to the bar so it can stir the full height of the powder.

[@MiddleAgedMike]

Thanks for the added detail! I’m grabbing zip ties now

[@avastmarine]

We have been working on a more refined version of your mod for a while now. As the reefkeeping community moves more and more towards "max kalk" and "max ph" in their systems we definitely want to adapt to meet those needs. The stock stir bar is great for most users but there is definitely room for an additional solution to meet advanced users needs. I should mention though we don't recommend just dumping in 5" of kalk in the stirrer and letting it rip straight out of the box. Everyone should start with the calculator in the manual to determine starting amount and adjust from there based on observations.

[@brianmagee5847]

I agree that a kalk stirrer is not perfect, but I think your experience was based on using an underrated size stirrer on a too big tank. I have the smaller Avast on my Red Sea 250. It is an easy piece of my maintenance every two weeks to top up the kalk and I clean it every 6 months. The foot print works for my stand and avoids discussion with my partner about "tank clutter".

[@karennation3580]

I want to use so bad! But I am scared! lol Do I need to be? My biggest fear is it causing alk swings and getting new corals in! Would it be smarter to start after I have corals settled in and growing. i also dont get how to use it with max saturation and how to figure out how much to use because all tanks consumption would be different ect! Seems to confusing lol I also bought all for reef and to scared to change to that for same reason! I have a credit from CB so over 2k in corals and I know they will be small so I need faster growth! i have been using your soda ash, calcium and mag since I began. I read so many review b4 I bought ALF of people saying faster growth ect but since I have read reviews of having a hard time dialing it in and alk swings! What would pair good with your products that has essential elements just for the man time?

[@OCReventsAndbuilds]

Kalk made a big difference on my set up

[@joshua_w]

Excellent to have long format chat! Been missing them. Great discussion thanks

[@johnwilliams4806]

Thx for doing what you do for fish life… 🤜🤛

[@reefreptiles3190]

I have the bigger icecap stirrer and add a cup or so to it when it gets low and haven't had it harden up on me, and I only stir twice a day right now. I plan to up the ammount of times a day I stir as consumption rises.

[@MiddleAgedMike]

I’m currently adding kalk to my avast K2 reactor. Kalk keeps my tank PH 8.2-8.4 I have found that Mrs wages works much better in the reactor. I started with BRS to avoid the poof, and it’s better quality. But it seems to brick in the reactor after a few weeks more frequently. But With mrs wages and the finer powder I can go for a few months between cleaning the reactor. I meet the rest of my tanks demand with the DIY All-for-reef. 180g display 4000ml kalk 80-90ml All-for-reef

[@avastmarine]

This is a very interesting observation.

[@sunnygoold9449]

I LOVE Kalk - I just mix it up and dose it - simple, raises pH - brilliant. I believe slurry is the future of farming - there needs to be a little more work but it's REALLY close. There is also the question of dosing ONLY at night to raise pH. This is where there needs to be a dosing pump manufacturer that has both frequent doses (like GHL) but also allows periods with different rates - so you could dose for example 2ml every 15min during the day and 10ml overnight (instead of 6ml constantly).

[@ISCREAM92]

For this you just need 2 ports with 2 different dillutions/solutions of kalkwasser to achieve the same result.

[@sunnygoold9449]

@@ISCREAM92 Hmmm - yeah I need a different doser that allows that - GHL only has x amount y times a day OR 7 dosing times where you can specify the amount.

[@trelopouloss]

I mix it in 1gallon container i let it sit for about 3 hours and then I fill my dosing container with the clear solution, i discard the white gank. The problem with my jebao dosing pump is it only doses 24 times per day.. i need to find one with more..

[@poor_mansreef8908]

Kalk is super appreciated in this house, i dose it of course and i dont waste time or money on co2 scrubbing media. Just put it in a sock and put it in your scrubber 🙃

[@akvasvet]

👍👍 👍👍 👍👍

[@matmalette]

KM500 is next on my list that stirrer looks incredible.

[@junito1957]

NO IS NOT I BEEN USING IT SINCE THE 80S

[@davestephens9463]

I have a 28 gallon JBJ nano. Is it even worth all the hassle to try and setup or would using a 2 part doser be easier. Or just do water changes more often? My tank is new and I only have 6 drags and an amenity. And 5 mollys

[@rajindrabachu7412]

Looking on from Trinidad !

[@jennanation6992]

My tank dosnt need dosing quite yet if I change water every 2 weeks so could I still add the small amount 2 tsp that you were speaking of around 1:11 without the alk getting to high and use a 21/2 gallon jug! Would that just help to maintain my current reading? I believe it drops a little in between water change. I am mainly doing it for ph benefits! ph is nevr above 8 and corals grow very slowly! I cant add airline because I live in fl and have my yard chemically treated, to hot to open windows and no room for a co2 scrubber! Also why couldnt I add it to top off water in ato? You said you should use a doser! I have heard of people tying a knot in a airline and letting it slowly dip! Is that crazy? I top off by hand 2 x's aday. Could I do it like that with only 2 teaspoons per 2 1/2 gallons. My tank is very bare bones and only 2 1/2 gallons. Nothing but 36 gallon bowfront tank, sump wavemakers, pump and skimmer! I may change it to a frag tank for softies soon because I am upgrading soon as well!

[@etdizzle10]

I used to use kalkwasser, then switched to Ca reactor, then to just 2-part. Since I'm always hanging around a pH of 7.8-8.0, I feel like kalkwasser would help. otherwise I have to keep my alk at 10-10.5 dKH and that feels... bad.

[@BRStv]

Congrats on your first tank! Let us know if we can help along the way 😊

[@davidmurphy4672]

I use both 2 part and kalk. Just use on a doser

[@bfgbfg6515]

Where can I read more on this slurry dosing ?

[@BRStv]

Most of the information out there on the topic is anecdotal, so you'll see a lot of discussion on the forums. For example, this thread: www.reef2reef.com/threads/instructions-for-dosing-kalkwasser-slurry-not-saturated-kalkwasser.870121/

[@kalebtaylor2504]

Loved this video strongly considering this for my next tank! Your website still seems to push Kalk in an ATO may or may not want to adjust that under your Kalk product description. 😊

[@bigbearmeetslittlebear3401]

Big Bear Meets Little Bear 3 days ago In a 50 gallon, been dosing about 1 ml of all for reef 48 times a day in conjunction with kalk slurry (10 teaspoon per 1 litre). I aim to peg the ph between 8.3 and 8.4 and dose enough kalk skurry to do that. Kalk skurry is dosed about 20 ml each hour at night and between 2 ml and 9 ml during the hours the lights are on to do this. Alk is staying at about 9 dkh and ph between 8.3 and 8.4. Ghl profilux has control feature and if ph hits 8.5 my kalk doser shuts off. Monitoring trace with icp. If needed or better, i may adjust diy all for reef to be mostly trace elements (less or no carbo calcium). For a small tank, i can fit a small container of slurry in the cabinet on a nag stirrer--thats what i really like about slurry.

[@bigbearmeetslittlebear3401]

I am basically not caring about alk dkh anymore.. just peg ph is all that matters it seems.. ph is basically flat 24/7. .. alk can fluctuate corals look amazing

[@bigbearmeetslittlebear3401]

For small mag stirrers, pick up on ebay a slightly domed glass beaker top. Looks like a round eye glass lens. Mine is 70mm (about 3 inches). I put this at the bottom of the simicity dosing container and nest the magnetic stir bar on the glass. The slight dome does two things. It prevents the magnetic stir bar from being tossed even at max speed on ghl stirrer, i run speed 8 FYI. It also lifts the stir bar off the bottom slightly of the container preventing wear on plastic container and preventing stir bar from being buried. Ive never had it not spin at start up. The BRS kalk i really like because at 1 teaspoon per liter (0.5 % kalk to water) it is a even slurry from start to finish, and does not cake.

[@bigbearmeetslittlebear3401]

*10 teaspoons per liter

[@bigbearmeetslittlebear3401]

**5% kalk to water** sorry hard to type here

[@johngmckee0]

hey I need some #$%# Hanna high range nitrate reagents!

[@BRStv]

I know it's been frustrating getting your hands on Hanna HR Nitrate reagents since launch. We should be getting in a shipment very soon, so make sure that you keep your eye out and hit that 'notify me when in stock' button on the product page.

[@bigbearmeetslittlebear3401]

Amazon has high range consistently

[@MiddleAgedMike]

@@bigbearmeetslittlebear3401 every time I’ve seen it there it’s double what it should be.

[@kishendev3736]

hi guys.. i have a question, Kalk produce the calcium when the hydroxide and CO2 pops off right? is it safe to make the assumption that if i add more CO2 in the tank,i get more Calcium produced then? example adding more fish.?

[@BRStv]

The amount of calcium added to the system depends on the amount of calcium hydroxide (kalk) is added to the tank. More CO2 won't increase calcium alone.

[@jamieskinner4309]

I’ve switched to kalkwasser I’m running a Apex with trident to monitor things. I’ve been running 2 part which has trace elements. How can I dose trace elements safely now ?

[@BRStv]

Check out Tropic Marin A and K elements. That's a great way to add trace elements to your system 🙂 www.bulkreefsupply.com/pro-coral-a-trace-1-tropic-marin.html www.bulkreefsupply.com/pro-coral-k-trace-2-tropic-marin.html

[@bgrimlan]

I am thinking...I guess you can call it a hybrid between 2 methods...kalk system. I would take a 5 gal reservoir and make it a kalk reactor. During the day it gets filled by a dosing pump and gets mixed by a regular water pump (the bottom gets blasted with flow to kick up the kalk) so the water can get saturated with kalk . Once done, the pump turns off so the solid can settle down. When night time comes around, a second dosing pump kicks on to dose the saturated lime water into the sump. The cycle starts all over again when day time hits again.

[@MiddleAgedMike]

That’s an awesome idea for a DIY reactor. Nice

[@sunnygoold9449]

nice

[@michaelgreen7561]

Sorry for the noob question even though I have been using kalk in my ATO for the last five years very successfully. Why can't you mix kalk with fresh salt water and dos that like an auto water change but to the amount that you need daily?

[@jjj14]

Kalkwasser powder and salt water mixes messy.

[@BRStv]

The concern would be precipitation since salt water contains many more major, minor, and trace elements vs fresh RODI water that we normally use in our ATO reservoirs.

[@alancurtis1388]

hi ya has kalkwasser powder got a best before date

[@BRStv]

There isn't really an expiration date as long as you store in an air tight container. If the container isn't air tight, it could decrease in potency over time due to contact with carbon dioxide.

[@f_youtubecensorshipf_nazis]

I mix up 5 gallons at a time, pour in a gallon at a time at the end of my day to cover evaporation. Tip the 5 gallon thing into a gallon pitcher, pour by hand. Pour it direct into the overflow.