EVERYTHING You Need To Know About Kalkwasser!

[@ReefDork]

Here's the kalkwasser how to guide kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4immJ6AaLd_fLc

[@spicyreef]

I'm pretty sure something is precipitating out when you dose 2part/3part and kalk...? That's my gut, so, grain of salt 🙂 Dr Craig Bingman? would love vid on why someone should use kalk stir reactor, I C 2 many negatives... Kalk reduces phos in the water that it is mixed in

[@estonianreefer2851]

Good beginner guide to kalkwasser. I'm doing marine biology studies and it states in learning materials that oceans average PH is infact 8.1 not 8.2-8.3. Used to be 8.2 before industrial era.

[@jules2545]

Actually the oceans would be highly alkaline with a pH of about 11.4, similar to that of household ammonia, if there were no weak acids to buffer the alkalinity. Almost all of the buffering is provided by dissolved CO2, with very minor additional buffering from boric acid, silicic acid and other even less important species. Doubling atmospheric CO2 from the current level of 400 ppm to 800 ppm only decreases the pH of ocean water from about 8.2 to 7.9. This is well within the day-night fluctuations that already occur because of photosynthesis by plankton and less than the pH decreases with depth that occur because of the biological pump and the dissolution of calcium carbonate precipitates below the lysocline. Doubling atmospheric CO2 from the current level of 400 ppm to 800 ppm only decreases the carbonate-ion concentration by about 30%. Ocean surface waters are already supersaturated by several hundred per cent for formation of CaCO3 crystals from Ca2+ and CO2− 3 . So scare stories about dissolving carbonate shells are nonsense. The ocean has only absorbed 1/3 or less of the CO2 that it would eventually absorb when the concentrations of CO2 in the deep oceans came to equilibrium with surface concentrations. Effects like that of the biological pump and calcium carbonate dissolution below the lysocline allow the ocean to absorb substantially more than the amount that would be in chemical-equilibrium with the atmosphere. Over most of the Phanerozoic, the past 550 million years, CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere have been measured in thousands of parts per million, and life flourished in both the oceans and on land. This is hardly surprising, given the relative insensitivity of ocean pH to large changes in CO2 concentrations and given the fact that the pH changes that do occur are small compared to the natural variations of ocean pH in space and time. There are plenty of scientific papers on the subject.

[@Sammy31Dee]

Only thing is....literally all climate change data was improperly recorded...therefore it cannot be taken seriously....all telemetry done for the last 100 years was improperly calibrated...meaning the data....ITS SHIIIIT

[@JFTB-i8y]

"average ocean pH" seems too generic of a statement when we mostly care about the pH on a select few reef zones our corals come from.

[@BarbedWireBill]

You win! I am convinced that I absolutely need to get going on adding it!

[@JeepinReefer406]

Great video! I just started Kalkwasser on my RSR 170. My tank is consuming 1 liter per day (of Kalk) at 9dkh. I just replaced my pH probe as I wasn't seeing what I was expecting and it was not calibrating. To my amazement my pH in a 24 hour period has been 8.28 to 8.33. All I can say is if switching from All for Reef, find your consumption rate, use one of the calculators available to figure out a starting point for Kalk. I did that, 1/2ed the dose and bumped up .1 ml a day until my Alk number was steady. I wish I did it sooner!

[@dannycastaneda1974]

I am dosing All For Reef and want to start dosing Kalkwasser. How much did you lower your AFR dosing?

[@JeepinReefer406]

@@dannycastaneda1974 I stopped cold turkey. I calculated my evaporation rate, and used that number to come up with what the kalk dose would be to keep the alk at the same level as the AFR.

[@dannycastaneda1974]

@@JeepinReefer406 ok. I like how AFR has trace elements. Do you dose any trace elements? Thanks for the reply.

[@JeepinReefer406]

@@dannycastaneda1974 I do actually. I have been dosing Red Sea Trace elements every other week according to my Calcium Reading. For the past 2 weeks my calcium has been steady though. I may switch to Kalk half the day and AFR during the lighting period.

[@whitefang8329]

Thank you for your video. You basically answered all questions 👍 it’s very helpful. For example: I more concerned to check my pH but now I also check Alkalinity. It’s 11.5 dKH . So. I am lucky to not over dose.

[@dusk1947]

It's a nice review of safe practices, with some useful suggestions. Nice video. I'd add that specific brands of Kalkwasser can dose Mg. I use "Kalk +2" from Brightwell for this purpose, as it has both safe levels of Mg & Sr, that mix to a level consistent with lab tests of aragonite. But, it can cost a little more. No where near the cost of 2-part. But, certainly more than buying in bulk

[@barelyreefer]

Great video sir! And thank you for answering my question.

[@estonianreefer2851]

I wouldn't add vinegar to limewater solution in order to dissolve more calcium hydroxide unless you are already carbon dosing. Ultimately vinegar is a source of carbon dosing which would lower nutrient levels. Mostly it would have affect on NO3 ,not so much on PO4. If that would be unwanted carbon dosing it has potential to cause big problems in an aquarium. I have been using my kalkwasser dosing line for 4 years now and have never replaced it. I run occasionally hotwater vinegar mix through dosing lines to keep it in its prime. APC pure off eBay is a good choice. Been using it for 4 years with no issues. Also, I don't know if you have mentioned it in your previous videos how to store calcium hydroxide? To keep it airtight at all times even when it's not in solution otherwise it will chemically alter itself into calcium carbonate ( CaCo3 ) by absorbing co2 in the air and you wouldn't have PH boost anymore.

[@roguecroc1]

Another informative video, thanks for this one mate, I learned a lot of very useful info, cheers.

[@sandroaces]

Very informative video everything I was wondering thanks.

[@dereks3207]

wonderful video. answered all the questions i had and more.

[@EIY_Kumar]

One thing I'd like to share, I was adding Vinegar to Kalkwasser to mix more solution, but noticed doing so was lowering my ph of kalk solution and taking away all the ph benefits.

[@kyleschroeder9865]

The whole time I was thinking, why not just throw it in my ATO and then you shot down my hopes and dreams. I dont think im going to make the leap because I'm just not tentative enough due to work, but you definitely educated me and for that I am thankful. Have a like.

[@fadetoblack.-]

it’s been in my ATO with a steady drip for over 25 years ! the last 5 with a peristaltic pump. steady 8.4 day 8.3 night!

[@guccimane1465]

@@fadetoblack.- very nice. Which pump are you using?

[@ChristosD]

Thank you for the info! I was waiting for this one! Keep up the good work 👍. One question though, if you find out you get quite low in magnesium, how do you suggest to act?

[@ReefDork]

You can dose magnesium to maintain it

[@joshua_w]

Great vid and good info Alex thanks. Maybe your can use your cred to get someone on to talk pka values of ions in our tanks to point to PH upper limits.

[@emblake7750]

I believe you cover already this in one of your videos- Is it correct mixing Kalkwasser with regular treated tap water 3g per 4l and mixing with (they call pure water) reverse osmosis 6g per 4l,many thanks great help as always

[@ReefDork]

Yes but don't ever use tap water...

[@bencobb3433]

Awesome video Alex

[@nathanmenhorn368]

Excellent info!!! Thank you.

[@NiggoS]

I stoped kalk after 6 days, lost a few small sps frags, my po4 is around 0,04. i think i bottomed out po4...although I dose po4. not sure if i try again...dosed 12 hours overnight.

[@sunnygoold9449]

Great explainer!

[@leem7924]

Daft question but how do you get kalk inlet from your reservoir to sit 1 inch above the bottom of the reservoir? And where did you buy that tube holder/?

[@ReefDork]

I used a john guest tube with a jg bulkhead

[@enzomontini758]

Hi @reefdork my tank seems to consume more alk than calcium, if I started dosing kalkwasser would in theory send my calcium too high so I assume I would be limited to the amount of kalkwasser I dose linked to my calcium consumption and then dose alk separately,, unfortunately I only dose 2ml calcium in a 400 litre system

[@jeremybw2180]

Reef keeping is difficult because you basically have to be a chemist to maintain. The reason I say this is while I LOVE the benifits of using KALK I hate the fact that it will not only chemically lower PO4, but it also chemically lowers your Mg levels turning into either Magnesium carbonate [water soluble], or Magnesium hydroxide [non-water soluble]. So if it is parcipitated out as Mg hydroxide it's gone for good! Advantage to this is that since your Mg maintains your KH, and Calcium [essentially working as a glue for those two] then as Mg is @ a certain level your KH and Calcium is, therefore, forced to remain a certain level as well.

[@damags3999]

This is a totally unrelated topic but figured I'd ask anyways. I'm currently cycling a tank and I'm using the live special grade reef sand, live rock, and some sponges from another tank I have set up. I'm also using prime and Dr Tim's ammonia which I'm dosing per instructions. I will be using stability in a couple days when it comes in. It has been cycling for about 7 days now. My current ammonia is 0.50 PPM, my nitrite is kind of hard to read it's either 2.0 PPM or slightly lower or possibly higher. The API test kit is kind of hard to read the color on. My nitrate is a little over 20 PPM. Should I do a water change? And if so how much should I do?

[@joshuaacrvedo390]

Usually no need to do a water change if you have no live stock, let the tank do it’s thing!

[@damags3999]

@@joshuaacrvedo390 Sorry, thought I mentioned that I put in a few small fish. I figured I was okay since dosing with prime. I started also dosing with stability today. With fish being in there do you think I need to do a water change? Or should I be okay since I am using both prime and stability and just wait it out?

[@soysauce76]

I love Kalk too! Wait da minute…. 🫣

[@jahsreef8386]

Have you done any videos on your jellyfish tank. Just got one and I’m interested in your experience with it

[@ReefDork]

Not yet but I might do on the Reef Dork Xtra channel at some point

[@sunnygoold9449]

Love kalk!

[@emblake7750]

Hello mate,how to manually dose kalkwasser,no pumps,no kalk stirrer or any automatic dossers,can you do at once as much you need per day let's say half of liter or a liter per tank depend how big is a tank,I watched the guy Julian Sprung doing like that,what is your opinion as a reef guru for begginers cheers

[@ReefDork]

Julian Sprung is 100x more knowledgeable than me, but I personally wouldn't want to dose kalkwasser (or any alkalinity supplement) manually. You're just asking for trouble with swinging alkalinity, calcium, pH and salinity. Search for kalwasser dripper - that's the absolute bare minimum i'd ever consider.

[@FoolOfATuque]

OG reefers gravity drip from a tank apparently.

[@ChristosD]

In a new tank, when do you suggest starting kalk?

[@ReefDork]

Good question. Only when your alkalinity and calcium are consistently dropping. Which will probably only be when you've added several corals, but the best way to know is to test alkalinity once or twice a week and see what's happening.

[@ChristosD]

@Reef Dork OK. Will do that. I will check Alk & Calcium and then start. Now let's say I start with saturated kalkwasser , like you do, not the slurry, for the beginning, what do you suggest to target, Alk or Ph?? Thanks again for the info..

[@lamoustachedecailles6085]

I disagree on the aspect of Alkalinity being dangerously high. I consistently hit 12 dkH and the corals have never been happier. pH is much more important than dkH in my experience; I've been using the ACI method and I regret nothing!

[@antonyfield2040]

On point top man

[@keto-adhd3061]

I dose 5l of kalkwasser over 24h every day in a 200g tank and it makes very little to no difference to my ph at all.

[@TrevorHiller]

I’m glad you mentioned that flaw about the Versa regarding when the container is empty. I can’t figure out what the function of that reservoir capacity section is because it doesn’t stop the pump from dosing and it doesn’t notify you it’s empty. I just went in and put it in the list of feature requests by shaking my phone to bring up the mobius feedback menu.

[@ReefDork]

Yeah totally - It's really annoying 😅

[@merrittmcdowell8675]

Is that dosing pump a stand alone or does it require a controller?

[@ReefDork]

Standalone

[@merrittmcdowell8675]

@@ReefDork very nice

[@tedblack2163]

It can also be controlled thru the Ecotech Mobius app, or as a stand-alone dosing pump.

[@cesarjuarez2910]

How dangerous is kalk? Is this something I have to wear eye protection around.

[@ReefDork]

No, it's the same as most chemicals in the hobby really

[@antonyfield2040]

Can u dose kalk with a skimmer in sump

[@ReefDork]

Yep