REEF TANK - 3 WAYS TO DOSE KALKWASSER

[@davestephens9463]

That was the coolest intro to a video yet!

[@stevenpavan327]

This cold open was your best yet. Your production values are off the charts now. You're upping your game with each video. Your costs are going to spiral out of control! Keep it together Tom! :) Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Question for WCW - How many neon Tom Reefer shirts do you own? And a suggestion. We need you singing in a cold open!

[@TOMReefer]

Haha😃 Cold open. Sounds like you know a bit about movie production Steven😃 I have 2 of all my colored shirts😃and thanks for the encouragement!😊👍🏻

[@greengiant5189]

Cheers from Panamá 🇵🇦, I am learning a lot from your videos

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Green Giant, from Panama! Nice! I happy you are learning from the videos! 👍🏻😊

[@g-reef]

Tom love the intro

[@brandonmms]

I agree...Tom is getting better!

[@jacklawer6389]

Gr8 video thanks , Is it true kalkwasser gums up all your pumps

[@jluusaltwateraquarium8320]

Thanks for sharing fantastic video sir...👍👍👍👍

[@TOMReefer]

Hi jluu, YW! 😊👍🏻

[@Bamacher59]

Just getting to watch your video from last week great information. I’m just getting my tank set up right now so that is something I will be thinking about for the future thanks again

[@TOMReefer]

Good to hear Bamacher! Good luck and reefing 👍🏻😊

[@davestephens9463]

Great vid very informative

[@thorbradshaw2637]

wow that was so helpful thank you!

[@TOMReefer]

YW thor!

[@bosreeflife7825]

Awesome video and great info man I found me a new person to watch now

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Bo! Glad you found me too👍🏻😃

[@g-reef]

I have been looking at this method, thank you

[@TOMReefer]

Hey G reef ! Good to hear, maybe put one of them into practice 😊👍🏻

[@inertgilles7113]

Great video Tom did I give some inspiration on this? lol

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Inert, yes you did! 😃👍🏻however, doesn’t seen as many viewers feel the same way as you😃 a bit low on the views 🤣

[@inertgilles7113]

@@TOMReefer yeah most see more work. but more work more benefits. plus I need the ph boost have a dog that stays in the living room while I'm at work. Now that it's warming up probably going to run air line outside.

[@dobermanguy9437]

I drip kalkwasser into my reef tank 24/7 Non-Stop in my opinion kalkwasser is One supplement that does many good things for your tank probably one of the best supplements for a reef tank in my opinion one of the best explanations in this video on kalkwasser tom you seem like a hell of a nice guy very knowledgeable

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Stan! Thanks! And you are right. Lots of great benefits to dosing kalkwasser. I’ve done it on all my tanks from the beginning of my reef keeping. 👍🏻😊thanks for watching 😃

[@dustinramsey7271]

Great video and loved the intro! Thank you for going a little more in depth on this topic. I have the Tunze ato Kalkwasser doser. I've had it for years. Recently it started letting the slurry back into the top off container. So I've been looking at some options. Thank you again, cheers!

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Dustin! Thanks! I had fun with that 😃. Glad to give you food for thought! Thanks for the comment!

[@Feroc1tyy]

Good info thanks tom!

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Ferocity! Glad you got something out of it 😊👍🏻

[@jerry3sanchez]

Well said Tom!!👊🏻👊🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Darth! 👍🏻😊

[@aussied723]

Very cool intro 🚀 and great info 👍

[@TOMReefer]

😃thanks Aussie, 👍🏻

[@michaelmyers5027]

Tom do i have to place my ato pump up off the bottom of the ato reservoir so it don't suck up the slury at the bottom and dose to my tank?

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Michael, No, if you notice, even when resting on the bottom of your container, the pump intake has enough distance from the bottom. Also, if you look near your pump, the small amount of back siphoning that comes from your ATO hose usually keeps that area clear of the slurry. All that said, if a small amount of slurry that could possibly be taken into your display won’t hurt the tank. 👍🏻

[@Messier87_M87]

Good morning ☀️ Tom!😀 I’m always learning from your videos! Think I spent a couple hours last night going through all your videos. Pretty sure I gave each one a thumbs up 👍🏻Have a great day today, looks like it’s going to be almost 70 here in NH. 🌴 I loved the intro 💫🪐🌟

[@TOMReefer]

Thanks Dave! I appreciate that. And glad you’ve learned from them 😊👍🏻have a great day!

[@im160bpmplus]

When is water change Wednesday?

[@TOMReefer]

Haha😃Wednesday nights 👍🏻

[@andersonsotomayor1364]

Do you put the Vinegar In your ATO

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Anderson, yes. I do that because I have a fast enough evaporation rate. Most carbon dosing is done with a dosing pump or manually. I choose to do it this way because it also dissolves my kalkwasser more. I’ve since stopped dosing because my nitrates are negligible. So it’s not really necessary.

[@andersonsotomayor1364]

@@TOMReefer I also got a 20 gallon Aqua top In a 5 gallon ATO Around how much vinegar you put inside By the way my tank is bouncing back All due to your Knowledge I really appreciate it

[@Gro2healthheirlooms]

I'm new to keeping a saltwater aquarium and my 125 gallon tank is now 4 months old. I now have LPS, softies, and some easy SPS coral frags in my reef tank. I'm using the Sealab 28 but I'm wondering if I should start using kalkwaser in my reef tank? Please let me know what you think. Thanks

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Genesis, welcome to reef keeping!😃I’m not familiar with the Sealab 28 success? I understand what they say it’s supposed to do but? I would replace the Sealab 28 Method with Kalkwasser additions. Use my video to figure out your dosing. It’s quite easy. 😊👍🏻

[@charlescox4213]

I'm dosing my 32 gal biocube with kalk with a wi fi dosing pump at night every half hour when the lights go out 15ml every 30 min from 9:00pm to 8:30am of full saturated kalk. Alk is at 8-9 kh and calcuium 400 ppm. Have about 12 frags of soft and lps, and monti caps. All the corals look happy.

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Charles, that sounds great! Doing it that way is nice and precise. 👍🏻

[@Messier87_M87]

Does the vinegar in the kalkwasser also serve as a form of carbon dosing? Lowering nitrate and phosphate?

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Dave, possibly, but it’s a quantity issue. I’m not sure how much is actually going in daily. Carbon dosing is tricky with amount. There’s a table out there somewhere that shows how much. Great question. I might look into it. 👍🏻

[@theamjadjamousable]

hey man. so how to you compensate for magnesium imbalance when dossing kalk ? shouldn't all three parts be dossed equally ? and why not use a dossing pump and a separate container and have it set on dripping mode ? that way the ato will only add water to compensate for evaporation only if the kalk container is emptied . I am new to this stuff and have to find a good method for me reef . thanks a lot.

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Wnder, the way you dose is somewhat a matter of preference. Ease, expense, effectiveness, etc. All the methods you mention are possible choices. I use 2 part dosing, Alk, and Calc and supplement a small amount kalk in my ato. Kalk is known to precipitate phosphate as well as add calcium. The drip method can be used, but I choose not to. Dosing pumps can be quite loud and aren’t really meant to run for long periods of time. Depending on the size of your tank and what you will be keeping will determine what method you choose to dose with. Mag can be dosed along with 2 part, but is not as readily used up as Alk and Calc, so measuring mag will determine how much you should dose. Water change also replaces all three. Testing all three in the beginning will determine how much should be dosed on a regular basis. 👍🏻

[@barryhutchinson3977]

I have a bone to pick with you. You keep me up all hours of the night watching your videos. Cut it out :-)

[@TOMReefer]

Haha! How do you know! 🤪I’m usually editing these suckers!

[@2muchcoffee]

Hi, I'm about to start dosing kalkwasser to a 1 year old 300l Red Sea reef tank, soft corals zoas and frogspawn. What would you recommend I dose? I use about 5 gallon top off each week and not currently dosing anything else just water changes and previously used salifert all in one which I'm unsure about, thanks for the videos and knowledge, the beautiful tanks are inspiring

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Linzi, only about 1/2 teaspoon per gallon will dissolve in RODI water. So that would be your amount. 1/2 teaspoon per gallon. Mix thoroughly. You will get some settling on the bottom. That’s fine. Clear water above is what you want to dose. Check calcium and Alk every few days for the first week or so 😊👍🏻

[@2muchcoffee]

@@TOMReefer hi again, I made my mixture and left it overnight but this morning its till all cloudy have I done something wrong? How long does it take to settle, I mixed 1 teaspoon to 2 gallon. Thanks

[@TOMReefer]

Hey linzi, sometimes it will do that. Doesn’t mean you can use it. Some methods of Dosing Kalkwasser is to keep it stirred up. So, go ahead and use it . You may see it settle over the next day. Are you using RODI water?

[@2muchcoffee]

@@TOMReefer yes I make my own rodi water, I'm from England so I'm also converting gallons to litre usually lol gets confusing

[@nathanbenstead7813]

Hi, would a Royal Gramma and a neon goby be ok in a 6 Gallon Tank? Love your videos. 👍

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Nathan, fish questions in small nanos are the toughest. The two in 10 would be fine. The goby and Gramma are compatible, but 6 is cutting it close. 😬 you could try it and remove one if you see it’s not working. 😊 thanks for watching the vids

[@nathanbenstead7813]

@@TOMReefer thats good to know, Thanks Tom 👍

[@douglasachaiba7885]

Hi Tom. I would like to manually dose the kalkwasser as you said here. I have a 20 gallon tank, which according to the equation will mean I need 1/10 tsp based on 1/4 tsp per 50 gallons. This is dosed in a day, over a few days? I have a gallon jug that I use to fil up water that lasts 3 days. Can I add the 1/10 tsp to the gallon and pour that over the 3 days, then repeat the process? I was a bit confused, so asking

[@douglasachaiba7885]

Or is it just 1/10 tsp for the 20 gallons of aquarium water per day?

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Douglas, the point to manual dosing is to do it in a slurry. You mix the 1/8 teaspoon of kalkwasser in a 1/2 cup of RODi and pour it in( strong flow area) but if your adding RODi you might as well put the kalkwasser in that and pour it in ove the three days. Try doing it morning and after light go off. I’m assuming you know how much evaporation water you need to put in each day. Just make sure you test daily after the first day. If your levels are low, then add a bit more kalkwasser. 👍🏻

[@douglasachaiba7885]

@@TOMReefer thanks for the response. If I were to use 2 part and say only Alkalinity was low and calcium was normal, do I have to add equal parts of both or can I just add Alkalinity?

[@TOMReefer]

@@douglasachaiba7885 I missed this? You have to use both Douglas. If they are uneven try a water change first then begin to two-part. They will balance out

[@Mr.GC1984]

I’m a new reefer my question to is when you dose kalkwasser which I plan to do for ca, alk and ph, what could I do for trace elements?

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Gary, a lot of trace elements are added back with your saltwater water change, however, there’s a few products made by, Brightwell, Two Little fishes, that make a good trace element supplement. 👍🏻😊

[@Mr.GC1984]

@@TOMReefer ok thank you cause I was considering getting all for reef to go along with kalkwasser

[@TOMReefer]

I don’t know that product Gary, it may be fine?

[@dvsstinger12]

add a small powerhead to your autotop container and it will mix constanly works for me .

[@okn712]

Do you dose alk into your fresh saltwater so that there is no fluctuations when changing it?

[@TOMReefer]

Hi Ok N, No, add nothing to your fresh salt water. 👍🏻😊

[@frankpohl8746]

Can you please pronounce the w as a v sound. Kalkvasser. Since you are doing the German method.

[@TOMReefer]

Come on Frank! Haha 😃that’s how my wife pronounces “W” vasser 🤪

[@303cologuy]

First!

[@Algaewarrior]

I will be dosing my kalkwasser with a single head kamoer pump so I can accurately dose daily and check my levels without having to worry about evaporation rate.

[@TOMReefer]

Nice Algae Warrior! Glad to see you understand the benefits of Kalkwasser 😊👍🏻

[@barryhutchinson3977]

There are so many theories online on this subject that you could get lost really fast. For what it's worth, I add 2 tbs of kalkwasser and 15 ml of vinegar to 1 gallon of water. My 29 gallon with mostly LPS, require just under a half gallon or 64 fl.oz / 1,820 ml of top off water every 24 hours. At 2 pm, my pH reads around 8.33 and the Alk stays around 7.5. I have never had any problems using these figures. I should however add that I do a natural sea water 35% change every three days. Have a couple of vids on KZbin so you can see how the tank is going, just click on my name above . Toodles!

[@TOMReefer]

Hey Barry! Very interesting! Most reefers don’t understand the benefits of kalkwasser. I always say if it’s working, then it’s right for you. That’s cool you use natural sea water! Do you 2 part dose, or just rely on kalkwasser? Thanks for the comment!

[@barryhutchinson3977]

@@TOMReefer The only other thing I add is Red Sea Reef Energy Plus AB+ . Dosage, 4ml daily. I have a vid online of a Duncan Coral I bought in August 2019, 5 heads. Today it has over 140. Like you said, if it works, stick with it.

[@jibe4781]

Over clear professor !

[@TOMReefer]

😃👍🏻Thanks Jibe