best kalk powder

[cdub]

i'm going to be buying a kalk reactor/stirrer in the next week and was looking for some advice on what kind of powder everyone uses. i currently just add ms. wages to my top off water, but thought since i was investing in a stirrer i might want to step up the quality of the powder. so what does everyone use and how do you rate it?

 

[sprayin70]

Mrs wages pickling lime. You can get it at Krogers. It is the same thing as Kalk. Works great too!!! Good luck

 

[glxtrix]

+1

 

[showtime305]

How much does that stuff cost?

 

[flyingarmy]

Its fairly cheap, like $3-4 a bottle. Excellent way to keep your PH/ALK up when using a Calcium Reactor.

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Im a snobby elitist, so I use Brightwell Aquatics Kalk+2. It "supposedly" has strontium and magnesium in addition to the calcium. But thyen again, it might just be a snake oil and Im a sucker.

 

[glxtrix]

+1 on you're a sucker

 

[jmaneyapanda]

At least I have enough brains in my bucket to not fall for the "bare bottom is better" scam.

In all reality, i think Brightwell Aquatics will be one of the upcoming companies with many innovatiove products in years to come.

 

[cameron]

jmaneyapanda;132387 wrote: Im a snobby elitist, so I use Brightwell Aquatics Kalk+2. It "supposedly" has strontium and magnesium in addition to the calcium. But thyen again, it might just be a snake oil and Im a sucker.

Here is a Randy Holmes Farley comment on that stuff:

So sad. Another case of a company not understanding their own product. At least I hope that's the case, and it is not an intentional scam.

"Formulated by a marine scientist"

Well, that marine scientist apparently does not understand chemistry, and apparently did not read my article where I demonstrated that such a product could not work the way he describes.

No, it cannot be used like normal limewater, as the magnesium will be totally insoluble and will settle to the bottom of a reactor or a still limewater reservoir. But he also says it should not be dosed directly, and must be dissolved first, so there is no way to use the magnesium.

I show that magnesium settles out of limewater here:

Magnesium and Strontium in Limewater
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2003/chem.htm"><span style="color: #000088;">http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2003/chem.htm</span></a>

[/QUOTE]

You can read the entire thread here:

[IMG]http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1290080">http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1290080</a>

 

[glxtrix]

sooo after reading Camerons post....I think the BB scam is more plausable than your Brightwell Aquatics hub bub. lol, just messin.

 

[cameron]

I looked into it and ran across that thread a while ago. I decided to just start dumping mixed magnesium chloride and magnesium sulfate straight into the tank. I haven't found a reason why it won't work by direct addition to a high flow area every few weeks.

 

[liverock27]

What do you think about adding Kalk to a ATO for a 14g tank? Should I stay away because of the change of overdosing the Kalk? I just have a lot of Kalk sitting around from when I had my larger systems.

 

[glxtrix]

does the 14g have a sump....might be silly question. If not it could be risky seeing that its so small. Tho if you do a slow drip in a higher flow area might be best.

 

[cameron]

You can also dilute kalk by cutting the dosage. If you need some pH, alk and Ca help kalk is hard to beat.

 

[liverock27]

Cameron;132455 wrote: If you need some pH, alk and Ca help kalk is hard to beat.

That is exactley what I am looking for. I am having a hard time keeping them stable. Not too bad a swings, but it is a small tank so any swing is not good.
I was thinking of introducing the kalk through the ATO, but I also have a DIY drip container that I could use at night and drip through the feeding hatch?

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Cameron;132430 wrote: Here is a Randy Holmes Farley comment on that stuff:



You can read the entire thread here:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1290080">http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1290080</a>[/QUOTE]

f you cameron. no one likes to be PROVED to be a sucker. anyone wanna buy some kalk+2?:tongue2:

 

[cdub]

so it appears that i should stick with my mrs. wages and add some vinegar to the reactor.

 

[mojo]

Yes, Mrs. Wages will work fine. Vinegar is probably not necessary if you have a reactor with a stirbar.

I use Kent Kalkwasser b/c I'm also a snob... Actually - I use it because I'm hoping it's a better grade... would be interesting to test the phophate of both on a colorimeter... hmm....

 

[mojo]

Jeremy- I wouldn't worry about it- we've all been duped by seemingly better products -esp. in this market! I'm sure I've got some bottles of some miracle cure down in the basement right now!

 

[jmaneyapanda]

mojo;132521 wrote: Jeremy- I wouldn't worry about it- we've all been duped by seemingly better products -esp. in this market! I'm sure I've got some bottles of some miracle cure down in the basement right now!

Hey, its still kalk. I guess its not a real snake oil, because it does still have its purpose of adding kalk. I started using it in place of lime to try to boost my mag, but if that wasnt happening, at least i still ahve the kalk. no sweat off my sack.