Kalk Vs. CO2

[cgill311]

Does anybody have a link to a good comparison of dosing kalk versus a calc reactor? Just want to do some reading. Thanks!

 

[cameron]

IMO, dose kalk until it no longer works for your tanks demands than add a calcium reactor. They really aren't competing products in many tanks as people run both.

 

[glxtrix]

I plan on running both just so the kalk will help fight the low pH the reactor will deliver to the tank. I currently run a kalk reactor thu my top off water. Seems to be doing alright with my tank. But don't expect it to be the end all for dosing...you'll still have to check your levels and add a lil here and there. But for what it is and how cheap it is, its not too shabby.

 

[cameron]

You can also kick up your kalk and increase its effectiveness by throwing a little bit of vinegar in there. I ran this way with some Seachem Reef Complete for quite a while.

 

[sprayin70]

glxtrix;132441 wrote: I plan on running both just so the kalk will help fight the low pH the reactor will deliver to the tank. I currently run a kalk reactor thu my top off water. Seems to be doing alright with my tank. But don't expect it to be the end all for dosing...you'll still have to check your levels and add a lil here and there. But for what it is and how cheap it is, its not too shabby.

+1 You really need to use both. The Ca will drive your ph really low. The Kalk will help with that and also help with the Carbonate and Calcium.

 

[schwaggs]

Sprayin70;132490 wrote: +1 You really need to use both. The Ca will drive your ph really low. The Kalk will help with that and also help with the Carbonate and Calcium.

Not true, I run only a CA reactor and my tank pH is 8.1 + without Kalk.

 

[purplegorilla]

Schwaggs;132532 wrote: Not true, I run only a CA reactor and my tank pH is 8.1 + without Kalk.

Its been shown for it to drop the pH. Either you aren't dosing enough Calcium through your Calcium Reactor, you aren't adding enough CO2, or your probe is out of calibration. The effluent running through the Reactor needs to be a pH of 6.5 in order to break down the substrates. With constant low pH being dump into the system, it will eventually bring the system down.

 

[FutureInterest]

What's your secret Shwaggs?

My ph has dropped quite a bit since my Ca Reactor has been online.

 

[sprayin70]

Mne too. I have always had a hard time keeping my PH up without Kalk. My Ca reactor keeps my tanks ph around 7.6-8ish without Kalk.

 

[schwaggs]

FutureInterest;132540 wrote: What's your secret Shwaggs?

Not sure. I have been running a CA reactor for 2+ years on this system and I have no problem with pH. I don't "overdrive" my system by shooting for insane Alk and CA numbers. I keep my CA between 380 and 410 and strive to keep my ALK ~5.0 meq/l, both fairly conservative. I run a pH controller to keep tight control of the pH inside the reactor. I have a 500G total volume system and run about 150ml/min through the reactor and adjust the pH in the reactor to maintain CA and Alk near the numbers above. I use ARM which supposedly disolves at a higher pH. I dump the output of the reactor into the overflow which immediatly flows through my skimmer area. I run my 90 gallon refugium and 70 gallon frag tank on a reverse light schedule which keeps the pH up over night to a certain extent. I definatly see a lift in pH when the frag tank light is on...

My current calibrated probe is displaying a pH of 8.4 at the end of my main light period. I'm sure that is high. My previous probe was reading in the 8.2 area at that same time of day.

 

[schwaggs]

I just went through my Aquanotes log to confirm my numbers and my current pH is 8.44, just before the lights go off. I suspect that number is high. The more interesting thing I found was that when my CO2 tank ran out last week Friday around noon, the tank pH was about .05 units higher over the 3 days my CA reactor was offline v.s. the week before. So even if you doubt the actual pH value of my system (which I do as well), the unscientifically measured effect of my CA reactor on my system appears to be around .05 pH...

 

[FutureInterest]

Hmmm. Thanks for the tips.

 

[jaandgc]

I have also never had a problem with ph in my tanks. The tank is always above 8. I don't test the ph in my reactor, I test my alk, and calcium in my tank. I try to keep them around 9dkh and 400 ppm if they test low I up the bubble count. This has always worked for me. I have the 2nd chamber which is suppose to help, I also use to drip the effluent over some bioballs but now it drips into the fuge.