Kalk ATO vs 2-part

NikeLV · 04/03/2012, 11:14 PM

Can someone please help me decide between KALK ATO and 2-part CALC&ALK dosing? I already refill 1 gallon RO/DI daily to my reef, not through ATO, just manual addition. My reef is a 100 gallon SPS/LPS dominated with a sump&refugium. I don't have a crazy amount of coral in my tank, lots of frags, I already do a water change every 2 weeks with Reef Crystals. Does KALK replenish calcium and alkalinity? I am desperate for coral growth, I will buy test kits when I decide to dose.

FYI-I do not want to do both methods of dosing, just one or the other. Thank you!

rwb500 · 04/03/2012, 11:21 PM

kalk does replenish both calcium and alkalinity. at only one gallon per day, it may or may not meet your needs.

for your large tank, two part will be expensive unless you mix your own. look at the kits they have at bulk reef supply. or you can buy each ingredient separately.

most people with reefs your size use calcium reactors. have you thought about that?

NikeLV · 04/04/2012, 04:12 PM

actually yes I have thought about a calc reactor, but to purchase a high quality one looks very expensive.

ek9vboi · 04/04/2012, 04:44 PM

You should be doing both once you get to a point where dosing 2-part cant not sustain levels. If your levels are good, dose kalk via ATO. Once your tank requires more, dose 2-part.

Coral growth is more then just levels, lights and water conditions as well as stability are just as important. Rushing into stuff like dosing won't help you. Do you even know what your current levels are?

capt85 · 04/04/2012, 05:15 PM

Check your levels first. You may be hurting things by adding kalk and not knowing.

Bnortz · 04/04/2012, 05:41 PM

Before doing either, make sure you test. If you plan on doing kalk, get the levels where they need to be (Calcium:~420 ppm, Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH, Magnesium: ~1350ppm). You may need to use two part to get there. Once you get to the optimal levels, dosing kalk will ideally keep them constant if enough is dosed via the ATO. Like mentiond previously, you may need to combine the two if kalk isn't quite cutting it. Hope that helps.

NikeLV · 04/04/2012, 05:58 PM

Yes I will be testing levels before I add anything - salifert calc/ red sea alk&mag.
Lights-2 EcoTech Radions, nutrient levels are close to undetectable(chaeto growth is extremely slow!)

Isn't 2-part and Kalk almost the same thing? So I can't choose 1 method over the other?
How can't 2-part or Kalk keep with coral growth and calcium depletion?

jiperalta · 04/04/2012, 06:48 PM

Kalk addition is dependent on the amount of evaporation in your system. If you don't have enough evaporation, you may not be able to add enough kalk-saturated water to meet the CA and Alk demands of your corals. For example, my system does not have a great enough evaporation rate in the winter to meet the Ca and Alk requirements of my tank. I recently moved to a Ca reactor and am still using two-part while I get the reactor tweeked. I still use Kalk in my ATO. Testing is required to get the hang of whatever Ca and Alk regimen you decide to go with.

Sk8r · 04/04/2012, 06:51 PM

And kalk is efficient for a packed reef of stony for 70 and below. At 100 you'd be pushing it with a totally crammed lps reef. Less so with a mixed reef.

thegrun · 04/04/2012, 07:11 PM

I would try Kalk and if it doesn't keep up with your demand start 2 part. You need to test regularly to be sure. Also if you go to Kalk, you definitely want to use an auto top off system, dumping a gallon of kalk in your tank all at once would be too much of a ph swing for many corals.

NikeLV · 04/04/2012, 08:35 PM

My tank is rimless and I get probably around 1 gallon evaporation a day.

Why do you guys recommend kalk first, then switch to 2 part when calcium demand gets higher? Can I start with 2 part and end with 2 part? Does KALK have its advantages over 2 part?
Thank you!

jiperalta · 04/04/2012, 08:59 PM

You need the ATO to keep up with evaporation, rather than dumping a gallon in all at once. If you go with an ATO resevoir, you might as well go Kalk. If you don't use a resevoir, you could try a dosing system for the 2-part.

Your Ca and Alk demand will continue to grow as your corals do, so you will always play catch up to some extent. For a 100-gal tank, a calcium reactor is probably the best way to go.

thegrun · 04/04/2012, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NikeLV

My tank is rimless and I get probably around 1 gallon evaporation a day.

Why do you guys recommend kalk first, then switch to 2 part when calcium demand gets higher? Can I start with 2 part and end with 2 part? Does KALK have its advantages over 2 part?
Thank you!

Kalk is very easy to use, is self balancing (keeps the calcium and alkalinity in balance) and inexpensive. If you don't have a lot of hard corals and clams, it would likely provide all the alkalinity and calcium you need. If eventually your tank needs more calcium or alkalinity than the kalk can provide, then you will need to start 2-part.

Buzzword · 04/04/2012, 10:03 PM

First off test your alk, ca+, mag and pH. I run a 120g with moderate to large load of corals with a lot of SPS. I drip Kalk for all top off (I loose approx 1g day of evaporation day) you need to know your pH, Ca+ and alk so you know how much Kalk to add to your top off. I have mine down to a science to where I keep my dKh/alk, pH, and Ca+ pretty stable. I then use 2-part Ca+ to keep it stable, i dose once, maybe twice in a ten day period. Works for me; your results may vary.

04/03/2012, 11:14 PM	#1
NikeLV Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 208	Kalk ATO vs 2-part Can someone please help me decide between KALK ATO and 2-part CALC&ALK dosing? I already refill 1 gallon RO/DI daily to my reef, not through ATO, just manual addition. My reef is a 100 gallon SPS/LPS dominated with a sump&refugium. I don't have a crazy amount of coral in my tank, lots of frags, I already do a water change every 2 weeks with Reef Crystals. Does KALK replenish calcium and alkalinity? I am desperate for coral growth, I will buy test kits when I decide to dose. FYI-I do not want to do both methods of dosing, just one or the other. Thank you!

04/04/2012, 06:51 PM	#9
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	And kalk is efficient for a packed reef of stony for 70 and below. At 100 you'd be pushing it with a totally crammed lps reef. Less so with a mixed reef. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/03/2012, 11:21 PM	#2
rwb500 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,694	kalk does replenish both calcium and alkalinity. at only one gallon per day, it may or may not meet your needs. for your large tank, two part will be expensive unless you mix your own. look at the kits they have at bulk reef supply. or you can buy each ingredient separately. most people with reefs your size use calcium reactors. have you thought about that?

04/04/2012, 04:12 PM	#3
NikeLV Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 208	actually yes I have thought about a calc reactor, but to purchase a high quality one looks very expensive.

04/04/2012, 04:44 PM	#4
ek9vboi Registered Member. Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: South FL Posts: 3,027	You should be doing both once you get to a point where dosing 2-part cant not sustain levels. If your levels are good, dose kalk via ATO. Once your tank requires more, dose 2-part. Coral growth is more then just levels, lights and water conditions as well as stability are just as important. Rushing into stuff like dosing won't help you. Do you even know what your current levels are?

04/04/2012, 05:15 PM	#5
capt85 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: SW MO Posts: 292	Check your levels first. You may be hurting things by adding kalk and not knowing.

04/04/2012, 05:41 PM	#6
Bnortz Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Bay Village, Ohio Posts: 825	Before doing either, make sure you test. If you plan on doing kalk, get the levels where they need to be (Calcium:~420 ppm, Alkalinity: 8-12 dKH, Magnesium: ~1350ppm). You may need to use two part to get there. Once you get to the optimal levels, dosing kalk will ideally keep them constant if enough is dosed via the ATO. Like mentiond previously, you may need to combine the two if kalk isn't quite cutting it. Hope that helps.

04/04/2012, 05:58 PM	#7
NikeLV Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 208	Yes I will be testing levels before I add anything - salifert calc/ red sea alk&mag. Lights-2 EcoTech Radions, nutrient levels are close to undetectable(chaeto growth is extremely slow!) Isn't 2-part and Kalk almost the same thing? So I can't choose 1 method over the other? How can't 2-part or Kalk keep with coral growth and calcium depletion?

04/04/2012, 06:48 PM	#8
jiperalta Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: coolidge, ga Posts: 165	Kalk addition is dependent on the amount of evaporation in your system. If you don't have enough evaporation, you may not be able to add enough kalk-saturated water to meet the CA and Alk demands of your corals. For example, my system does not have a great enough evaporation rate in the winter to meet the Ca and Alk requirements of my tank. I recently moved to a Ca reactor and am still using two-part while I get the reactor tweeked. I still use Kalk in my ATO. Testing is required to get the hang of whatever Ca and Alk regimen you decide to go with.

04/04/2012, 07:11 PM	#10
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I would try Kalk and if it doesn't keep up with your demand start 2 part. You need to test regularly to be sure. Also if you go to Kalk, you definitely want to use an auto top off system, dumping a gallon of kalk in your tank all at once would be too much of a ph swing for many corals.

04/04/2012, 08:35 PM	#11
NikeLV Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Irvine, CA Posts: 208	My tank is rimless and I get probably around 1 gallon evaporation a day. Why do you guys recommend kalk first, then switch to 2 part when calcium demand gets higher? Can I start with 2 part and end with 2 part? Does KALK have its advantages over 2 part? Thank you!

04/04/2012, 08:59 PM	#12
jiperalta Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: coolidge, ga Posts: 165	You need the ATO to keep up with evaporation, rather than dumping a gallon in all at once. If you go with an ATO resevoir, you might as well go Kalk. If you don't use a resevoir, you could try a dosing system for the 2-part. Your Ca and Alk demand will continue to grow as your corals do, so you will always play catch up to some extent. For a 100-gal tank, a calcium reactor is probably the best way to go.

04/04/2012, 10:03 PM	#14
Buzzword Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Satellite Beach, FL Posts: 275	First off test your alk, ca+, mag and pH. I run a 120g with moderate to large load of corals with a lot of SPS. I drip Kalk for all top off (I loose approx 1g day of evaporation day) you need to know your pH, Ca+ and alk so you know how much Kalk to add to your top off. I have mine down to a science to where I keep my dKh/alk, pH, and Ca+ pretty stable. I then use 2-part Ca+ to keep it stable, i dose once, maybe twice in a ten day period. Works for me; your results may vary.