Dosing Kalkwasser for Coralline Algae.

[zaitmi]

2 Yrs old Nano Saltwater (14 Gallon) with 1 Mini Max Green Carpet & 1 Maroon Clown and few Rocks (Canister Filter) Kessil A80 Light.

Tank parameters :

PH : 7.9
Calcium : 440ppm
Alkalinity : 3dkh (Low Alkalinity)
Nitrates : 40ppm

Just want to try Kalkwasser(very slowly) to increase alkalinity for coralline algae.

Should i try drip method or or top off method(once a week).
Should i dose at day or night time.

I am dosing old Purple Up but not getting any good result so want to try kalkwasser for coralline algae.

Thanks in Advance.

[Sk8r]

Easiest and cheapest: get a couple of pounds of Mrs Wages Pickling Lime (grocery store). It IS kalk. Has more impurities, but none that cause any problem beyond a little easily washed deposit in the bottom of your ATO reservoir. Dose 1-2 teaspoons of kalk per gallon into your topoff reservoir, and just let it feed out in response to evaporation. Set your magnesium level at 1250. Salinity 1.024, alk 8.3, cal 420. This setting will grow stony coral. Or anything stony, like clams, etc. And if you want to let it run down, the only harm woutd be depriving something that needs more calcium on a regular basis, like, eg, stony coral.

[zaitmi]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Easiest and cheapest: get a couple of pounds of Mrs Wages Pickling Lime (grocery store). It IS kalk. Has more impurities, but none that cause any problem beyond a little easily washed deposit in the bottom of your ATO reservoir. Dose 1-2 teaspoons of kalk per gallon into your topoff reservoir, and just let it feed out in response to evaporation. Set your magnesium level at 1250. Salinity 1.024, alk 8.3, cal 420. This setting will grow stony coral. Or anything stony, like clams, etc. And if you want to let it run down, the only harm woutd be depriving something that needs more calcium on a regular basis, like, eg, stony coral.

Thanks for the reply.. but i dont have ATO, can i dose manually through drip system to my overflow box connected to canister filter. I dont have any corals just want colourful coralline algae on my rocks.

[Sk8r]

Sure. Just put the right amount of kalk, up to 2 tsp per gallon, into fresh water drip.

[zaitmi]

Okay i will try that.

[zaitmi]

i will try with drip set kalk on my nano 14 gallon.

4 drop in 1 hour : 96 drops in 24 hrs

96 drops x 30 days : 2304 drops in 30 days (1 month).

My Alk is 3dkh so will try to make it reach 7dkh.

Hope this is correct.

[Sk8r]

Your alk should be 8.3 on the dkh scale. Your kit may give two forms of measurement, 2 different scales. Be sure you are using the dkh. 3 is a troubling reading that makes me wonder if you are actually using the right scale. I've never seen that number occur in dkh. What test brand are you using? Also suggest reading the post on Alkalinity that's current in this forum---it may help you.

[zaitmi]

Originally Posted by Sk8r

Your alk should be 8.3 on the dkh scale. Your kit may give two forms of measurement, 2 different scales. Be sure you are using the dkh. 3 is a troubling reading that makes me wonder if you are actually using the right scale. I've never seen that number occur in dkh. What test brand are you using? Also suggest reading the post on Alkalinity that's current in this forum---it may help you.

I am using salifert. ok.

[zaitmi]

I have made ready kalkwasser drip. Since i work in hospital, i have arranged plastic saline bottle drip set, but its very difficult to set 4 drops per minute. How can i do that i mean 15 mins per drop very difficult to set and track.

Can i manually dose just 10 ml daily on my 14 gallon tank after switching off light.

[hhaase]

Originally Posted by zaitmi

I have made ready kalkwasser drip. Since i work in hospital, i have arranged plastic saline bottle drip set, but its very difficult to set 4 drops per minute. How can i do that i mean 15 mins per drop very difficult to set and track.

Can i manually dose just 10 ml daily on my 14 gallon tank after switching off light.

Kalk isn't something you need to worry about adding that slow, you're really only dripping it to control the rate and avoid PH swings. But you can probably do closer to 5-10 drips per minute for a rate. Maybe start with 100ml of solution per day to see what it does to you calcium and alkalinity numbers. Start with a weak solution and regular testing to see how much you really need. Just make sure to keep an eye on your PH, it's easy to rapidly raise your PH if you over-dose on a tank that size.

By comparison, some people plumb a kalk mixer into their ATO system, so all of their top-off water is kalk solution. This is for more heavily populated tanks of course.

[zaitmi]

Originally Posted by hhaase

Kalk isn't something you need to worry about adding that slow, you're really only dripping it to control the rate and avoid PH swings. But you can probably do closer to 5-10 drips per minute for a rate. Maybe start with 100ml of solution per day to see what it does to you calcium and alkalinity numbers. Start with a weak solution and regular testing to see how much you really need. Just make sure to keep an eye on your PH, it's easy to rapidly raise your PH if you over-dose on a tank that size.

By comparison, some people plumb a kalk mixer into their ATO system, so all of their top-off water is kalk solution. This is for more heavily populated tanks of course.

I think 100ml will be too much for my fowlr nano. How about 10 drops per day for 15 days then 20 drops for 15 days?

[zaitmi]

kindly reply.

[Uncle99]

You should consider an ATO.
Stable salinity is absolutely paramount as it affects all parameters.
Dkh of 3 is troubling as this would indicate acidic water, over time would melt your rocks.

If your doing regular consistent 10% water changes with a good salt, this alone would keep your parameters on point as you don’t have much which would consume Alk and CA.

After two years, if your parameters were in the correct ranges, you would have coralline.

I might recommend making a small batch of saltwater from 0 TDS RODI and measuring Alk, CA and MG. Each salt lists what the expected results should be.

Example. I use a Red Sea Pro. It lists Alk at 11.5dkh, CA at 465 and MG at 1365 resulting from a salinity of 1.026.

Without any excessive load of Stoney corals, I expect when I put in this water, I should be very close to what the manufacture indicates.

If it’s true that your dkh is 3, or anything say less than 8, then no surprise why coralline is not growing.

In addition, high phosphates would definitely limit any Stoney growth.

Adding Kalk, or dosing 2-part should only be employed when we have a lot of Stoney corals which are using up Alk and CA, faster than water changes can replenish.

Water changes remain as the safest and fastest way to maintain correct parameters in low Stoney coral environments.

[chbix]

Are you doing water changes and if so what salt? In that small of a tank with just a green carpet, you shouldnt have an issue with low alk since its just a soft coral. normal water changes should take care of that.

[Oldreeferman]

The nitrates are pretty high & can cause issues, you can't lower it with water changes either without fixing the issue causing it, however there is a simple easy fix, carbon dosing Red Sea No Pox manually, 1/2 ml a day would have that nitrate at natural seawater lvls in a week or less in that size cube. Does require a skimmer is all. Best thing i ever purchased under $20usd that made such a dramatic difference, in this hobby slow & patient is the norm usually but with dosing No Pox blend not a major time issue. Can be automated but at such small doses why add the complexity, i just do my daily dose at breakfast time before work ea. day. I use an insulin hypodermic at 25ccs per dose on my larger tank, closer to 1 ml.