Using kalk water only for topoff?

[Son Of Skyline]

Wow...didn't expect this thread to blow up! Sorry everybody, I should have been more clear about what I was doing. I do test for Ca and alk. Currently in the evening my tank is at:


pH 8.4
Ca 425ppm
Alk 3.2 meq/L


The main reason I started dosing kalk was in an attempt to stabilize my alk, which has been dropping at an average rate of 0.17 meq/L per day, unless I toss in baking soda (i keep a detailed record of everything that happens in my tank).

Since I started the kalk...which is just a couple days, everything has stayed stable when tested at the same time of day, but my concern was whether or not I could dose limewater at a faster rate since I can't keep up with evap at 2 drops per second. My solution is 1tspn per gallon.

I'm afraid that if I drip any faster, my pH is going to shoot past 8.4, so if I use my current kalk solution, I'll have to topoff regular water as well. Ideally, I'd like to use kalk water ONLY for topoff, which is why I thought the suggestion about using a weaker kalk solution may be my answer.

Thoughts?

[Aquattro]

Mason, the way I add kalk is with a float valve. All my makeup water was full strength kalk. When I used only kalk on my 75g, I would go thru about a gallon per day. Never had a pH problem. Your levels are fine now, so dosing full strength would probably be fine. Do you have a float valve setup? Or how do you normally add top off water?

[BCOrchidGuy]

I think this is a great thread, tons of good information. As far as a float valve, I have recently purchased the Kent and now I'm not really sure how to set it up. I am going to be using a refugium above the tank and I want to keep as much crap out side of the tank. I probably will set up a 45 gallon sump in the near future.... if I have a pump driving water to the refugium (40 gallon) and draining by gravity back into the tank, and a over flow to drain the tank into a sump, will the float valve work in the sump? I've been trying to picture where the water loss to evap will show and I figure it would be in the main tank until I install the sump then the water loss should be seen in the sump... right??

[Aquattro]

Right. Your lowest point will show the drop in water. I think Steve posted pics of his setup not too long ago. Pretty easy to set up.

[BCOrchidGuy]

Thanks I was really racking my brain over that, I didn't want to have that big thing in my tank.

[StirCrazy]

yup if you find a post of mine that the pics are not working let me know and I will fix it.. I re organized all my directories..

Steve

[Delphinus]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

Delphinus, Unless Darren used to be a girl, then no it was a guy

it was Darren that said it to me when I was concidering using dolomite for a substrate..

Whoops, pardon my bad memory, I beleive that does predate the time I remember someone else admonishing some for considering using Arm&Hammer washing soda using the same line. All's I know, both events are beyond two weeks ago, so both are ancient events in my memory.