Kalkwasser

[shiftline]

You guys are inspiring me to try it. I currently use 2 part with a doser but am upgrading to a 100g in the next month or so. I'm curious to try it. Is it better to dose via ATO or as a drip into the sump?

[Aquattro]

I used it for years, loved it. I only stopped due to changing my top off system, and I built my own Ca reactor for very cheap. And kalk can be harder to find, and expensive if you find it. If you can source pickling lime from the US, then it's cheap.
One member here supplied it in bulk, he got it from an Asian source, probably pickling lime.

But with all the new tech in dosing and such, people have started leaning towards that, simply because it's tech and bling.

[apexifd]

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=118054

More stab reasonable price for kalk!

[shiftline]

Is there a big advantage of a CA reactor over Kalk? You would still have to dose Alk. Right? Any pics of your build?

[apexifd]

Kalk.. Alk and ca dosing

Ca reactor.. Everything!

[whatcaneyedo]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I used it for years, loved it. I only stopped due to changing my top off system, and I built my own Ca reactor for very cheap. And kalk can be harder to find, and expensive if you find it. If you can source pickling lime from the US, then it's cheap.
One member here supplied it in bulk, he got it from an Asian source, probably pickling lime.

But with all the new tech in dosing and such, people have started leaning towards that, simply because it's tech and bling.

I haven't been paying attention. When did that happen? I bought 50lbs of Kalk for $2.50/lbs to my door a few years ago (probably from the member that you're referring to). I've sold some of it locally but probably still have enough that I will never have to purchase it again even if I continue to use it until my dying day.

I built my own simple Kalk Reactor to run it inline with my ATO system. Usually once or twice a month I'll dump 1 cup into the reactor and thats all there is to it. I do also run a Calcium Reactor as Kalk alone isn't enough to keep up with the coral growth and the two complement each other nicely.

[whatcaneyedo]

Originally Posted by shiftline

Is there a big advantage of a CA reactor over Kalk? You would still have to dose Alk. Right? Any pics of your build?

A calcium reactor can be built or purchased large enough to handle any size tank. Kalkwasser is limited in its application because only a certain amount can dissolve into a given volume of fresh water. I think its something like 1tsp per 1gal. So if your tank only evaporates 1 gal a day then that is all you can add without bringing down the salinity. The last time I dosed my tank with some sodium bicarbonate to increase the alkalinity was a year or two ago. The output of both Ca and Kalk reactors is balanced.

[shiftline]

Makes sense. I guess I'll have to see how much evaporation the new tank gets (66x20)

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by shiftline

Is there a big advantage of a CA reactor over Kalk? You would still have to dose Alk. Right? Any pics of your build?

It's more set and forget, instead of mixing 5g of kalk every few days.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by whatcaneyedo

I haven't been paying attention. When did that happen?

Always been that way, but I'm referring more to buying retail packaging. You can go through a lot in a year. I paid $5 for a huge bag, so that worked out well.