The best way to add calcium - Page 3

Doug · #21 12-20-2002, 04:59 PM

I agree with Brad. Its easy to maintain calcium levels with kalk, but hard to raise them. Its funny Kent said that, as their Turbo calcium is reported to be one of the best products to raise low calcium levels. I do agree on kalk being the best of all for calcium maint.

I find B-Ionic or C-Balance, to be incredible coralline algae growers.

As I still drip mine, {into a 225 gal,

, I also was wondering how the float switches hold up.

Aquattro · #22 12-20-2002, 05:38 PM

I find if I brush off any residual kalk once a week (with my hand) from the float valve every other week, I don't need to soak it more than twice a year.

Aquattro · #23 12-20-2002, 05:38 PM

Sorry Tony..yes, it can be cleared with Vinegar.

BCOrchidGuy · #24 12-20-2002, 06:02 PM

Can't remember what they said about Turbo Calcium..... to bad we can't upgrade "our" memory like we can our computers. They did both say though that the Kalk mix was the best product they made for calcium raising, maintaining etc...

I'm not saying anyone is wrong, just saying what some people have already said was verified by the Kent reps, and telling you all why "They" said the two part isn't as good. I don't see the point in adding something to your tank and then adding something else to counter the adverse effects off it. Perhaps the reason the calcium level comes up quickly is that it is more available, but it does need the buffer part because it does lower pH and that depletes the alk.

Just as a side not, if you are a label reader like me I've found a number of the Kent products are the same thing in different packages (same with other companies). Some of their stuff sold for African Cichlids is identical to some of their Gold fish stuff. Discus essentials is $2 more/bottle than FreshWater Essentials, read the label and have a laugh, they are exactly the same thing, Kent reps verified that but didn't want to comment on the price difference.

StirCrazy · #25 12-20-2002, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

On that last point ..... just curious, do you find that kalk gums up your float valve eventually. If it does, how often do you find this, and can the clog be cleared by soaking in vinegar?

yes it does.. I just went through 2 weeks of mine overfilling. I soaked it in vinager for a day and it still didn't work... you need to take it apart and manualy remove any deposits the vinager doesent get (even if it is just to make sure that the vinager got it all.. in my case it didn't.. but now it is workin g 100% again..

Steve

canadawest · #26 12-20-2002, 11:46 PM

Ditto to Doug and Brad regarding mix-and-go (TM).

I dump 3 heaping teaspoons of Kalk into my Kent Aquadose 2.5gal container. Put in a little RO/DI water, and shake up the mix. Then top up the jug with RO/DI water and set the drip rate.

As I am sumpless, milky Kalk drips straight into the tank, near my Hang-on Skimmer so that it is quickly mixed into the tank water by either the skimmer outputs or sucked into the skimmer itself and mixed up.

Never had a problem with pH swings or calcium precipitate.

And I also agree about Kalk maintaining but not raising Calcium levels. I've been dripping Kalk for over a year, and my Calcium levels have actually decreased. I need to use a product like Kent's Turbo Calcium to boost my Calcium levels back up to 350-400ppm (they are at 230ppm now) and then the Kalk will just help maintain the levels. Even with larger Kalk doses, no appreciable increase in Calcium levels has been observed.