Kalkwasser In Depth

Agree with Andreas - Tropic Marin is quite good.

On the topic of testing, and adding lime - you ABSOLUTELY MUST check your pH if you want to add lime - and preferably with an electronic (digital) pH meter. Adding lime can affect the water's pH dramatically, and in a very short time, if you add too much lime too quickly, so it's really advisable to monitor the pH whilst adding the lime, just to be sure.

Hennie
would you recommend a electrical Ph meter surely doing a ph test a week is fine. What do you reckon? arn't thoughts meters damb expensive

why
 
...surely doing a ph test a week is fine.

Actually, pH is the water parameter which changes the most, and in the shortest time. In a normal, well-matured reef tank the pH ranges from anywhere between 7.9 and 8.5 during a 24 hour period (depending mainly on the amount of corals, algae, and light intensity of the tank...). If one adds additives (such as most buffers), the pH can increase within seconds to 9.5, or even higher locally, and it is not uncommon for the whole tank's pH to jump by as much as 0.5 points - thus one should add these additives slowly, and at a time when the overall pH is low (thus preventing "over-shoot" into a dangerous pH zone).

would you recommend a electrical Ph meter

Most certainly :thumbup:

Unless one checks the pH regularly every hour of two, one would really not know what the pH is doing, and even then one could miss out on a "spike" caused by an additive. Having the continuous readout of an electronic pH meter, one can just glance at the display in passing, or specifically monitor it directly after having added whatever you have to the tank, and immediately know what the pH is - also, much more accurately than with a colorimetric test kit.

Digital pH meters are rather expensive to buy, but are IMHO an important investment in one's tank's well being - and should feature high on one's list of "must-have" equipment (a digital, electronic temperature measuring instrument/controller should also feature on that list, but only AFTER the pH meter...)

Hennie
 
It's been a while since I looked at prices for these - why don't you check with some of the sponsors? Also, contact a company called Hanna Instruments in Johannesburg - they import various models, ranging in price from around R1000.00 to about R12000.00, if I had to guess...

Hennie
 
i want to start using this vinegar/kalk method as well.At the moment i am using TM bio calcium and find that i am using this stuff rather quickly which ends up being expensive.
I have a 300lt volume to cover with about 8 sps frags and various lps.I am using a Tunze osmolator for ato and a 30ltr top up reservoir.
How would i go about dosing the vinegar and kalk to my ato reservoir.Can this be done?
My Ca is on about 360 now.Im dosing about 5 to 6 tsp per day of TM calcium to try get it up to 400
quite a battle :(
 
With that sort of consumption of BioCalcium there is no point dosing via your top-up.

If you go the Kalk route , you would need to drip in a high flow area, and will probaly go through 2 litres a day just to keep your levels stable.

If you want to get the levels higher then you will need a CaRx or use the Kalk Slurry method, very effective but can be dangerous especially on your size volume.

It basically spikes the pH for 10-20 minutes, I found this the only effective way of increasing Ca Levels, before introducing the reactor.
 
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