Dosing question

[Joshsmit56001]

First of all I have an auto top off unit on a float switch that goes on with my water evaporates. I was wondering if there is a way that I can put my Kent calcium and pro buffer in my auto top off water and let it dose automatically. I am not really sure how I would do this and how much of each to add. My container can hold about 5 gallons and my tank and sump hoave probably right around 30 - 40 gallons of water. Any help would be great. I also thought of changing over to kalk but it seems kinda strong. What kind of tank would use kalk? I have some coralline algae but want a lot more, I have a gallaxia, star polyps, leather, kenya trees, and one other hard coral that I am not sure what it is (Got it when it was dying and it is coming back to life now )

Anyone that can help me would out there?

THanks,
Josh

 

[reefrunner69]

I personally would add Kalk, kalkwasser (limewater) is a balanced additive, adding both CA and carbonate to the tank to keep your CA and Alk balanced. If you do not have a high CA demand, start with about 1/2 tsp per gallon of top off water, and test daily to make sure it is maintaining levels, if it's not, then add more kalk powder, if it is going high, use less. Once you dial it in, you can test weekly or bi-weekly and adjust as needed. When mixing kalk, you want to add the powder, mix and let it settle, then you use the clear (or milky depending on the concentration, fluid in the middle. You do not want the undissolved powder that settles or the CaCO3 skin on the top. Many will mix in their dosing container and have the pump an inch or so off the bottom to prevent any of the undissloved powder from getting into the tank. I personally mix in a seperate container and siphon it off into my dosing container. One thing to note, once you start dosing kalk, it shouldn't be too long before you start noticing a coraline explosion

 

[Anemoneman]

Agree with Kevin. I have a similar size reservoir (5 gal) and dosing with kalk is easy and convenient.

 

[Joshsmit56001]

Would it be alright with my float switch. Will it be adding to much kalk at one time? My float switch turns on often but only puts out a small amount of water. How long is a mixture of Kalk good for??

Thanks,
Josh

 

[reefrunner69]

I use a float switch for my auto top off with kalk, and it does fine, mine comes on about every 5 minutes My kalk resevoir lasts me about a week and a half.

 

[Anemoneman]

My kalk resevoir lasts me about a week and a half.

!!
How much do you mix at a time?

 

[Joshsmit56001]

Hey I just noticed where you are from Anomoneman, my mother lives in Fort Collins, it's a great city!

 

[reefrunner69]

I mix 10g at a time, lasts about 10 days, give or take According to Randy Holmes Farley, the previous thoughts that kalk is only good for about 5 days, is not exactly accurate