kalkwasser

[rmw4547]

Hi I am starting a new 120gal reef my goal is to have sps in about a year. my question is should I start off using kalkwasser?

[gwaco]

i wouldn't worry about it till you do actually start keeping stony corals or clams. just use water changes to keep it in check for now. as you add stonys or clams then start adding , but add according to tank usage , not to some crazy ca. numbers .

[luvmylo]

I agree with gary. I have some lps in my tank and still don't add kalkwasser. My Ca levels stay around 450 without it. I do water changes every other week.

[hng]

There are other ways to add calcium and alkalinity to your tank. You could use a 2 part additive, kalkwasser, calcium reactor to name a few. A lot will depend on your systems needs. A softy tank will need much less than a tank with SPS corals and clams. Some calcium/alk replacement methods are not convenient to use with high demanding tanks. It might be difficult to dose enough kalk or use enough 2 part for a big system with lots of calcium demands, for example. Like Gary said, for now, you are probably OK to wait until your corals start sucking up the calcium.

[WilyGuy]

What kind of substrate? BB, Sand, Crushed Coral?

I have Crushed Coral and find it leaches plenty of Calcium.