Hey folks.. this question is for all those who use kalk religiously. I was talking to a friend of mine today and he uses pure Calcium Hydroxide in a solution for his drip. He also uses an Iguana water bottle of all things to apply it. The bottle is about 2 quarts and has an adjustable valve on it. They use it for water... my question is how much do you guys dose to get your levels right?
Any suggestions on how to determine the right drip rate to get my levels in the low to mid 400's? What is the optimal level anyway??
My method:
Mix 1-2 teaspoons calcium hydroxide per gallon of freshwater (preferably RO), let it settle out for several hours. Siphon off clear liquid to a separate container and then drip or use dosing pump to replace all evaporated water. Keep an eye on your pH and alk levels, you MAY need to occasionally add some buffer to the tank to boost alk and calcium chloride to boost calcium. Kalkwasser is usually used to MAINTAIN calcium levels, not to boost them. Usually I try to maintain calcium in the 400-420 range, alk at 8-11 Dkh. You'll need to experiment a bit to find the right solution for your particular tank, just remember that kalkwasser has a pH of about 12, so dosing slowly is important.
Kent Marine Superbuffer dKH works well for me. Another benefit of kalkwasser is that it helps reduce the downward pressure on your alk, and in my case at least, I don't have to add buffer very often at all.
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