FishProfiles.com Message Forums

How can a kalk reactor wipe out a tank?

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

I am curious to that as well Matt.

And everyone I now that runs a calcium reactor drip kalk 24/7. Or they have theirs set up with the computer to drip when needed, whether it be day or night.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

because you can over dose it

http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=52250&hl=kalk

Well Nano, I add my kalk all at once. Causes a big white cloud in the tank, and does not clear for about a day. Never lost anything in the tank from doing it this way. I does weekly this way. IMO, that person was wrong to say it was a kalk overdose. But maybe he was pushing the line on the ammount he added. Who knows. But the point is, you can cause a crash with an overdose of calcium as well. And really with an overdose of just about anything you can have devistating results.

But that is the first ever I have read about a kalk overdose killing the corals, yet not harming the fish in any way. After all, kalk is basically pickling lime and is caustic. So if it was damaging the corals, I think it should have shown some damaging effects on the fish as well. In his thread he did not even mention any of the parameters and such, so as to know how much of an overdose he had. I would be more interested in the numbers than just taking someones word for it.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

and one of my other friends lost his tank to a kalk over dose as well

not wanting to start a debate on it i was just telling MO

No, that's fine Nano. I have just not heard of it. I know what the water parameters will do if you add too much, as well as what they will do if you add too much Calcium. I was just curiuous as to how they came up with the idea that it was a kalk overdose. As they just stated it, and did not give any parameters or such to determine how they came up with it. And as I already stated, I still do it the old fashion way of dumping it right in. Although most of the old fashion ways are done with smaller doses on a daily basis. But I have never had any problems adding mine on a weekly basis.

No worries though.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

you may have your thread back now ferret

kl no worries acidrain

haha thanks boys

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

haha, I sent a message to my friend Del, who explains how Kalk and a calcium reactor benefit from each other.

Hope you can follow

Alright my young chemist friend. Here is your lesson for the day.

When you mix calcium hydroxide in water the reaction is:

Ca(OH)2 disassociates to Ca++ and 2 OH-
That's the easy one.

When you bubble CO2 through calcium carbonate several things happen.

The CO2 forms carbonic acid (lowering the pH) which disassociates to release
free H+ ions in the water.

The low pH breaks down the carbonate to calcium and bicarbonate ions as in:

CaCO3 + H- to Ca++ and HCO3-

Here's how the 2 help each other.

The free OH- ion from the kalk reacts with excess CO2 from the reactor to
form more HCO3-

Bottom line...

Kalk uses C02 from the water (supplied by the calcium reactor)to form bicarbonate ions (that corals use more freely to build skeleton)

HTH

Nate

I know that CO2 really lowers the pH in a freshwater planted aquarium. In my tank the tap water has about a pH of 8, and with CO2 injection, it has a pH of 6.5.

Assuming, that we are actually injecting CO2 here, does the calcium reactor just use a lot less co2, or is there something in the chemistry of saltwater stated above that buffers the pH?

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Okay, so I follow that...but bottom line, how does one have a bigger advantage than the other?

Is it worth getting both?

Which is more productive I guess.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

It is def. worth getting both...by using the kalk in combination with the calcium reactor you are getting more usable product for your corals, thus creating faster growth.

Alright...I had a feeling you'd say both.

I'm assuming calcium reactor first though?

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

You are already dripping Kalk, so yes I would do the calcium reactor first.....a Kalk reactor is just an automated way of adding the kalk. You will get the same benefits from dripping kalk and using a calcium reactor.

'ello?

Edit: the thread worked for me!

Works fine for me too! ~DRO

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Matt, you said your ocellated dragonette is getting thin, how is it now? What do you feed everybody? How long have you had the live rock in there? Have you ever added copepods to the tank? Have you ever added newly hatched brine shrip?

I'm only asking because they are one of my favorite s/w fish and the one I have was the first in my tank after it was cycled. I love the little buggers and want to see yours do well!

Matt, you said your ocellated dragonette

This is Liana's (Ferretfish's) thread, she has a dragonette. I haven't heard much from her lately though, hope everythings going well.

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Hey Guys

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I've been really busy. Went on a ski trip then on a retreat with my youth group, and I'm trying to keep up with the horrors of junior year while maintaining my social life as well. It's a lot harder than it sounds. Lol.

I actually haven't seen the starry dragonet in a few days now. He was looking thin, I'm not sure why.

No new additions to the tank but NERAC II is this weekend. And I'm a volunteer. Sweet. Ya'll should fly over for it!!!

Sorry I have no cool news other than good coral growth.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

mehh...

no terribly interesting corals at the conference

good raffles though, can't wait for tomorrow

and nate be jealous we're hogging anthony and julian for the weekend

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Hog all you want...cause I can call Anthony if I wanted

maybe so but isn't it so much nicer talking to anthony in person?

we're going to chat about the 120 i'm getting next weekend, and how to do auto water change on it...and maybe i'll even bring you up...that'd be funny...

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

So I sat with Anthony for a bit at lunch, and we discussed the whole auto water change thing in full. Sounds like there's a couple of ways to do it. I'm gunna have to do some research.

He did a fragging workshop, and then later things were auctioned. Guess who won the leather he demonstrated trimming on...of which I really dont neeed...

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

okay...

who wants a leather coral...

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

LMAO, not me...I have a friend that has a leather that he has to frag every month and usually gets 5-8 frags out of it. Plus there is only one leather that I will keep and Im sure the one you have isnt it

this isn't funny...

I dont even know what kind it is b/c i'm softy retarded...

it is sort of neat looking... when you squint...

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

Dad went out to get the wood for the new tank today.

Nate i'll laugh at you if my new one is up before yours.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

I doubt it will be...but if it is then you can laugh all you want....I have more stuff to plumb up than you do

Oh and right now Im having fun cutting more holes in the wall and floor

This thing is getting expensive...I was drilling the holes in the tank last night and burnt up my drill...had to go buy another one

Good job buddy.

We have to plumb a lot of things that we aren't used to though...like auto top off and whatnot. And we have to drill a big hole for our tank too.

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish