Need Opinions for Calcium supplement.

[AquaticEngineer]

I'm debating on whether or not I should use a 2 part liquid dose, Kalkwasser, or a small calcium reactor? I plan on adding more SPS, but not until I decide on what to do for calcium.

 

My biggest issue is that I've already ran out of room in my stand and dont think I could fit a reactor in there. I've been leaning towards adding a calcium supplemnt like kalkwasser into my auto top off and using a small powerhead to keep it suspended in the RO water in the top off. Or should I just grab one of the 2 part calcium supplements and call it good?

 

The main tank is 15 gallons, total sump volume of another 23-25 gallons.

 

What do you all think?

[mister crabs]

15 gallons a 2-part should work. Kalk works but can be a pain sometimes if something happens with your ATO and you get too much kalk in your tank. I have a 29 gallon bioccube and have been using the brightwell aquatics 2-part for almost ten months now. just finishing off my first set of bottles.

[Smann]

Stick with the 2 part for now alot safer on a small tank

[stylaster]

ya i have been using 2-part on my 24 gallon tanks. Kalk is tricky, especially if your doser goes nuts and pumps in too much, up goes the PH.

I currently use B-Ionic by ESV

[dsoz]

There are formulas for DIY two-part solution so you don't need to buy the stuff at $20/bottle. It is a little bit cheaper.

 

dsoz

[tidalsculpin]

http://www.reefvideos.com/

 

Click on the dowflake icon to see the recipe for diy two part. Good video and clear instructions.

[andy]

I used to use two-part, but switched to kalk. At first, I was dosing kalk by adding it to my top-off water (just add and mix, then store covered -- no stirring needed); later I got sick of the dust floating around when I topped off my ATO reservoir and had to add kalk, so built a reactor.

 

Overall, I like the kalk reactor though I'd *never* drip kalk without a controller hooked up to watch the pH and cut the kalk if things get wonky.

 

In a lot of ways though, I miss the overall simplicity of dosing two-part. Adding it to the tank (twice daily) became part of my daily routine and helped me know what was going on in the tank a lot better. Kalk encourages me to 'set it and forget it' to a greater extent... which is both a good and bad point.

[JManrow]

http://www.reefvideos.com/

 

Click on the dowflake icon to see the recipe for diy two part. Good video and clear instructions.

 

Good video. This is the recipe I use. I always use 1 gallon milk jugs for mixing 2-part Ca or kalk.

 

Here's the Randy Holmes-Farley article... this is so easy to make that it's pitiful.:p

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

[WAVES]

I agree with has been posted. Another couple of options:

 

Sealabs #28 blocks, (mixed reviews, sometimes works great, others not so well)

 

You can put most reactors IN your sump if you are out of "dry" space. The CO2 tank can go remote sinced its a tiny line. It could be 20-30 feet away without issue.