One thing i forgot to mention, If you make a big batch of kalkwasser for the week or more, it will lose a little potency over time as it reacts with atmospheric CO2; maybe a 0.5 pH drop at the end of the week. The CO2 scrubber will also lose effectiveness over time before its completely exhausted. So what I do, is I stagger the days when I replace my CO2 media and refill my kalk. I try to replace each a few days apart. Dont forget to Like and Subscribe if you like my stuff!
Long term the recirculating method is the way to go. It scrubs better and media lasts 3x-4x longer. Moisture is an issue for sure. What I did is use the smaller brs scrubber that you have as a moisture catcher (put sponge inside), then mount the jumbo scrubber vertically higher so that moisture in the line dips back down to the moisture catcher. It works well. Once in a while you can open the drain cap on the jumbo reactor and drain any moisture that might collect. Since setting this up, my ranges from 8.2-8.5.
Maybe that was my problem was the scrubber and moister catcher was lower then the skimmer cup. I used recirculating scrubbing with my old, smaller skimmer and it worked well, but I just assume the Deltec that I have is much bigger and providing more airborne moisture. Maybe I’ll try that if I get tired of mixing up kalk.
1000% agree on co2 scrubber being the best option for higher ph. I used the icecap large reactor and it lasted me 3 weeks on my 310. Bet it would last double that for you.
Even tho CO2 is a little heavier than oxygen and nitrogen, I don’t think the difference is enough to make significant differences in the concentrates in a room. Certainly less than typical normal variations or jumping around of the measured concentrations at a fixed point.
Great video. Do you light your frags in the sump on a reverse schedule? Curious if that would make any dent in slowing down the pH decrease at night...may be worth an experiment, but I suppose then you can't view those corals during daytime hours, lol.
Tried it at one point for about a month… made no difference. Probably too small of an area for a large tank. Plus the number of frags at any given time changes all the time.
I'm in a really similar situation with regard to high co2 in the house. I've also been a bit disappointed by kalk, I'm not 100% sure it's worth it. It does save me about 30% of dosing in two part though. I've found that you can't beat a co2 scrubber, as you say you're preventing the co2 getting in, rather than taking it out. I also use a medical grade one. There's a two part here in the UK called zlements that has sodium hydroxide mixed in, which is much more effective and it's already a liquid, so a bit less risky. So at the moment I'm using a co2 scrubber, high pH two part, and kalk. For about a year I tried just dosing the high pH two part at night only, which worked amazingly and basically flat lined pH. BUT, of course, it caused dKH swings. The corals didn't seem to care and growth was truly explosive, but when I started keeping more sensitive acros I got nervous and went back to prioritising stable dKH.
My 2 part comes in concentrated liquid too and it might be crazy, but I have noticed my lowest lows in pH are not as low when I used bulk soda ash and calcium chloride. The 2 part I use is balanced with other elements to not dilute the tank with NaCl over time
Been running kalk overnight and CO2 scrubber for a year maybe.. Problem for me is I also have a fuge run same time as kalk.. My macro have been slowly declining. I'm thinking it's either kalk or CO2 scrubber or both. Taking kalk offline today to see if macro recovers.
Yeah I guess a huge fuge/scrubber is a good method for pH if you also have a nutrient issue but I definitely don’t have a high nutrient issue, if anything I need more fish so I can stop dosing nitrate 😂
interesting video, you could try using a more pure form of calcium hydroxide, I switched from using Seachem reef kalkwasser which here in the UK is £15 for a 500g tub to APC 98% pure calcium hydroxide which is £34 for 4kilos, when I did the switch my Alk skyrocketed so had to back off the dosing, my point is that I don't think the hobby grade stuff is that good, not sure if APC sell in the US but there will be more better alternatives just look for the level of purity
The one I use is super high purity. Comes from Captiv8 which markets themselves s as basically a lab grade chemical company for the hobby… so it’s supposedly very pure. Mixes quite clean too
Hey man I’d love to talk to you about PH as I’m in a similar situation, high CO2 inside, kalk doesn’t do a whole lot for me. I do a scrubber with Randy’s 3 part using sodium hydroxide which boosts PH much better than kalk in my experience. I’ve gotten the concentrated hydroxide on my skin before without any issues as long as I washed it off right away. Do you run a night time refugium? That’s also a really good way to stabilize PH in conjunction with these other methods.
I don't run any fuge, as I am not a fan of growing algae for nutrient control as I have to dose nitrates to keep things up. I did run my frag section on a reverse with no real impact. I think B-Ionic does a good job of keeping pH higher than BRS 2 part ever did. I don't seem to bottom out as low, but I also have been dosing more and more 2 part as my acro colonies get huge. Scrubbing seems to be what works best for me and is easiest to service. I will stick with the kalk for now unless I get tired of it, but its only one extra step over filling an ATO res.
One thing i forgot to mention, If you make a big batch of kalkwasser for the week or more, it will lose a little potency over time as it reacts with atmospheric CO2; maybe a 0.5 pH drop at the end of the week. The CO2 scrubber will also lose effectiveness over time before its completely exhausted. So what I do, is I stagger the days when I replace my CO2 media and refill my kalk. I try to replace each a few days apart. Dont forget to Like and Subscribe if you like my stuff!
Great honest information: much appreciated!
Finally a non sponsored video from a hobbyist thank you
You're welcome! I am just making these vids for the joy of it.
Long term the recirculating method is the way to go. It scrubs better and media lasts 3x-4x longer. Moisture is an issue for sure. What I did is use the smaller brs scrubber that you have as a moisture catcher (put sponge inside), then mount the jumbo scrubber vertically higher so that moisture in the line dips back down to the moisture catcher. It works well. Once in a while you can open the drain cap on the jumbo reactor and drain any moisture that might collect. Since setting this up, my ranges from 8.2-8.5.
Maybe that was my problem was the scrubber and moister catcher was lower then the skimmer cup.
I used recirculating scrubbing with my old, smaller skimmer and it worked well, but I just assume the Deltec that I have is much bigger and providing more airborne moisture. Maybe I’ll try that if I get tired of mixing up kalk.
1000% agree on co2 scrubber being the best option for higher ph. I used the icecap large reactor and it lasted me 3 weeks on my 310. Bet it would last double that for you.
Hmm I might have to look into that. Does air go thru the chamber evenly or do you have pockets of unreacted media?
@@NBurgReef mostly evenly.
Hello! Have you checked the co2 level at the top near the ceiling? Should be less than below!
Even tho CO2 is a little heavier than oxygen and nitrogen, I don’t think the difference is enough to make significant differences in the concentrates in a room. Certainly less than typical normal variations or jumping around of the measured concentrations at a fixed point.
Great video. Do you light your frags in the sump on a reverse schedule? Curious if that would make any dent in slowing down the pH decrease at night...may be worth an experiment, but I suppose then you can't view those corals during daytime hours, lol.
Tried it at one point for about a month… made no difference. Probably too small of an area for a large tank. Plus the number of frags at any given time changes all the time.
I'm in a really similar situation with regard to high co2 in the house. I've also been a bit disappointed by kalk, I'm not 100% sure it's worth it. It does save me about 30% of dosing in two part though. I've found that you can't beat a co2 scrubber, as you say you're preventing the co2 getting in, rather than taking it out. I also use a medical grade one. There's a two part here in the UK called zlements that has sodium hydroxide mixed in, which is much more effective and it's already a liquid, so a bit less risky. So at the moment I'm using a co2 scrubber, high pH two part, and kalk. For about a year I tried just dosing the high pH two part at night only, which worked amazingly and basically flat lined pH. BUT, of course, it caused dKH swings. The corals didn't seem to care and growth was truly explosive, but when I started keeping more sensitive acros I got nervous and went back to prioritising stable dKH.
My 2 part comes in concentrated liquid too and it might be crazy, but I have noticed my lowest lows in pH are not as low when I used bulk soda ash and calcium chloride. The 2 part I use is balanced with other elements to not dilute the tank with NaCl over time
Been running kalk overnight and CO2 scrubber for a year maybe.. Problem for me is I also have a fuge run same time as kalk.. My macro have been slowly declining. I'm thinking it's either kalk or CO2 scrubber or both. Taking kalk offline today to see if macro recovers.
Yeah I guess a huge fuge/scrubber is a good method for pH if you also have a nutrient issue but I definitely don’t have a high nutrient issue, if anything I need more fish so I can stop dosing nitrate 😂
interesting video, you could try using a more pure form of calcium hydroxide, I switched from using Seachem reef kalkwasser which here in the UK is £15 for a 500g tub to APC 98% pure calcium hydroxide which is £34 for 4kilos, when I did the switch my Alk skyrocketed so had to back off the dosing, my point is that I don't think the hobby grade stuff is that good, not sure if APC sell in the US but there will be more better alternatives just look for the level of purity
The one I use is super high purity. Comes from Captiv8 which markets themselves s as basically a lab grade chemical company for the hobby… so it’s supposedly very pure. Mixes quite clean too
hey men can you play video on how you calibrate ph with apex ?
I just do it manually 🤷🏼♂️ thru the tests list rather than auto from the pH probe settings
Great info sir! I’ll have to check out the big jug of media that you have. I’m burning through ice cap’s media!
I bought it from a veterinarian site called shop med vet
@@NBurgReef I saw that.. $116. Cheapest around though. You were mentioning the bag went from like $8 to $15. It’s now $25 on Amazon 🤦🏻♂️
@@MikeLemming it’s always been crazy on Amazon. I think it’s all resellers. Shopmedvet.com seems to be best pricing.
@@NBurgReef I appreciate it bro. I enjoy the content!
Hey man I’d love to talk to you about PH as I’m in a similar situation, high CO2 inside, kalk doesn’t do a whole lot for me. I do a scrubber with Randy’s 3 part using sodium hydroxide which boosts PH much better than kalk in my experience. I’ve gotten the concentrated hydroxide on my skin before without any issues as long as I washed it off right away. Do you run a night time refugium? That’s also a really good way to stabilize PH in conjunction with these other methods.
I don't run any fuge, as I am not a fan of growing algae for nutrient control as I have to dose nitrates to keep things up. I did run my frag section on a reverse with no real impact. I think B-Ionic does a good job of keeping pH higher than BRS 2 part ever did. I don't seem to bottom out as low, but I also have been dosing more and more 2 part as my acro colonies get huge. Scrubbing seems to be what works best for me and is easiest to service. I will stick with the kalk for now unless I get tired of it, but its only one extra step over filling an ATO res.
Great video!
Thanks for the complement!
DId you try the recurculating mod on your brs scrubber?
Yep, didn't work well, too much condensation made its way into the media or skimate being pulled in. Current set up seems to be working okay.
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