Good video sir! I have an Avast K1 and ran it for about a year and then stopped for a while. I started using it again a couple months ago. I have experienced the same using BRS Kalk. I started off with 1 cup of Kalk as recommended in one of their videos. It never fully dissolves and I have to add more to keep numbers/PH. So what I do is just add a couple of teaspoons every two weeks. That keeps the numbers I need and seems to be stable. For the part that does not dissolve, I empty/clean it every 3 months. Not saying that I am doing it right, but works for me. I have also tried the full saturation method by ACS. 1 gallon sealed jug and 2 teaspoons to the gallon of Kalk. Shaken/mixed until fully dissolved and then sealed air tight. Then dose it. It is more potent this way, but dosing a gallon a day became a pain. I then used a 5 gallon salt bucket and did the same. Worked great until time to go on vacation for a week. I need everything on my aquarium automated/sustainable for a minimum of 7 days. I didn’t have room for a bigger container, so went back to the reactor/stirrer.
I have run this exact stirrer for years and you do need to continuously add Kalk you do not need to change it completely. I change mine about once every 3 to 4 months but I add about a cup every 3 to 4 weeks. Good luck I have had excellent luck with the BRS Kalk seems to really saturate well.
If you add too much powder the stirrer will not mix it so less is better and just add more every 2 weeks which is stated on the avast marine manual for the stirrer. I glued acrylic rods on the bottom stirrer plate to help mix it because i don’t want to measure the amount I put in. You can also just add zip ties on the bottom part of the stirrer rod to add more water movement and help it mix. I use captiv8 kalk which is more finer than brs kalk but any other type of kalk than kalk+2 from brightwell is going to be better. Also the benefits of kalk+2 like mag and strontium will just precipitates out in high ph so your just paying more for kalk.
Wow, great video, mate. I don't know how I missed this video. I loved it. As you know, through my videos, I am switching to the Kalk, maybe the beginning of the year, as i'm dosing 350 mL each of AF getting expensive but also PH is super low in my house 8 to 8.1, my solution was simple to do after researching it is to buy food grade Kalk, cheap as anything, Mix 3 tablespoon's in a 25 litre container and add every 2 weeks, that's what a reefing friend of mine does and he has crazy results. PH 8.45 _ 8.6 at some points. Thinking of getting the D+ D Stepper pump as the vortech was out of stock. Great video mate really intresting to watch Brother 👍👍👌👌
Thanks bud. That d&d one is the same one as the kamoer x1 pro, right? I think so. If so, I just purchased that for black Friday. Don't know when I'll be hooking it up though. Believe it or not, I came across a Reef Octopus CR220 Calcium Reactor used for $100. I couldn't pass up that deal. So bought it to use it with that. So I'll be one day switching from 2 part and kalk to kalk and Calcium reactor.
@Queen City Reefs & More 😆, Mate, the amount of stuff you get is incredible. You could open up your own shop🤣🤣, yes, think it's the same pump mate as the Kamoer, to be honest i think all company's use the same pump's, the majority all made and manufactured in China, they just stick there own label on it, so undecided on the vortech versa or D+D, What do you think of the versa ?, We have had a major shortage over here with supply 🤔🤔, looking forward to the Calcium Reactor Change, I literally don't have space for a Calcium Reactor if i did 100% that's the way I would be going👍👍
@@MogsysAquarium what can I say. I love the gear. Lmao! I have 2 Versas. When they work they worked great but I had issues with one where the motor got stuck. Sent it in and they sent me a new one at no additional cost. So I appreciate that. I haven't set it back up because I had a 2nd one. But that second one I have calibration issues and connectivity issues with it. I could just be the most unlickiest person in the world right now with this. We shall see how the new one that they sent works.
The powder doesn’t always totally dissolve because kalk always has impurities - that’s why we have to clean out our ATO container periodically. The lid doesn’t make a difference- the Reef octopus works under pressure but the Avast which works off gravity just dropping the kalk in the tank.
I put Kalk in my ATO gravity feed with a float valve. Been like that for about a year and never had a problem. Pretty simple and no sensors or pumps to stay stuck on.
yo, nice to hear you are back on kalk, just use pharma grade pure stuff. Kalk actually doesnt increase alkalinity it just transforms the carbonic acid and adds calcium. let me know if you want an depth stuff :) kalk in supersaturated state doesnt need a lot of stirring :)
@@queencityreefs yea the chemistry is complicated to get by. dont worry about alkalinity, just make sure your ph is high and calcium is in range. Everything will be fine :) alkalinity gets way too much attention than necessary. Have you seen my alkalinity vs ph video? its a bit long but i touch on these concepts a bit..
I use the same Kalk stirrer but with pharm grade Kalk from BRS. I only put a table spoon or two in the reactor and watch my PH and Alk to see if I need to add more. I would get the better Kalkwasser.
I use the same kalk stirrer, in fact I ordered 2, I wanted a shorter one where the kalk would be more potent when it’s dosing. Brightwell Kalk doesn’t significantly add any magnesium and I switched to BRS Pharma which dissolved better for me and required less clean out. I also added some acrylic fins to the stir bar to agitate the kalk more. Hit me up on insta for photos of how I’m using mine.
I just followed what others recommended. I add 4 tblspoons at a time and once the container is done, I take out the residue and clean it. Add new at that time. A video coming this Saturday with a follow up.
I used to add kalkwasser about 7 litters daily and keeps fan working 24/7 to increase the evaporation and added a cheap wavemaker to disperse the solution faster to present any precipitation, i was using brightwell kalk+2 and recently moved to BRS kalkwasser since it will be fully dissolved and there are no chance to be tricked with the remaining powder from kalik+2.
For me, the powered doesn't seem to go down. But the pH will shift down . I am using the BRS Kalk. I am running a Neptune and I added a pH probe and when the pH starts falling in the reactor, I'll add some Kalk until its about 1.5 to 2 inches after I'll change it out, and toss all it the trash on trash day. LOL I used a 2X4 block to raise mine up so it would reach over the sump edge.
I top off my Kalk reactor with about 1/2 cup every 10-14 days. The powder never really totally dissolves. I just keep adding. I can usually tell when I need to add the 1/2 cup when I see my PH graph start dropping slightly.
Hi when you started the kalk stirrer did you tube down your carx initially ? Or just start kalk stirrer slow? I have a carx so I’m about to jump start this product soon. I’m already dkh 8.4
Kalkwasser is not going to dissolve completely. The none dissolve is the impurities. Also do not use the CO2 scrubber while using kalk. Kalk does need co2 for the calcium conversation.
Dude,Kalkwasser DOES not desolve completely, do your homework before you even try using it, if you make a mistake you cankill every coral in your tank!
Good video sir!
I have an Avast K1 and ran it for about a year and then stopped for a while. I started using it again a couple months ago.
I have experienced the same using BRS Kalk.
I started off with 1 cup of Kalk as recommended in one of their videos. It never fully dissolves and I have to add more to keep numbers/PH. So what I do is just add a couple of teaspoons every two weeks. That keeps the numbers I need and seems to be stable. For the part that does not dissolve, I empty/clean it every 3 months. Not saying that I am doing it right, but works for me.
I have also tried the full saturation method by ACS. 1 gallon sealed jug and 2 teaspoons to the gallon of Kalk. Shaken/mixed until fully dissolved and then sealed air tight. Then dose it. It is more potent this way, but dosing a gallon a day became a pain. I then used a 5 gallon salt bucket and did the same. Worked great until time to go on vacation for a week. I need everything on my aquarium automated/sustainable for a minimum of 7 days. I didn’t have room for a bigger container, so went back to the reactor/stirrer.
Bro your awesome!!!!! Hell yea. I am utilizing your knowledge videos.
Very well put together
Thanks so much!
I have run this exact stirrer for years and you do need to continuously add Kalk you do not need to change it completely. I change mine about once every 3 to 4 months but I add about a cup every 3 to 4 weeks. Good luck I have had excellent luck with the BRS Kalk seems to really saturate well.
If you add too much powder the stirrer will not mix it so less is better and just add more every 2 weeks which is stated on the avast marine manual for the stirrer. I glued acrylic rods on the bottom stirrer plate to help mix it because i don’t want to measure the amount I put in. You can also just add zip ties on the bottom part of the stirrer rod to add more water movement and help it mix. I use captiv8 kalk which is more finer than brs kalk but any other type of kalk than kalk+2 from brightwell is going to be better. Also the benefits of kalk+2 like mag and strontium will just precipitates out in high ph so your just paying more for kalk.
Wow, great video, mate. I don't know how I missed this video. I loved it. As you know, through my videos, I am switching to the Kalk, maybe the beginning of the year, as i'm dosing 350 mL each of AF getting expensive but also PH is super low in my house 8 to 8.1, my solution was simple to do after researching it is to buy food grade Kalk, cheap as anything, Mix 3 tablespoon's in a 25 litre container and add every 2 weeks, that's what a reefing friend of mine does and he has crazy results. PH 8.45 _ 8.6 at some points. Thinking of getting the D+ D Stepper pump as the vortech was out of stock. Great video mate really intresting to watch Brother 👍👍👌👌
Thanks bud. That d&d one is the same one as the kamoer x1 pro, right? I think so. If so, I just purchased that for black Friday. Don't know when I'll be hooking it up though. Believe it or not, I came across a Reef Octopus CR220 Calcium Reactor used for $100. I couldn't pass up that deal. So bought it to use it with that. So I'll be one day switching from 2 part and kalk to kalk and Calcium reactor.
@Queen City Reefs & More 😆, Mate, the amount of stuff you get is incredible. You could open up your own shop🤣🤣, yes, think it's the same pump mate as the Kamoer, to be honest i think all company's use the same pump's, the majority all made and manufactured in China, they just stick there own label on it, so undecided on the vortech versa or D+D, What do you think of the versa ?, We have had a major shortage over here with supply 🤔🤔, looking forward to the Calcium Reactor Change, I literally don't have space for a Calcium Reactor if i did 100% that's the way I would be going👍👍
@@MogsysAquarium what can I say. I love the gear. Lmao!
I have 2 Versas. When they work they worked great but I had issues with one where the motor got stuck. Sent it in and they sent me a new one at no additional cost. So I appreciate that. I haven't set it back up because I had a 2nd one. But that second one I have calibration issues and connectivity issues with it. I could just be the most unlickiest person in the world right now with this. We shall see how the new one that they sent works.
The powder doesn’t always totally dissolve because kalk always has impurities - that’s why we have to clean out our ATO container periodically. The lid doesn’t make a difference- the Reef octopus works under pressure but the Avast which works off gravity just dropping the kalk in the tank.
I put Kalk in my ATO gravity feed with a float valve. Been like that for about a year and never had a problem. Pretty simple and no sensors or pumps to stay stuck on.
So if you are pushing let’s say for example 1 ml of rodi in does 1 ml come out the gravity end ?
That should be the case when you calibrate your dosing pump based off what is pushed out on the reactor end.
yo, nice to hear you are back on kalk, just use pharma grade pure stuff. Kalk actually doesnt increase alkalinity it just transforms the carbonic acid and adds calcium. let me know if you want an depth stuff :) kalk in supersaturated state doesnt need a lot of stirring :)
@@queencityreefs yea the chemistry is complicated to get by. dont worry about alkalinity, just make sure your ph is high and calcium is in range. Everything will be fine :) alkalinity gets way too much attention than necessary. Have you seen my alkalinity vs ph video? its a bit long but i touch on these concepts a bit..
Yoooo, still running the reactor? Considering getting one..
Yes. It is still running. Working as expected with one hiccup but fixed it. It leaked and had to use some special glue to use for the leak.
@@queencityreefs good to know. Do you think you would recommend it? Trying to figure out a decent one without spending a ton of money..
@@MikeLemming I definitely would. As I think I may have caused the leak. I'll make a follow up video talking all about it soon.
@@queencityreefs I appreciate it. Hope you get to feeling better bro!
I use the same Kalk stirrer but with pharm grade Kalk from BRS. I only put a table spoon or two in the reactor and watch my PH and Alk to see if I need to add more. I would get the better Kalkwasser.
I use the same kalk stirrer, in fact I ordered 2, I wanted a shorter one where the kalk would be more potent when it’s dosing. Brightwell Kalk doesn’t significantly add any magnesium and I switched to BRS Pharma which dissolved better for me and required less clean out. I also added some acrylic fins to the stir bar to agitate the kalk more. Hit me up on insta for photos of how I’m using mine.
Updates? What do you do when replenishing kalk?
I just followed what others recommended. I add 4 tblspoons at a time and once the container is done, I take out the residue and clean it. Add new at that time. A video coming this Saturday with a follow up.
@@queencityreefs thank you. How long do you let fresh kalk sit before turning on reactor?
@@ericacosta9071 I let it sit for about an hour and then turn it back on to start dosing the tank again.
I used to add kalkwasser about 7 litters daily and keeps fan working 24/7 to increase the evaporation and added a cheap wavemaker to disperse the solution faster to present any precipitation, i was using brightwell kalk+2 and recently moved to BRS kalkwasser since it will be fully dissolved and there are no chance to be tricked with the remaining powder from kalik+2.
For me, the powered doesn't seem to go down. But the pH will shift down . I am using the BRS Kalk. I am running a Neptune and I added a pH probe and when the pH starts falling in the reactor, I'll add some Kalk until its about 1.5 to 2 inches after I'll change it out, and toss all it the trash on trash day. LOL I used a 2X4 block to raise mine up so it would reach over the sump edge.
I top off my Kalk reactor with about 1/2 cup every 10-14 days. The powder never really totally dissolves. I just keep adding. I can usually tell when I need to add the 1/2 cup when I see my PH graph start dropping slightly.
Hi when you started the kalk stirrer did you tube down your carx initially ? Or just start kalk stirrer slow?
I have a carx so I’m about to jump start this product soon. I’m already dkh 8.4
@@queencityreefs Oh i thought i heard you say you had calcium reactor
I reuse the undissolved portion and just add a little fresh kalk. Every week.
That’s what I do. I let really have been able to maintain 8.3, 450, 8 with no issues only using about 1/2 a pound of kalk a month. 180 gal tank.
Use ESV kalk.
I'll check it out
Kalkwasser is not going to dissolve completely. The none dissolve is the impurities. Also do not use the CO2 scrubber while using kalk. Kalk does need co2 for the calcium conversation.
Thanks for the feedback. I'll definitely look into the co2 scrubber hindering the Kalkwasser in more depth. Thanks a lot. Hope your subbed.
Dude,Kalkwasser DOES not desolve completely, do your homework before you even try using it, if you make a mistake you cankill every coral in your tank!
There's a more recent video on the subject and my current experience. I appreciate the feedback though! Thanks for watching 🙏