Coral questions

[pdiehm]

I really should have had a Q&A thread, but hindsight being 20/20, it is what it is.

If (many people seem to say it's more of a when) I dip into corals, it'll be the easy care corals, which is normal progression.

My question is, for the easy to care for corals, will I need a dosing pump, or would 10% weekly water changes with Red Sea Coral Pro (or insert the brand of choice) suffice to replenish the necessary elements?

 

[gone fishin]

More than likely WC will carry you through for awhile until you get into SPS.

 

[bertoni]

Some tanks get away with water changes to keep the alkalinity and calcium levels in line, but many do not. If your tank has coralline algae, its growth can consume 2-3 dKH per day, IME.

 

[john08007]

I am curious of how most people are handeling this. I'm thinking calcium and alkalinity are adjusted with a dosing pump with 2 part solutions. From what I've read the ph can also be handled by adding kawk to the makeup water. I'm thinking its possible to calculate the amount of kawk needed and also dose that, and then use an ato with fresh water to makeup any additional water needed? Or will dosing the 2 part also take care of the ph? The only other one that will need to be checked and added is magnesium

 

[bertoni]

Kalk is an alkalinity and calcium supplement that raises the pH. Using it to control pH can cause a lot of problems. The high-pH 2-parts will raise the pH, but not as much as Kalk, per unit of alkalinity added.

 

[bertoni]

This article covers Kalk (lime) in detail:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

 

[john08007]

Read the article, gonna have to read it a few more times. So what is the difference betweem dosing 2 part or just kawk? There has to be an advantage to the 2 part because there is a lot more expense involved. I'm thinking it gives the ability to adjust the calc and alk individually as opposed to kawk where you get them both together. I'm assuming if I get the calc and alk incheck then the ph should follow along.

 

[bertoni]

Kalk doesn't raise the salinity and is inexpensive, but it's a very dilute supplement and its dosing is limited to the evaporation rate. Evaporation can be increased by a fan, but it's often variable, which can be an issue.

 

[john08007]

Didn't think of that, so if the amount of Calc/alk being consumed is greater than what can be replenished with Kalk in the makeup water then you will need to supplement those with a dosing pump and 2 part sollutions?

 

[bertoni]

Yes, that's fairly common.