better, drip or dose?

[cg5071]

I would like everyones opinion on which is better, dripping kalk or dosing 2 part? I am about ready to get into this right now because I plan on adding some more stonies and would like to cover my rock in coraline.

ATM I have some kalk with strontonium and mag in it and will probably use it up but after that... I am also setting up my ATO. It will likely consist of an aqualifter on a timer putting about 3 g in a day with a typhoon? optic backing it up.

[Manoj's Reef]

Chris,

My 2 cents.

There have been lot of discussions on this one in multiple forums and it eventually boils down to personal choice.

Both procedures have provided great results.

[jimsflies]

While both do similar things, they both have their place in a reefer's cabinet because they do them differently.

Two part is good because you can make independant adjustments to the alk/calcium. Kalk is equal parts of both. So if you are balanced, you can get by with straight up kalk.

[cg5071]

ok. and that is a tsunami not a typhoon,lol.
Well, I am doing my bi-weekly waterchange right now. Both alk and calcium are ok but at the lower end of their parameters. cal 400 and alk 8. Alk used to be higher before using ro/di but I deffinately plan on continuing to use it. Battling algae still.

So they are equal (i guess?) but when I was reading before that it wasnt odd for one to be higher end and the other lower but not both in the higher end. I dont really want to play chase the numbers, just make my reef better.

That makes sence though about 2part being more customizable. My kalk right now has mag in it but all dont do they? I know that is important too.

[jimsflies]

I think for any number of reasons your alk and calcium can become unbalanced. ...water changes can cause this as different mixes contain different amounts, consumption of calcium by corals, pH swings can effect solubility...the list goes on.

Probably the best advice is to test regularly and make necessary adjustments.

[ReeferRob]

Another concern is the ATO kalk mix pump should become stuck on, you waste your tank. Correct me if Im wrong Jim.

[adalius]

I think I posted this around here before but it's my sort of go-to bible for calcium/alk balancing.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

[XSiVE]

I had a Kalk disaster so I now prefer 2 part. Typically its easier to control and you know what you're getting as far as changes to levels.

[jimsflies]

There are also numerous ways from manual to automated to dose 2 Part or kalk. I assume you are mostly comparing the chemicals/compounds at this point...but yes, Rob is right any automated dosing could nuke your tank if safeguards aren't in place ...I think that holds true for both kalk and 2 Part.

There is such thing as too much of a good thing!

[cg5071]

Yes, that is a concern Rob. I was going to do that in the resevior at first but I think dripping into my overflow would be less dangerous. I had planned, if I went with kalk to double up on the drip controlers for redundancy. Actually that would work with 2part also, just 2 jugs.

I still have to calculate all that stuff. Another thought probably nixed now was adding one of the parts to the res. but probably not.

I think 2 part sounds the best to me. I have to feed the fish daily so it isnt much more work to add it 1/2 in the morning and 1/2 at night. more control and I can set it up to drip at later time if I want too.