Balling vs. kalk vs. calcium reactors

[fish]

I rebuilt my 120 over Christmas. I had been plagued with xenia and had a meltdown a couple years ago. My tank was a mess. I though about pretty much everything I was going to reuse in my rebuild and decided that I would go back to kalk for base calcium and alk and dose to make up for the rest. I run an SPS dominated mixed reef.

My thinking was a) I had all the necessary equipment to make it work and b) I had experienced great results for years using kalk. I have a GHL standalone doser that I am using to meter out kalk (I didn't want it to just swing with evaporation). Right now I add biocalcium to keep up but I will be adding 3 part dosing to the mix shortly.

The kalk provides a baseline dose and the additives make up the rest. This has a couple benefits in my mind. One, the build up of Na, Cl and S04 are not as dramatic as they would be with a straight balling approach. I figure I will be adding somewhere around 50ml Ca and Alk solution (mixed to Randy's recipe) where I would otherwise be at somewhere between 150 and 200 ml per day. Less build up means I don't have to worry so much about water changes and I can run the tank a little dirtier so my sps don't starve (I have a very light fish load).

I'd be curious to hear what others are using in their tanks to keep up.

This is what my tank looked like just after I rebuilt it.

[Darth]

I have nothing to say as I don't dose, but man that is a beautiful tank

[Hookup]

Nice tank.  I dose using the Fauna Marin baling lite system.  Being doing it for years.  When the ALK hose doesn't fall out it keeps things moving well.   

[percula99]

My motto has always been "I want the most beautiful tank I can get for as little money as possible." I dose three main additives. I bought a 50 pound bag of calcium chloride from Blended Specialty Chemicals for $60. This lasts me 4 years. It is the same thing as Kent Turbo Calcium. Buying large containers from LFS it would cost $860 to buy 50 pounds worth. I dose Arm and Hammer baking soda for Ph and Alk and Kent's Coral-Vite for everything else. I have been doing this since '08 and it works for me.

Check out my tank below. I am not a good photographer so keep that in mind please. This shot was taken with royal blue LEDs on.

[fish]

Nice tank Percula99!

[xiaan]

I have been using the balling system I started using Fauna Marin but have since switch the the Bulk reef supply additives since they are the same thing and cost allot less I get them in the 5gal buckets and they last for over a year for my 300 gal system.

I would be careful about kalk and always have it on a controller with a PH meter when your PH goes to high then turn of the kalk. I have know a few people who nuked there tank using kalk in a ATO.

[xenon]

I have been using the balling system I started using Fauna Marin but have since switch the the Bulk reef supply additives since they are the same thing and cost allot less I get them in the 5gal buckets and they last for over a year for my 300 gal system.

The Fauna Marin balling method is not the same as bulk reef supply.

I do agree that is a MUCH cheaper solution for large tanks.

[NjOyRiD]

I have no issues with my Calcium reactor and my kalk stirrer

cost me 30$ a year to run

[kole18]

I used both boiling salts fauna & ato kalk drip. I used kalk to maintain my alk, set a auto timer it drips every1 hr & shuts off every 1hr too. Just incase not to overdose my tank & can lead to a dissaster. I knw its very dangerous to use kalk in a matter time your tank is done. My tank os 120g mainly sps & lps , got 6 clams . So far so good been doing both technique 3 parts fauna & plus kalk/vinegar onnthe side through ato.

[kole18]

I mean a yr now.

[fish]

The Fauna Marin balling method is not the same as bulk reef supply.

I do agree that is a MUCH cheaper solution for large tanks.

I'm curious about this statement. As far as I can tell, the three base chemicals sold by BRS and FM are the same and it is only the additives that FM provides that extend the solution to be balling lite (in other words I could swap out the BRS CaCl for FM CaCl - both are supposed to be pharma grade pure, Bromine free etc). Am I wrong in this assumption?