KALK ? DRIP PLATE?

[VICTORIA]

Hi all

I have a 100 gal, with a built in sump. I have removed all the bio-balls and replaced them with live rock. Is it better to run with drip plates or should I remove them and let the sump fill up? Second Question : I drip kalk in my tank, my Ca is 490 Could I bring my Ca to high. I don't think I have enough coral to use it up. I do it to keep my ph above 8.0. Thanks ahead of time for the answers

 

[Markymarklar]

if your rock is totally submerged, then you can remove the drip plates. as for the kalk drip, i've heard of people having really high calcium, but don't know if it was doing anything harmful. i would try to keep it in the normal range. you can accomplish this by not dosing kalk anymore, but instead adding a reef buffer for the PH and alkalininty. i know some people use baking soda, just not sure how to dose it. doesn't answer all, but it's a start.

 

[Len]

Try opening up a window .... seriously. Fresh air has dramatic effects on a tank's pH. If you're running skimmer under your cabinent, try plumbing the air intake outside the stand. Try siphoning some of the "dead spots" in the tank as well, since decaying organics really lowers pH. Kalk is not the best way of maintaining high pH if nothing is uptaking the calcium.

 

[VICTORIA]

Hi
Thanks for all the things to think about and try. May be I should open a window. My tanks in the living room we have a wood stove in there, we burn a fire every night and every moring. The stove is a good one and its sealed. But ya never know. I'll try it . Anymore ideas on the drip plate? Should I take it out and fill up the sump?

 

[Len]

I think Marky is right on with his suggestion about the drip plate. If the rocks are fully submerted, might as well remove it. Otherwise, the drip will help keep the rocks moist. Quite frankly, I don't really think you need the rocks in the Sump area if you have ample volume in the tank itself. Up to you if you want to keep it in there, but it's not necessary.

Yes, burning wood will lower the O2 and raise the CO2 content in a room by quite a bit, so opening the window may help a lot.