Accidentally mixing Ca with Kh

[SaltyReefer09]

So i was calibrating my dosing pump and after i was done calibrating i wanted to put the liquid back into their designated bottles but i made a mistake putting Ca liquid into Kh bottle. Now the whole bottle of Kh had crystalized.
Is it still safe to use or did i just ruined the whole bottle?
@Randy Holmes-Farley please help

 

[Garf]

ruined the whole bottle?

I would prefer the term “rendered partially ineffective”

 

[SaltyReefer09]

I would prefer the term “rendered partially ineffective”

How come products like all for reef not precipitate though? Its a mixture of kh ca mg?

 

[Garf]

How come products like all for reef not precipitate though? Its a mixture of kh ca mg?

All for reef doesn’t contain alkalinity. It has a calcium formate that is converted into alkalinity in the tank, so I believe.

 

[exnisstech]

I would prefer the term “rendered partially ineffective”

Ruined is shorter

EDIT : FWIW I use RODI to calibrated then just dump it and fill jugs with 2 part and do a 20ml manual dose to clear the lines of RODI. 20ml is what it takes for my tubing to be flushed. Yours could be more or less. It just prevents mistakes like this and if I spill some it's easier clean up. Alk is a pain to clean up says the guy that forgot to put the hose back in the holder and dosed kalk into the cabinet floor for 2 days

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How much went back in to how much remaining?

 

[SaltyReefer09]

How much went back in to how much remaining?

20ml of ca into approx 80% of 1L bottle of redsea alk

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

20ml of ca into approx 80% of 1L bottle of redsea alk

The alk solution is still usable, but lost about 2.5% of its potency. Just let the solids settle out and possibly dose a tad more than previously.

 

[Tavero]

I would prefer the term “rendered partially ineffective”

The same will also happen when adding phosphate solution into calcium solution. It will precipitate as Calcium phosphate.

Mixing Phosphate with alkalinity is fine though. Same goes with nitrate.
It's calcium that is having precipitation issues.

 

[SaltyReefer09]

The alk solution is still usable, but lost about 2.5% of its potency. Just let the solids settle out and possibly dose a tad more than previously.

thanks for the reply Randy. Is it possible to separate the crystalized bits using filter mesh to prevent clogging?

 

[Tavero]

thanks for the reply Randy. Is it possible to separate the crystalized bits using filter mesh to prevent clogging?

I don't think you will be able to filter out precipitated calcium carbonate with a gravity filtration. If the mesh is not fine enough it will just go through. If it is, the filtration will take hours. Try to decant it after it settled.

 

[SaltyReefer09]

I don't think you will be able to filter out precipitated calcium carbonate with a gravity filtration. If the mesh is not fine enough it will just go through. If it is, the filtration will take hours. Try to decant it after it settled.

Oh i see so best thing to do is let it settle and perhaps cut the dosing line shorter so it sits above the precipitated bits? But the whole bottle look gunky already

 

[Tavero]

Oh i see so best thing to do is let it settle and perhaps cut the dosing line shorter so it sits above the precipitated bits? But the whole bottle look gunky already

"Decantation is a process used to separate mixtures of immiscible liquids or a liquid and a solid mixture such as a suspension. It works on the principle that heavier, more dense materials sink, while lighter, less dense materials float. The process is carried out by slightly tilting the immiscible mixture and slowly pouring out the top layer. After pouring out the top layer, the mixture can be tilted to complete the process."

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

thanks for the reply Randy. Is it possible to separate the crystalized bits using filter mesh to prevent clogging?

If clogging is a concern, settling and pouring it off is likely easier, but filtering can work.