Avast Marine Kalk observation.

[Ann Enomy]

I have a Anemone dominant tank with only a few other soft corals so Calcium and Alk have been easy to maintain with Kalk in the makeup water. I have always used BRS kalk and had no complaints. I use 1 teaspoon per gallon and levels are spot on.

One thing I have had trouble with is PH would be between 7.8-8.1 which seemed ok and many of the posts I have read recommend not to spend too much time chasing it.

I just ordered an Avast marine Plank feeder and they happened to have Kalk on sale and I needed it so thought Kalk is kalk right. Well Appearently I am wrong. Their kalk mixes better (less undissolved kalk going down the drain) and now my PH is 8.1-8.3! Has anyone else observed differences in the brand of Kalk that they purchase?

 

[CK00020]

Maybe it was just old and lost potency, didn’t know avast sold it and it’s cheaper.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

There can be a variety of possible explanations for what you are observing:

1. The BRS calcium hydroxide had gotten too much exposure to CO2 sometime in its journey from the firing kiln to your aquarium, converting somem of it to useless calcium carbonate.

2. The BRS material may be fluffier (lower bulk density), making it less potent per teaspoon than a less fluffy material.

pH will also heavily depend on the status of windows being opened, so if windows are open now and not previously, the pH can rise, and be unrelated to the kalkwasser change.

This might also be a good time to recalibrated the pH probe.

 

[Ann Enomy]

There can be a variety of possible explanations for what you are observing:

1. The BRS calcium hydroxide had gotten too much exposure to CO2 sometime in its journey from the firing kiln to your aquarium, converting somem of it to useless calcium carbonate.

2. The BRS material may be fluffier (lower bulk density), making it less potent per teaspoon than a less fluffy material.

pH will also heavily depend on the status of windows being opened, so if windows are open now and not previously, the pH can rise, and be unrelated to the kalkwasser change.

This might also be a good time to recalibrated the pH probe.

It is a closed office space that doesn't have windows that can be opened so probably not that. Probe was calibrated about a month ago but I have more calibration fluid so can at least check if it is accurate.

So my guess is probably one of your first 2 points. What I don't understand I how the BRS has had same results in my tank for 10+ years. Logic dictates that exposure to CO2 would be variable and results would vary. I guess time will tell if avast has swings in performance batch to batch.

Would where the material is mined make a difference? Avast is making this claim which, I thought was hogwash at first. Both claim to have very little impurities so Calcium hydroxide should be the same no matter what but there is a difference I cannot deny.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Would where the material is mined make a difference? Avast is making this claim which, I thought was hogwash at first. Both claim to have very little impurities so Calcium hydroxide should be the same no matter what but there is a difference I cannot deny.

That should not matter, unless it was not heated enough in manufacturing to drive off all of the CO2.

 

[TheSheff]

I also don't like BRS kalk. Their kalk is much thicker, so it doesn't work well in stirrers. Avast marines kalk is just mississippi lime. It's cheap and it works amazing.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

I use pickling lime in my avast. Itworks just fine

 

[TheSheff]

I use pickling lime in my avast. It works just fine

yeah I haven't heard of anyone having issues even with the cheaper kalk. From my understanding, majority of the impurities end up in the paste that settles at the bottom.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

yeah I haven't heard of anyone having issues even with the cheaper kalk. From my understanding, majority of the impurities end up in the paste that settles at the bottom.

Contrary to what some resellers might want you to believe based on their hyping of pharma grade as being special, food grade calcium hydroxide does not have any specifications that are worse than USP grade.

Of course, any give bottle might have much lower impurities than allowed by law, but pharma grade calcium hydroxide does not seem to be worth going after unless it is cheaper than food grade (such as Mrs Wages Pickling Lime).

See tables 1 and 2 in the article below:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com