Dosing Ca(OH)2

[ksed]

Randy,

I started to dose lime water to raise the ph in my tank. After reading your article I am not clear on whether lime water reduces magnesium and or strontium through precipitation, or just by the fact that we are not adding them in the same rate as what lime water provides?
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/

I am also finding, that I am not evaporating enough water to raise the ph levels. I have heard some constantly mix the solution by including a powerhead in the container and dosing the cloudy mix into into a high flow area in the tank water. Will this provide any concerns if this white powdery residue will make it into the tank? Will cause precipitation or will it dilute into the tank water, or simply get removed by mechanical filtration or skimming?

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not think that they are precipitating as independent things, like magnesium carbonate.

I believe that the higher pH may increase the abiotic precipitation of calcium carbonate, and that will take some extra magnesium and strontium along with it, but the primary reason that those will ecline is simply that they are not being added to offset any demand.

Some people have dosed a lime slurry, which seems to mostly dissolve, but the potential is there to really skyrocket the pH and alkalinity if you are not careful. Sucking in lime mud on the bottom of a limewater reservoir is the main way I've turned by tank white like milk from excessive addition of calcium hydroxide. So if you try it, be very careful, and also make sure alk is not getting higher than you want even if the ph is not as high as you'd like.

 

[ksed]

Thank You

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Happy Reefing.