Dosing Kalk

[Loki]

I am running BRS and it seems very nice.

 

[gfox]

Thanks for the info

 

[Devonjevon]

I did the same thing except I put a powerhead in the bucket and let it run for 24+ hours. It is very cloudy. This is my first time to mix it so I'm not sure if it is supposed to be clear or how clear it should be. But this I can't see one inch into the solution.

Would not recommend the power head to stir up limewater. Exception would be in a kalk reactor when little exposure to air takes place.. To do so in an open environment can degrade the potency of limewater. The film that forms on top of the bucket is solid calcium carbonate. This is not useful in the aquarium in a solid state. When you agitate with airstones or a power head you increase limewater exposure to CO2 which creates carbonic acid which then combines with the disolved calcium in the limewater to form a solid calcium carbonate. It can actually complete the entire reaction in your 5 gallon bucket or storage container leaving very little dissolved calcium left in your top off. When you mentioned that the water was cloudy it was probably because alot of the calcium in your limewater solidified and the solid Ca carbonate was being stirred up by your powerhead. DO NOT DO THIS. Potency is drastically reduced.

 

[Loki]

Ok. That helps A LOT!!! So the proper thing to do (without a kalk reactor) would be to put the kalk in the buck then the DI water and let it sit? And once it's clear skim the clear mixture off and put that in the top off?

Thank you for your help! I appreciate it.