Dosing Kalkwasser

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

I checked my Kalkwasser mix, and it's still milky?!

Can I use it already for top off, wouldn't it make my tank water cloudy as well? (I know it's going to dump small amount at a time though, but it's cloudy. LOL)

bif24701 · Nov 11, 2016

cracker said:
sil, I'm a little over a month dosing kalkwasser thru an ATO. Started with the 1/2 teaspoon then went to 1 teaspoon etc. So last round I was up to 1 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs Wages pickling lime per gallon. My CA & alk levels dropped just a little. This round the full 2 teaspoons should do it. this is on a 75 with a 7 gl atoI fill every 9, 10 days.
bif, interesting you're using a 32 brute? How much water are You filling Your ATO ? I ask because I'm working on a180 gl setup and wasn't sure if I could get away using kalkwasser /ATO with that much water. The ATO I have on this 180 is also a 32 brute. If I put 25 gls in there it takes weeks to run out. Do You think the vinegar helps keeping it in the water, or just concentrating the solution? Also I read about dosing vinegar to increase the amount of powder You can dissolve into the water. I understand it also acts as a bacterial booster like Vodka( which I'd rather drink) or bio pellets. Any increase in the skimmer output?
sil ,it's working for me so keep up the testing until You figure how much You need.

It lasts me for a few weeks. I fill it from my RODI reservoir when empty and then mix my Kalk and vinegar in. Once it's mixed I don't need to do anything to it until it's time to fill it up again. I just wait about an hour after mixing it for it to settle out. I have a magnetic dosing tube holder about 1.5" from the bottom that holds the pump intake so I don't pick up any of that.

Yes, exactly the vinegar helps the nitrifying bacteria process nitrates and phosphates. I add it to my Kalk only to help increase the potency of my Kalk solution, that's all. Once it's mixed it's mixed, you don't need to do anything to it. I still add Additional vinegar for nutrient control.

Additional skimmer output? I wouldn't know because I've not ran a reef tank without adding vinegar since 2009. I'm sure it does though.

bif24701 · Nov 11, 2016

sil40sx said:
I checked my Kalkwasser mix, and it's still milky?!

Can I use it already for top off, wouldn't it make my tank water cloudy as well? (I know it's going to dump small amount at a time though, but it's cloudy. LOL)

Is the entire solution milky or just the surface? The surface develops a crust of calcium carbonate, that's good.

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

bif24701 said:
Sure, I assume. Honestly you could do it with just a lamp timer, but you wouldn't have the safe guards. My APEX will stop Kalk dosing and alert me if my pH gets too high. I also get an alert if my pH is too low which could mean my Kalk isn't working or has run out.

Yeah but, with the apex it can be on for a few seconds only right? And the light timer, IIRC markers have 15 minute intervals

bif24701 · Nov 11, 2016

sil40sx said:
Yeah but, with the apex it can be on for a few seconds only right? And the light timer, IIRC markers have 15 minute intervals

That's right, I was just making a point. You could do 15 min at a time of the pump was slow enough. Like a BRS 1.1ml per minute pump.....

bif24701 · Nov 11, 2016

But that would be way to slow for most tanks

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

bif24701 said:
Is the entire solution milky or just the surface? The surface develops a crust of calcium carbonate, that's good.

Yup, the whole thing. No layers. I used room temperature RODI water last night with 0 tds.

It looks like a Newley mixed saltwater.

cracker · Nov 11, 2016

sil, Sounds like a good plan ! Let us know how it goes !

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

bif24701 said:
That's right, I was just making a point. You could do 15 min at a time of the pump was slow enough. Like a BRS 1.1ml per minute pump.....

Oh yeah that makes sense. I was thinking about the regular waterlifter pumps

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

cracker said:
sil, Sounds like a good plan ! Let us know how it goes !

Thanks, hopefully I won't mess up. Hehe

bif24701 · Nov 11, 2016

sil40sx said:
Yup, the whole thing. No layers. I used room temperature RODI water last night with 0 tds.

It looks like a Newley mixed saltwater.

Has it been completely still? Is your container clear, are you viewing it from the outside? Kalk will cling to surfaces so I would pop the top, and break the film on top. Shine a flash light in there and I bet it's clear.

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

bif24701 said:
Has it been completely still? Is your container clear, are you viewing it from the outside? Kalk will cling to surfaces so I would pop the top, and break the film on top. Shine a flash light in there and I bet it's clear.

Yup, haven't been moved after mixing it nicely last night,.

I checked with flashlight and it's really cloudy. I mean not milky cloudy, but just not clear.

bif24701 · Nov 11, 2016

sil40sx said:
Yup, haven't been moved after mixing it nicely last night,.

I checked with flashlight and it's really cloudy. I mean not milky cloudy, but just not clear.

That's strange, should be clear by now. What Kalk are you using? What the temp of it now? You said you started with room temp water.

Maybe Randy could chime in with what he knows.

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

bif24701 said:
That's strange, should be clear by now. What Kalk are you using? What the temp of it now? You said you started with room temp water.

Maybe Randy could chime in with what he knows.

Kent Kalkwasser. Again, it was only 1/4 teaspoon in 1 gallon. Temp is 78deg

Oh man, I'm stuck

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

Here's a sample

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

Anyone can tell me if this clear enough to use for top off? ^^^

Thanks.

cracker · Nov 11, 2016

Really ,that should be just fine .So it's a little cloudy . Are there issues with this?

sil40sx · Nov 11, 2016

cracker said:
Really ,that should be just fine .So it's a little cloudy . Are there issues with this?

Yup, a little cloudy (hazy?). I'm worried the Kalkwasser powder wasn't dissolved completely, and corals will get burned or fish will eat the solid stuff and die?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Nov 12, 2016

cracker said:
sil, I'm a little over a month dosing kalkwasser thru an ATO. Started with the 1/2 teaspoon then went to 1 teaspoon etc. So last round I was up to 1 1/2 teaspoon of Mrs Wages pickling lime per gallon. My CA & alk levels dropped just a little. This round the full 2 teaspoons should do it. this is on a 75 with a 7 gl atoI fill every 9, 10 days.
bif, interesting you're using a 32 brute? How much water are You filling Your ATO ? I ask because I'm working on a180 gl setup and wasn't sure if I could get away using kalkwasser /ATO with that much water. The ATO I have on this 180 is also a 32 brute. If I put 25 gls in there it takes weeks to run out. Do You think the vinegar helps keeping it in the water, or just concentrating the solution? Also I read about dosing vinegar to increase the amount of powder You can dissolve into the water. I understand it also acts as a bacterial booster like Vodka( which I'd rather drink) or bio pellets. Any increase in the skimmer output?
sil ,it's working for me so keep up the testing until You figure how much You need.

I used 3 x 44 gallon brute cans plumbed together for my limewater reservoir. That lasted about a month, so I only spent about 5 minutes each month mixing limewater.