Help with limewater

[Wildreefs]

150 gallons water volume between tank and sump. According to the dosing calculator, with saturated lime water , I will need a 1/4 of a gallon per day to get me from 7 to 7.2 (.2 dkh drop a day)

I have an ato, but it fluctuates day to day in evaporation, 1/2 gallon to close to a gallon.

I have a spare versa dosing pump I am not using.

I have a 2.5 gallon seachem plastic water container I am not using .

is the set up as simple as this, fill the 10 liter container with r/0, then add 5 teaspoons of lime powder, mix well, and dose a 1/4 gallon a day? If I do it in 12 increments , every hour , that will be 78 mls in one shot every hour, if it doses near the return pump, is that not too much at once and spike ph?

 

[DanyL]

It is as simple as that, you got it right.

78 mls of saturated kalk in one shot for a 150g system is completely fine, just make sure not to dose the undissolved powder at the bottom as it'll contain all the impurities you want to keep outside of your system.

 

[Wildreefs]

It is as simple as that, you got it right.

78 mls of saturated kalk in one shot for a 150g system is completely fine, just make sure not to dose the undissolved powder at the bottom as it'll contain all the impurities you want to keep outside of your system.

Ok, so much different than 78 mls of say a 2 part alk, like seachem or bright well? I use the seachem manually to adjust, and even a few mls causes a cloud of smoke where I drop it in

 

[DanyL]

I'm not sure wether the 2 part your'e using is based on Sodium Bicarbonate or Sodium Carbonate, but both have much higher solubility than Calcium Hydroxide, which is why 78ml of 2-part would be a lot more concentrated than 78ml of saturated kalk.

 

[Wildreefs]

I'm not sure wether the 2 part your'e using is based on Sodium Bicarbonate or Sodium Carbonate, but both have much higher solubility than Calcium Hydroxide, which is why 78ml of 2-part would be a lot more concentrated than 78ml of saturated kalk.

Too raise my alk .5 dkh with this seachem stuff, it’s about 40 mls, which I think I would need a half a gallon of this limewater to do the same thing.

Also, if I want to use vinegar to get a carb dosing effect, what is the procedure to make 2.5 gallons of it, water first, then vinegar than, powder etc

 

[Eldredge]

150 gallons water volume between tank and sump. According to the dosing calculator, with saturated lime water , I will need a 1/4 of a gallon per day to get me from 7 to 7.2 (.2 dkh drop a day)

I have an ato, but it fluctuates day to day in evaporation, 1/2 gallon to close to a gallon.

I have a spare versa dosing pump I am not using.

I have a 2.5 gallon seachem plastic water container I am not using .

is the set up as simple as this, fill the 10 liter container with r/0, then add 5 teaspoons of lime powder, mix well, and dose a 1/4 gallon a day? If I do it in 12 increments , every hour , that will be 78 mls in one shot every hour, if it doses near the return pump, is that not too much at once and spike ph?

That's the way I do it. A couple of tweaks I would suggest: Dose it to a high-flow area away from you pump if possible. It will tend to precipitate on the pump impeller so that it will have to be cleaned more often. Also, if you dose all of the kalk at night, it will help to stabalize your pH a little. Kalk is great. I think you will be pleased with the results.

 

[Wildreefs]

That's the way I do it. A couple of tweaks I would suggest: Dose it to a high-flow area away from you pump if possible. It will tend to precipitate on the pump impeller so that it will have to be cleaned more often. Also, if you dose all of the kalk at night, it will help to stabalize your pH a little. Kalk is great. I think you will be pleased with the results.

Great thanks. Any order or mixing it, time to mix etc

 

[Eldredge]

Great thanks. Any order or mixing it, time to mix etc

I like to mix to to full saturation which requires about 2tsps (6.5grams)/gallon. I add a little extra and it just settles to the bottom. Give it a really good stir and let it stand until it is clear. If it is fully saturated, you will have a little residue (or a lot of you put in quite a bit of extra kalk), and you will have a crust form on the surface of the water. The more the solution interacts with air, the weaker it will become, so don't disturb this crust because it slows/stops the interaction. If you have a somewhat airtight container that helps too. Set up the intake for the dosing pump so that it does not suck up the residue on the bottom - this may contain impurities and is way too strong.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Also, if I want to use vinegar to get a carb dosing effect, what is the procedure to make 2.5 gallons of it, water first, then vinegar than, powder etc

Oder doesn't matter in that context.

You do want to be sure you are adding enough calcium hydroxide relative to vinegar that the pH stays high or bacteria may grow in it.

 

[Wildreefs]

Oder doesn't matter in that context.

You do want to be sure you are adding enough calcium hydroxide relative to vinegar that the pH stays high or bacteria may grow in it.

So would 2 teaspoons per gallon of kalk be good paired with say 15 ml a vinegar per gallon?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So would 2 teaspoons per gallon of kalk be good paired with say 15 ml a vinegar per gallon?

Yes, that will still have a high pH.

 

[Wildreefs]

Yes, that will still have a high pH.

Ok. And just before I start using it, I took 2.5 gallons of r/o, put in 5 teaspoons of kalk powder, mixed it ok, nothing great, with metal spoon. Does it need to be mixed heavily like new saltwater?

lastly, it has been sitting the last two days after mixing, not used yet. Some guys on YouTube say you got to get rid of the sediment at the bottom of the container , and the skin that forms on top of the water. Is this true, or do you just use it with the intake of the dosing like off the bottom an inch or so? Thanks

 

[DanyL]

The crust that forms on the top would somewhat prevent CO2 from getting in, so I wouldn't touch it.
As for the sediment, It can stay on the bottom, just make sure you don't dose it into your tank.
It also isn't a big deal if you do, but it prevents you from dosing potential impurities as well as undissolved, highly concentrated kalk.

 

[Wildreefs]

The crust that forms on the top would somewhat prevent CO2 from getting in, so I wouldn't touch it.
As for the sediment, It can stay on the bottom, just make sure you don't dose it into your tank.
It also isn't a big deal if you do, but it prevents you from dosing potential impurities as well as undissolved, highly concentrated kalk.

Thanks for your response.

how great does it need to be mixed initially? I took a 2.5 gallon white bucket , and as I was pouring water into it, I would places the kalk in, kinda simultaneously, then once all in, I took a metal spoon and created a whirl pool for a few seconds, then poured it into my reservoir. Didn’t mix heady because I was afraid some would splash out of the bucket (water was to the top)
Does it need more mixing , or should that suffice?

if so, I attached the dosing intake tube to a piece of pvc , and have it to the bottom, this way the pvc touches the bottom, but the hose intake itself is rubberbanded to the pvc about an inch or so from the ground. Should I be ready to go? Once I mixed it, it’s been sitting the last 2 days or so with a cover

 

[DanyL]

how great does it need to be mixed initially? I took a 2.5 gallon white bucket , and as I was pouring water into it, I would places the kalk in, kinda simultaneously, then once all in, I took a metal spoon and created a whirl pool for a few seconds, then poured it into my reservoir. Didn’t mix heady because I was afraid some would splash out of the bucket (water was to the top)
Does it need more mixing , or should that suffice?

Kalk mixes fairly easily, but it would be hard to tell if it's saturated or not without measuring PH.
Too much stirring isn't good as well, because it'll start binding CO2.

if so, I attached the dosing intake tube to a piece of pvc , and have it to the bottom, this way the pvc touches the bottom, but the hose intake itself is rubberbanded to the pvc about an inch or so from the ground. Should I be ready to go?

Sounds good. Just make sure the sediment fully settled before dosing.

 

[Wildreefs]

Kalk mixes fairly easily, but it would be hard to tell if it's saturated or not without measuring PH.
Too much stirring isn't good as well, because it'll start binding CO2.


Sounds good. Just make sure the sediment fully settled before dosing.

well first question mark since stating it. I’m using an eco tech versa to dose. The way I have it, says it’s supposed to dose .66 mper minute.

I calibrated the versa , 20 ml in 30 seconds , however now that’ it’s online, i get one maybe two drops a minute coming out of the airline tubing (doser tubing) .

If it’s said 20 drops equals 1 ml, then .6 of that should be getting me 12 drops a minute, not the two I’m seeing, unless not all drops are equal .

 

[Wildreefs]

Kalk mixes fairly easily, but it would be hard to tell if it's saturated or not without measuring PH.
Too much stirring isn't good as well, because it'll start binding CO2.


Sounds good. Just make sure the sediment fully settled before dosing.

 

[DanyL]

well first question mark since stating it. I’m using an eco tech versa to dose. The way I have it, says it’s supposed to dose .66 mper minute.

I calibrated the versa , 20 ml in 30 seconds , however now that’ it’s online, i get one maybe two drops a minute coming out of the airline tubing (doser tubing) .

If it’s said 20 drops equals 1 ml, then .6 of that should be getting me 12 drops a minute, not the two I’m seeing, unless not all drops are equal .

I don't have much experience with the Versa, however as with any other dose - verify it with a volumetric measurement.
If it isn't correct, recalibrate it with the current setup, same tubing, position, and liquid - just make sure to use volumetric measurements and not weight, because they'll be different.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok. And just before I start using it, I took 2.5 gallons of r/o, put in 5 teaspoons of kalk powder, mixed it ok, nothing great, with metal spoon. Does it need to be mixed heavily like new saltwater?

lastly, it has been sitting the last two days after mixing, not used yet. Some guys on YouTube say you got to get rid of the sediment at the bottom of the container , and the skin that forms on top of the water. Is this true, or do you just use it with the intake of the dosing like off the bottom an inch or so? Thanks

Ignore those utubers, and ignore the solids on top and bottom. Intake just off the bottom is fine.

Calcium hydroxide takes a few minutes of mixing to dissolve. Some small amoutn of sediment likely won't ever dissolve.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If it’s said 20 drops equals 1 ml, then .6 of that should be getting me 12 drops a minute, not the two I’m seeing, unless not all drops are equal .

Drop size varies by fluid composition and what it id dripping off of.