Kalkwasser / Big container / Need to stir?

[iTread]

Hi,

I have been using Kalkwasser for a while and like it. I recently purchased a large tank and now keep my Kalkwasser in a 20 gallon bin ( I was getting sick of replacing it as I go through a lot). Still figuring out my actual consumption, but I get at least a week without having to replace it (much longer than before). So...do I need to have it stirred occassionaly? Or will it maintain it's saturation level for a long time?

 

[dieselkeeper]

I read some where mixing the kalk with vinegar leaves no kalk on the bottom to stir. But will the small amount of vinegar in lets say 10 gallons of top off, be consider carbon dosing.

 

[iTread]

Yes, I did that for a while, but then I had a cyanobacteria breakout which I attributed to the vinegar/carbon. I stopped, it went away after a month (1 dose of chemiclean).

 

[DangerDave]

A stirrer made my life with kalk a breeze. I would recommend it, very easy, low maintenance. Good luck!

 

[Roy Arena]

Just put a cover over the container after mixing kalk solution. It doesn't need to be air tight because a crust will form on the surface to provide a barrier for CO2 entering the solution. It will remain saturated without any mixing.

 

[BeejReef]

I second Roy Arena

People sometimes confuse a kalk stirrer and a kalk reservoir. The stirrer intakes pure RODI and gently saturates it with Kalk so the effluent is fully saturated kalkwasser. The stirring needs to happen in that context.

If you're simply using a separate reservoir and a dosing pump (as I also do, and can't understand why more don't.. lol) you don't want to stir it at all, aside from the initial mix. Doing so will just reduce it's potency and cause more of it to precip out to the bottom of your reservoir.

6g blue recycling bucket here. Works like a charm.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree. Do not stir a reservoir after initial mixing. Keep it closed and unstirred. I did that from a 120 gallon reservoir formed from 3 brute cans plumbed together.

 

[Apotack]

How much mixing is required? I add the required amount to my top off and mix just by adding ro until full. Am I good?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It can take some decent mixing for a few minutes. Just dribbling in ro won’t do it. Stirring overnight is also ok, but then I’d stop.

 

[Apotack]

The ro is pumped in from a a strong pump (mag 12 I think) takes a few minutes to fill 10 gallon container

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The ro is pumped in from a a strong pump (mag 12 I think) takes a few minutes to fill 10 gallon container

Won’t be enough, I think. I typically watched the conductivity rise as I mixed limewater and it takes minutes of decent stirring.

 

[Apotack]

Ok thanks !

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You’re welcome.

Happy Reefing.

 

[DeputyDog95]

Curious. I'm thinking about setting up a large container. Maybe 90 gallons.

Is the thought process to simply fill it w RODI, add the appropriate amount of Kalk, mix it for a minute, seal it up, let it settle out for a few hours, and then dose out of the container not adding anything or stirring anything until you're almost empty and then repeat the process?

Also, what is the best device to measure the "potency" of the Kalk? I've seen people referring to conductivity devices but I'm not sure which one. I have a Hanna "salinity" meter, but I'm guessing the range on that would not be appropriate for this purpose.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That's about what I did, except it took more than a minute of stirring to dissolve it. More like 15 min in my cause.

Conductivity is the best measure of potency. 10.3 mS/cm at 25 deg C is about saturated. You need to measure in that range.

 

[DeputyDog95]

That's about what I did, except it took more than a minute of stirring to dissolve it. More like 15 min in my cause.

Conductivity is the best measure of potency. 10.3 mS/cm at 25 deg C is about saturated. You need to measure in that range.

Thanks.

How did you know when to stop mixing?

What are you using to measure the conductivity?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks.

How did you know when to stop mixing?

What are you using to measure the conductivity?

I monitored conductivity in real time. i could see it rise, and when it got where I was happy, i stopped.

I was using an Orion Model 128 (no longer sold, but a great tool if you can get one on ebay with a 4 electrode probe).

 

[DeputyDog95]

I monitored conductivity in real time. i could see it rise, and when it got where I was happy, i stopped.

I was using an Orion Model 128 (no longer sold, but a great tool if you can get one on ebay with a 4 electrode probe).

Like this one?

ATI Orion Model 128 Conductivity Meter w/ Probe and Case - Made in Germany | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for ATI Orion Model 128 Conductivity Meter w/ Probe and Case - Made in Germany at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

I also saw this one too:

Thermo Scientific Orion Conductivity Probe DuraProbe 4 Cells | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Thermo Scientific Orion Conductivity Probe DuraProbe 4 Cells at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com