Kalkwasser

[cajunreef985]

Any other solid kalk options besides BRS brand kalkwasser or are they all the same? I see that Brightwell makes one +strontium and mag? Any experience is appreciated..

 

[gfd71]

I’ve been using the brs kalk but I’m contemplating the brightwell stuff myself

 

[R.Weller]

I have used Seachem for a few years & many others use Mrs. Wages pickling lime. Check the Reef Chemisty forum for more details.

 

[Stanley Wong]

I use Mrs.Wages Pickling Lime

 

[Crustaceon]

I’ve used Brightwell’s Kalk +2 and found that I still had to dose a fair amount of magnesium separately to maintain levels. Personally, I’d just go with Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime combined with doing regular water changes using a salt with high mag content and call it good.

 

[Halal Hotdog]

I have been using Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime for over 3 years. It is food grade, $4/2lbs, and have had great results with it. Can find it is most cities. I don't believe any of the reefing vendors can compete with quality and price.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any other solid kalk options besides BRS brand kalkwasser or are they all the same? I see that Brightwell makes one +strontium and mag? Any experience is appreciated..

Forget the Brightwell product. Badly designed and doesn't work as described. It has less magnesium than commercial bulk calcium hydroxide, not nearly enough to be useful, and magnesium is insoluble in kalkwasser.

 

[cajunreef985]

Mr. Farley i read in a post just recently you used Kalkwasser for over 20 years; would you suggest the Mrs. Wages as well as an alternative to the BRS brand? i see companies such as 2 Fish, Kent, etc. Im sure u have a post on this somewhere... whats ur take brand wise, does it matter much?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Mr. Farley i read in a post just recently you used Kalkwasser for over 20 years; would you suggest the Mrs. Wages as well as an alternative to the BRS brand? i see companies such as 2 Fish, Kent, etc. Im sure u have a post on this somewhere... whats ur take brand wise, does it matter much?

Any food grade brand is fine, including Mrs Wages. I used bulk material that my local reef club bought from Mississippi Lime Co. I got a 50 pound bag that lasted many years. Then later I used BRS material.

The materials can actually be calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide. Both work the same, though the oxide gets hot when dissolving.

 

[cajunreef985]

Awesome!! im gonna give the Mrs. Wages a shot! Thanks Mr. Farley and everyone for the feedback.

 

[PacoPetty]

Any other solid kalk options besides BRS brand kalkwasser or are they all the same? I see that Brightwell makes one +strontium and mag? Any experience is appreciated..

I just ordered the one Brightwell makes and I am going to make a drip doser for my tank. I got it on Amazon.

 

[PacoPetty]

I just ordered the one Brightwell makes and I am going to make a drip doser for my tank. I got it on Amazon.

After reading the comments I cancelled my order of Brightwell Kalkwasser. I will see if I can find some of Mrs. Wages tomorrow. Do Lowe’s and Home Depot carry it?

 

[C. Eymann]

After reading the comments I cancelled my order of Brightwell Kalkwasser. I will see if I can find some of Mrs. Wages tomorrow. Do Lowe’s and Home Depot carry it?

many local grocery stores/Walmart will have it, you will find it in the food canning section, next to mason jars.

I have found 50lb bags of calcium hydroxide from Mississippi lime co. at westlake hardware stores occasionally in the gardening section.

 

[PacoPetty]

Thank you! I found it at a home center just a few miles from my house.