Limewater

[Cory]

Is the leftover lime still potent at the bottom of the container?

I want to add to my 5 gal ato 2 cups of calcium hydroxide, stir it and let it settle. Then simply add more water when the ato gets low.

Is this settled lime still just as good to make it fully saturated until its all gone?

 

[Reefing Madness]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[Cory]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

 

[peter fumo]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/kalkwasser-refresh-in-ato.252644/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Leftover solids that are calcium hydroxide are still potent. Precipitates of calcium carbonate are not. many systems (such as mine) will have both.

 

[Cory]

So settled calcium hydroxide should be reusable, but solid calcium carbonate is not. So adding two cups would be fine?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So settled calcium hydroxide should be reusable, but solid calcium carbonate is not. So adding two cups would be fine?

Yes, and adding excess is fine as long as it does not get dosed as solids. That can drive pH way too high and was the cause of many white out events in my tank (which usually did not apparent harm).

 

[Cory]

Yes, and adding excess is fine as long as it does not get dosed as solids. That can drive pH way too high and was the cause of many white out events in my tank (which usually did not apparent harm).

Ok thanks. Is it fine to add 2 cups of lime into 5 gallons ro water and just add more lime as needed? I dont have a way to measure potency.

My reasoning is that the limewater should remain fully satured this way until 90% of it gone. Then ill just add another two cups of lime. Ill be sure not to have it draw from the bottom.

Sorry if it seems im asking the same thing again.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok thanks. Is it fine to add 2 cups of lime into 5 gallons ro water and just add more lime as needed? I dont have a way to measure potency.

My reasoning is that the limewater should remain fully satured this way until 90% of it gone. Then ill just add another two cups of lime. Ill be sure not to have it draw from the bottom.

Sorry if it seems im asking the same thing again.

I measure potency by conductivity, which makes it a lot easier to know how much more might be needed with each new batch. pH can work, but is fairly crude (a 0.3 pH unit change is about a factor of 2 in potency). I'm not sure how well you'll be able to judge potency otherwise just by looking at the solids.