Another Kalkwasser Question

[supra23]

I prefer to dose limewater from a settled reservoir, like a Brute trash can.

I use a Reef Filler pump (2, actually) on an Omega Engineering LV-1201 float switch, but that pump is only suited for remote use (a basement, in my case) as it is noisy.

As long as the ATO sends in the water slowly enough and in small enough amounts, many ATO systems will work OK.

In a settled reservoir, wouldn't the limewater be less effective due to gas exchange or sediment build up on the bottom?

 

[sjm817]

Randy,

Any suggests for hardware set ups for a kalk/ato combo? I have a JBJ ATO which should do the job for my needs..at least for the time being =)


I was looking at Kalk stirrers/reactors. There's one FS that's $130, but it uses a magnetic stir bar, which I THINK is a really old model...

The JBJ out of the box requires a 1" level change to kick in which is too much. There is a way to modify it to make it work better. LMK if you are interested in the mod. I really like Aqualifters for topoff pumps. They are $12, run a long time (years), deliver a slow rate, and pumping Kalk doesn't hurt them.

 

[supra23]

The JBJ out of the box requires a 1" level change to kick in which is too much. There is a way to modify it to make it work better. LMK if you are interested in the mod. I really like Aqualifters for topoff pumps. They are $12, run a long time (years), deliver a slow rate, and pumping Kalk doesn't hurt them.

Interested Right now I'm debating between a Kalk reactor/stirrer with an aqualifter or... Peristatic dosing pumps from BRS for Ca and Alk with the JBJ still for top off

 

[biecacka]

randy right now i use a drip to dose limewater into my tank, its a 220 softy lps tank. i use a 5 gallon bucket that gets refilled every third day or so, it also doubles as my top off water. well between more evaporation(due to summer heat) and the drip line getting clogged sometimes i was thinking of using a brute trash can with a Mj1200 or so and having it kick on daily for a few minutes to put lime water back in tank and help w my ATO. this wont require refills as often but my question is since it wont be a steady drip am i looking at any negative side effects of putting a gallon or so of limewater in my tank at once as opposed to a slow drip?
corey

 

[sjm817]

Interested Right now I'm debating between a Kalk reactor/stirrer with an aqualifter or... Peristatic dosing pumps from BRS for Ca and Alk with the JBJ still for top off

A reactor is added cost and complexity and often doesn't work as well as a simple settled kalk topoff container. This is what I do and is my general reconnedation.

Start with Kalk topoff. Having an ATO is a good idea anyway and as Randy posted, adding Kalk to that is trivial. If that is enough for your ca/alk needs, that is perfect. If it isn't continue the kalk ato and add in the 2 part dosing to make up the balance of what is needed.

 

[myaerica]

A kalk reactor also dose the impuritys you don't want in the tank.

 

[supra23]

A reactor is added cost and complexity and often doesn't work as well as a simple settled kalk topoff container. This is what I do and is my general reconnedation.

Start with Kalk topoff. Having an ATO is a good idea anyway and as Randy posted, adding Kalk to that is trivial. If that is enough for your ca/alk needs, that is perfect. If it isn't continue the kalk ato and add in the 2 part dosing to make up the balance of what is needed.

Thanks for sticking to the thread and the conversation. When adding the kalk to the top off, does it settle/separate or will it stay in solution as long as the precipitation point isn't exceeded. Sorry it's been a while for my chem

 

[sjm817]

It stays in solution. Some stuff will settle out, but the solution stays saturated s long as the container is covered and not exposed to too much CO2

 

[supra23]

You mentioned an alternative mod to the JBJ to avoid the 1" gap needed to trigger the top off - Can you explain that if you have a chance?

Also, is it safe to assume there are guidelines when you buy kalk that tell you how much to mix per gallon?

 

[Orr2003]

Thanks for sticking to the thread and the conversation. When adding the kalk to the top off, does it settle/separate or will it stay in solution as long as the precipitation point isn't exceeded. Sorry it's been a while for my chem

Fresh water will only hold so much kalk in solution. If you add more kalk to your top off reservoir then the fresh water can hold it will just precipitate out of solution along with the impurities and settle to the bottom. This is why you dont want to suck the kalk water from the bottom of the container. You would want you ATO pump to pull the kalk water from a few inches above the bottom making sure it isnt sucking anything up from the bottom of the container.

 

[Orr2003]

You mentioned an alternative mod to the JBJ to avoid the 1" gap needed to trigger the top off - Can you explain that if you have a chance?

Also, is it safe to assume there are guidelines when you buy kalk that tell you how much to mix per gallon?

Just buy Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime from the grocery store.

 

[TheFishMan65]

It is saturated you can not mix too much. If you try it will just settle to the bottom. That is why kalk stirrer work. As new plain water is added the stirrer gets the ew water into saturation.

[EDIT]
I could not find it at the grocery store. Try Southern States. They also carry Mag Flakes for your magnesium

 

[supra23]

Thanks for the input guys. If you were in my position, would you just use kalk in ato water or look into dosing 2 part via timed pumps? Trying to get a feel from people who have been there and done that

 

[TheFishMan65]

I haven't done either yet, but will be going with a kalk stirrer.

 

[myaerica]

Thanks for the input guys. If you were in my position, would you just use kalk in ato water or look into dosing 2 part via timed pumps? Trying to get a feel from people who have been there and done that

Kalk is the easiest thing you can use if your demands aren't to high. Mix 35 gallons in trash can done for 2 weeks give or take on how much evap you have.

 

[sjm817]

Thanks for the input guys. If you were in my position, would you just use kalk in ato water or look into dosing 2 part via timed pumps? Trying to get a feel from people who have been there and done that

You can do either or both. As posted earlier, Kalk alone may or may not be enough by itself. Its simple enough to try. If its not, then add the 2 part to make up the difference.

 

[jtumbleweed]

I'm having issues that would take way to long to go into here, but basically I had a bucket of Seachem salt that I have used half of where the alk of the newly mixed water tests about 5, and the mag tests about 1240. I just found this out. Subsenquently my tanks parameters are all messed up.

I use a two part method, about 100 ml a day of each, one in the morning and one at night, and I was using Brightwell Kalk+2 as my ATO dripped by an aqualifter. I was told to discontinue the kalk as it might be messing with the Mag, possibly grabbing it as precipitate. Would you suggest I keep using the kalk while I try to re-balance my parameters? I feel like changing my system now would be worse, I've been doing this for over a year or two now. My tank is about 60 gallons total volume, SPS dominated, with four 5"+ clams. Everything is doing alright, but 6 months ago I lost all my large monti colonies, the flesh died off from the center out which would seem to indicate alk problems.

 

[maroun.c]

Yeah saturated limewater via topoff in my tank is not enough to keep up with the demand. I currently dose 1600ml of randys recipe2 daily which is about 1 meg/L alk consumption daily in my tank. I evap about 7 to 7 1/2g daily but would need to add 9.86g (according to the calculator) daily of kalk water. This just does not work for me. So I just top off fresh RO/DI water and dose (dowflake and baking soda). For years I was always a calcium reactor kinda guy but since I started dosing my alk and cal are always spot on.

1600ml?
Wow thats a lot. I always thought that when I reach 200-300 ml per day it would be a lot cheaper to use a Ca reactor. As I always feared having a Ca reactor running while on travel I always thought I would get an undersized one and supplement with 2 part or Kalk.
Care to share why yo uchose to continue with 2 parts alone?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

In a settled reservoir, wouldn't the limewater be less effective due to gas exchange or sediment build up on the bottom?

I showed experimentally that in a Brute trash can, it stays equipotent for weeks when not stirred, but only covered with the can lid.

this wont require refills as often but my question is since it wont be a steady drip am i looking at any negative side effects of putting a gallon or so of limewater in my tank at once as opposed to a slow drip?

It needs to be a small addition. Adding 1.25% of the tank volume (or the sump volume) will boost the tank (sump) pH by about 0.6 to 0.7 pH units instantly.

 

[biecacka]

thanks randy! i really think if i go to the brute trash can i will lose the drip dose of kalk and make your 2part. can both parts be added daily or dosed 1 today other tomorrow type plan?
corey