Anyone mix vinegar with their kalkwasser?

[Wildman]

I thought I would just start another thread with some more info. I was reading this article http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/breefcase/kalkwasser.html

I don't have any way to drip and am looking for an easy way to add kalk without it precipitating out.

 

[Wildman]

No comments? Since it has been awhile since I took chemistry my main question is will this lower the PH of the kalk mixture?

 

[Steve W]

It will help some but increasing your buffering capacity I think would help more. It's the change in pH that results in the precipitation if I remember my chemistry correctly. You might try using Calcium chloride instead lime water or adding baking soda (about 1/4 teaspoon per 50 gallons, at first) or injecting CO2 into your refugium to increase the bicarbonate ion HCO3- instead of carbonates which it sounds like you have an excess of now.

Been a long time for my chemistry too, but I did take a lot of it. I'm a chemical engineer. I'll try to pull out my texts and refresh myself. I will let you know if I find anything else.

Steve W

 

[modifyd]

I use a kalk reactor and never had any problems with precipitation.

 

[Engloid]

If you know anybody in the medical field, they can probably get you one of the drip doser things like they use for an IV. I have one rigged up right now, siphoning out of a bucket.

 

[Wildman]

Yea, that's the thing, I don't have room for a reactor or a drip system. I can add the kalk mix with my top off water and it works great. I tried mixing it with the vinegar and it still raises the PH which is good. One week after water change my levels had dropped only slightly. PH - 7.6, KH - 9dkh, Ca - 380. I want to raise all three at the same time.

I am wondering why mixing an acid with the kalk does not lower the PH of the solution. When you add a kalk and water mixture to your system it reacts with CO2. This should also help raise PH in your tank. If you mix kalk with vinegar, you not only add an acid but you are no longer reacting with the CO2 in the system. Both of these should cut the rise in PH.

 

[Steve W]

Did a little research. You might try mixing your lime with club soda. The club soda is a mild acid and will reduce the pH a little and add bicarbonate ions to your system which will increase your buffering capacity.

Steve W

24 gallon nano

PS: It also increases the natural solubility of the calcium. It is probably as close to the way nature does it, and so is less likely to upset your corals or fish.