CStrickland
New member
Where I live they only stock it at hardware stores and stuff during canning season, but you can get it from Amazon year-round. Canada has Amazon, right?
Debating Kalkwasser Dosing
- Thread starter Moray26
- Start date
tennesseebob
New member
Yeah I talked to my sister whom works at Wally, she said they only stock it seasonally at most around here, found some at a tiny backwoods super Rama grocery store XD
Dkuhlmann
New member
I did a Google search for Mrs Wages and found many places to order it. Here it is in a 1lb bag on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Wages-Pickling-1-Pound-Resealable/dp/B0084LZU1Q
That's definitely not how you want to add it. You need to read up on it.
Also the folks that can't find Mrs. Wages make sure you are looking in the section of the store that sells canning supplies.
The plan was to add it to the 32 gallon brute full of RO/DI and stir. Then when I fill up my ATO reservoir, do it from the 32 gal brute. The ATO will uses a low wattage pump and will top off slowly. I will not just dump it in the sump. I recognize it needs to be a slow fill, which is why I'm using the ATO. Did I miss something?
ZeeSparrow
New member
I don't have my links handy but I believe you use max of 2 tsp per gallon. For 32 gallons, MAX amount would be 64 tsp = 1-1/3 cups. I think 2 # is a little much.
It's recommended to start lower though. Maybe 1/2 tsp per gallon to start.
RingingEars
Because they ring
Shawn O
Active member
IIRC, the water will only absorb the lime until it is completely saturated and hold no more, the excess lime will drop to the bottom and sit there until more RODI is added. Don't know who I heard this from, but it must have been a "cat" person.
ZeeSparrow
New member
This is true, but if you don't need the max dose, it might raise alk higher than you want. I think.
BigJohnny
Active member
Keep in mind alk significantly raises ph, so you are limited in how much you can add. Also obviously by how much water your tank evaporates daily. however it usually is sufficient up to a moderately stocked mix reef.
I recommend using it in conjunction with a reliable auto top off but only if you have a controller or ph meter and can create fail safes because a full overdose can be devastating. A timer would work as well but a combination of a reliable ato and ph controller/aquarium controller is best.
The alternative is a dripper which you mix daily and drip kalk water into your system. Downside to this is that obviously you have to change it out daily but it eliminates a lot of the risk and is the cheapest method. I don't recommend a reactor.
I strongly recommend you watch BRS TVs video on kalkwasser. It's very informative and will help you do it right. When done properly it is the cheapest effective way of maintaining calcium and alk in your reef.
If you don't watch the video, I'll share one key point. Make sure you don't overmix it (just stir a few times until it's all saturated) and then let it clear up and settle for a few hours. Make sure either your dripper or auto top off pulls about 1-2 inches from the bottom of the container because there will be precipitate and the bottom that you don't want in your tank.
Good luck
I recommend using it in conjunction with a reliable auto top off but only if you have a controller or ph meter and can create fail safes because a full overdose can be devastating. A timer would work as well but a combination of a reliable ato and ph controller/aquarium controller is best.
The alternative is a dripper which you mix daily and drip kalk water into your system. Downside to this is that obviously you have to change it out daily but it eliminates a lot of the risk and is the cheapest method. I don't recommend a reactor.
I strongly recommend you watch BRS TVs video on kalkwasser. It's very informative and will help you do it right. When done properly it is the cheapest effective way of maintaining calcium and alk in your reef.
If you don't watch the video, I'll share one key point. Make sure you don't overmix it (just stir a few times until it's all saturated) and then let it clear up and settle for a few hours. Make sure either your dripper or auto top off pulls about 1-2 inches from the bottom of the container because there will be precipitate and the bottom that you don't want in your tank.
Good luck
Last edited:
Shawn O
Active member
Good point, wasn't thinking about the current ph/alk it's being added to.
The depth of the pump is something I hadn't considered, either. Definitely will keep mine raised up a bit when it gets set up.
BigJohnny
Active member
I use a little stand made out of egg crate to keep my pump raised. More reliable then simply hanging it at a desired level and hoping it doesn't lower:
Walmart has it in the canning section with all the mason jars. I dose it in my ato water. Corals are fine and my growth increased dramatically over manual dosing. I believe it is because it doses as my water Evaps over the course of a week.
I use bulk reef supply and mix 1 tbsp per 2 gallons and use this as top off. I don't like using a kalk stirrer. They are not necessary and sometimes dose the "slurry" which is not helpful in your system. Keep it simple. Mix a small amount with your top off and gradually increase until you understand your demand. Helpful to have a controller that would shut off the pump if your ph exceeds ie 8.4.
FWIW, I dose fully saturated limewater( ie 2 tsps of calcium hydroxide per gallon ) from a still reservoir via perstaltic pump and have for about 8 years. I dose a set amount approximating daily top off and spread it out 24/7 so it's dosed in small increments throughout the day and night. ATO applications may result in agitation in the reservoir and variations in dosing related to variations in tank evaporation rates and bursts in dosing tied to the timing of top off additions; those scenarios can result in pH spikes and precipitation.
It meets the needs for calcium and alkalinity in my sps dominant system.
To start a new system with a lighter load in terms of calcification needs I'd try about 1/2 tsp per gallon ; monitor alk and calcium levels and work up or down from there as needed. Some tanks may do fine with just water changes . Most with a population of calcifying orgnanisms( corals, calms, coraline et al ) need more than just water changes.
It meets the needs for calcium and alkalinity in my sps dominant system.
To start a new system with a lighter load in terms of calcification needs I'd try about 1/2 tsp per gallon ; monitor alk and calcium levels and work up or down from there as needed. Some tanks may do fine with just water changes . Most with a population of calcifying orgnanisms( corals, calms, coraline et al ) need more than just water changes.
