Dosing Limewater

[Pete H.]

Hello All,

I have a 20 gallon reef tank with a simple HOB mechanical activated carbon filter and a HOB skimmer. The parameters of the tank have been great. However, over the past several months, I have added several SPS and LPS to the tank. Being relatively new to the hobby (less than a year). I started to see a drop in the alkalinity. (It seemed to happen all of a sudden.) My dkH was at a bit over 6. I noticed that my supernatural cap started to bleach. I quick did a water change to try and get the dkH and calcium up. As the SPS continue to grow, I was thinking I will need to start dosing limewater to keep the calcium, dkH, and pH more stable. I have tried to read up on the limewater/kalkwasser dosing. Everything I seem to read makes it sound super simple. 2 of the best articles I have read are:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/nftt/index.php

I would like to put a DIY doser like the second link has. However, I still have a few basic questions I am struggling with.

1. How big of a jug do I need for a 20 gallon tank? 20oz? 32oz? (I see I need roughly 1 teaspoon per gallon of water - Is that 1 teaspoon for gallon of sea water or 1 teaspoon per gallon of RO/DI water you are mixing it in?)

2. I see they say roughly one drop per second. Is this best monitored by checking your parameters daily to keep in spec?

I understand how the concept works, how the DIY build is made. I guess what I am looking for is some advice for my specific tank on the ratio to mix the solution and how to drip it. I am a bit paranoid that I will do it wrong and start to precipitate out all my calcium and kill alot of my coral.

Any help will be great. Here is a pick of the tank to give some reference on the details. (Sorry about the par meter readings in the way. It was to most up to date photo I have.)

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

 

[Sk8r]

If you have ANY autotopoff, and a reservoir feeding it, just DIY a lid for the reservoir and put a teaspoon or so of Mrs. Wages PIckling LIme into your reservoir, stir it once, and that's it. Keep the lid on, refill at need. I do it with a 32 gallon trashcan reservoir, but the principle's the same.

 

[Agu]

I use the kalk dripper you linked . For my 5.5 I used a 12 oz bottle and for the 30 gallon it's 64 OZ ( 1/2 gallon) bottle. They're both a bit over sized for the application but that's intentional. Once a week I dump out the old sludge and add about a half teaspoon to the 12 oz bottle and 2 teaspoons lime to the 1/2 gallon bottle. That's enough kalk for a week worth of topoff. Remember, if you allow the kalk to settle only a limited amount of lime is dissolved in the water.

It'll take a week or two to figure out how much ro/di water to add to the bottle, then just mark that level with a permanent marker. Because my 5.5 is a bit more sensitive I have two drippers so one is always ready to go.

For a 20 gallon a quart sized bottle should be about right.

My drip rate is higher than one drip/second, if you're not topping off a huge percentage and it's into a high flow area it's not an issue imo. Go too slow and the valve clogs too soon.

 

[Pete H.]

Thanks for the help guys.

I don't have an auto top off. I wish that I did. lol. I add about 3/4 a gallon evaporation in a day. So, I top off a bit in the morning and a bit in the evening with RO/DI water.

So, I would probably be looking at a 32 oz bottle and about 1.5 teaspoons of pickling lime?

It'll take a week or two to figure out how much ro/di water to add to the bottle, then just mark that level with a permanent marker. Because my 5.5 is a bit more sensitive I have two drippers so one is always ready to go.

Would you be willing to explain how to figure out how much ro/di water to add to the bottle? Is there a good way to go about doing that? I am planning on adding it to the high flow area, right by the powerhead in the picture.

Thanks again!
Pete

 

[Pete H.]

Stupid double post!

 

[Agu]

Thanks for the help guys.

I don't have an auto top off. I wish that I did. lol. I add about 3/4 a gallon evaporation in a day. So, I top off a bit in the morning and a bit in the evening with RO/DI water.

So, I would probably be looking at a 32 oz bottle and about 1.5 teaspoons of pickling lime?



Would you be willing to explain how to figure out how much ro/di water to add to the bottle? Is there a good way to go about doing that? I am planning on adding it to the high flow area, right by the powerhead in the picture.

Thanks again!
Pete

So you fill a 32 oz top off bottle about 3/4 full two times a day. If twice a day is your schedule I'd suggest two top off bottles so you always have one ready to go. Adjust the amount in each bottle as necessary, fact is top off varies seasonally depending on heating/ air con use (varying evap depending on the season).

Pickling lime is cheap and you're only adding it once a week, adding too much isn't an issue if you let it settle. 1 1/2 teaspoons sounds fine.

 

[Pete H.]

Pickling lime is cheap and you're only adding it once a week, adding too much isn't an issue if you let it settle. 1 1/2 teaspoons sounds fine.

So, if I do weekly waterchanges on Sunday, would I want to do the 1.5 teaspoons of lime in the bottle on a wednesday? or do I mix up about 5 gallons of ro/di with the 1.5 teaspoons of lime and use that 5 gallons through the whole week?

Also, how long do I need to let the mixture sit before I start to drip? I want the precipitates to drop out right?

Sorry for being so slow. I really appreciate the help.