Home Depot kalkwasser (hydrated lime)

[zelie_dad]

I've been dosing two part to a few months, but it's a manual process and sometimes I forget, so I'm going to switch to kalkwasser. So being the cheap *** I am, I figured I could use hydrated lime from home depot. I found some, but it doesn't say specifically calcium hydroxide, so I'm wondering if it is any good or should I just return it. On another note, this also contains magnesium compounds as well. Here is a picture of the back of the bag

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[bertoni]

Hydrated lime usually is calcium hydroxide, which is fine to use. That product isn't food grade, though, so it might have more impurities that could cause problems. It might be fine, though. Somewhere on the packaging there should be an contents analysis that would help with identifying what's in the product.

 

[rayjay]

I've used hydrated lime purchased from co-op stores locally for over 20 years.
Farmers use it to spread on floors to combat bacterial problems I think.

 

[Harbour]

I used Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime for years. Cheap, buy at the grocery. I did the slurry method. Years later dripped in top off. Couldn't tell a difference between methods.

Do a search on Mrs. Wages, tons of people have used it with success.

Harbour

 

[zelie_dad]

Hydrated lime usually is calcium hydroxide, which is fine to use. That product isn't food grade, though, so it might have more impurities that could cause problems. It might be fine, though. Somewhere on the packaging there should be an contents analysis that would help with identifying what's in the product.

This was really the only thing that was on the bag that mentioned anything about what the contents were.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[bertoni]

Well, I'd probably spring for some Mrs Wage's, but what you have likely is fine. The problem is the inconsistent use of terminology, and the possible impurities. You could try a bit in water to see whether the pH spikes. If so, it's likely calcium hydroxide.

 

[zelie_dad]

After a bit of Google foo, I found the sds of the product I bought.

What I picked up was Graymont Montaseal

http://www.graymont.com/sites/defau...ime_graymont_-_sds_us-ca_v4.7english_us_0.pdf


Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Sk8r]

Even Mrs Wages has some small impurities, over months of use. You do have to hose out the bin eventually.

 

[bertoni]

The dolomitic hydrated lime probably is okay, although the magnesium should precipitate as magnesium hydroxide.

 

[zelie_dad]

The dolomitic hydrated lime probably is okay, although the magnesium should precipitate as magnesium hydroxide.

What does that mean?

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[bertoni]

That product contains calcium hydroxide and magnesium oxide. The high pH of the Kalk solution will cause magnesium hydroxide to precipitate, or form a gel. I'm not sure which.

 

[zelie_dad]

I guess that isn't what I want...

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[bertoni]

Well, it probably won't hurt much, as long as you are careful to keep the precipitate out of the tank. It would spike the magnesium level if much got into the system. You might have to clean the container fairly frequently, I suppose.

 

[zelie_dad]

Well, 50lbs of the stuff was only $8, so if I have to pitch the whole bag then oh well. I figured it is worth a shot. I was thinking that because it has mag, it would also help maintain it as well, but only time will tell.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[zelie_dad]

That product contains calcium hydroxide and magnesium oxide. The high pH of the Kalk solution will cause magnesium hydroxide to precipitate, or form a gel. I'm not sure which.

I don't know how you knew, but I checked my ATO container, and sure enough, there was this gel that was all over the pump, and lines. I have dumped the ATO container and picked up some reef safe kalkwasser.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[bertoni]

Magnesium hydroxide forms temporarily as a gel when high pH alkalinity supplements are added in large enough quantities to our tanks. I wasn't sure whether the higher pH would cause the precipitate to become more solid.