How about a group buy for Pickling Lime?

[Tomoko Schum]

Hi y'all,

I have located a distributor for Mississippi Lime Company's food grade CaOH (the same thing as Ball or Mrs. Wages pickling lime.) This is the same calcium hydroxide Dr. Randy Holmes Farley talked about as safe Kalk substitute material in one of his articles. One 50 lbs bag is $12. The distributor is in Madison (south of Huntsville Airport.) I can go get it and bring it to September meeting if you'd like. We'll weigh it and put it in bags or in a container of your choice.

Any taker?

Tomoko

 

[8BALL_99]

I'll Take some.. I've been wanting to try Kalk. Say if I wanted to dose my 92 gallon how much should I get.. How much Lime do you go through on your 120 Tomoko?

Will

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I have been using picking lime in my top off water. The rate I use is roughly 1-1/2 tsp. of lime per gallon of water. Some people use up to 2 tsp. per gallon (saturated.) I am probably using a can of Mrs. Wages pickling lime in a month or so for my 120. I do this mainly to counteract the pH drop caused by my calcium reactor.

Are you going to drip the slurry like some people do, or are you going to make a Nelson's kalk reactor or something similar to Deltek unit?

Tomoko

 

[Mariner]

Tomoko,
I'll take some. As you know, I've been dripping kalk for years. A few months back, I started mixing vinegar in with it to up the saturation to 3 tsp. per gallon. It's worked very well so far, IMHO.
BTW, if you happen to work out a similar deal for Dowflake or some other useable form of calcium chloride, count me in for sure.
Mariner

 

[stolaas]

I may be in. But what is the difference in using kalk water vs. Fiji Gold Calcium or other calcium additive? I have been using Fiji Gold now since last meeting and have been useing PurpleUp since I started the tank which has Alk. additive in it as well. Would it be better to just go with Kalk water or continue with what I have at least till it runs out?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

Curtis -

The advantage of kalk is that it supplies calcium and alkalinity at a balanced ratio. You may not need to add any other supplement as long as you don't have calcium hungry corals like some SPS's. Calcium hydroxide binds and precipitates phosphate and some heavy metals such as copper, too.

If you wonder if you should stick with the two part method or kalkwasser, here's a nice article by Dr. Randy Holmes-Farley to help you decide:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Mariner -

I don't know of a close enough source for Mag Flakes at the moment. If I go visit my sister-in-law up north or if she comes down, I will see if I can get hold of some. Otherwise, the freight is rather expensive and it may not make sense to get it down here.

Tomoko

 

[stolaas]

After reading the info i will be in. I will go ahead and use up what I have now and start using the lime as soon as my current stuff runs out. Thanks for the info Tomoko

 

[8BALL_99]

Tomoko, I'll probably do a Reactor you know how lazy I am when it comes to daily tank chores. I've been looking at them they seem pretty simple. Not sure yet if I'm going to DIY one.. I've found a couple pretty cheap.

Will

 

[Tomoko Schum]

8Ball -

Is the reactor you found one of those that uses an electric stirrer or one with a powerhead?

Tomoko

 

[8BALL_99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7951657#post7951657 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tomoko Schum
8Ball -

Is the reactor you found one of those that uses an electric stirrer or one with a powerhead?

Tomoko

I've seen both.. The ones that use a pump seem to need cleaning/replacement pumps alot from what I've read


Will

 

[Philip Root]

I would like a full bag of the lime. I can not be at the meeting in sept. because I will be at macna. Is there anyone that can get it for me at the meeting. If the club buys a bag and needs some one to split what is not sold I will buy the rest for the bag also.

Philip

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I will get you a bag or two, Philip, if you'd like. Hope someone can get it down to you.

Anyone in B'ham willing to pick them up for Philip? Is someone going down to B'ham soon? I can get them anytime since the place is pretty close to where I am.

Tomoko

 

[6Speed]

I put some pickling lime in a 1 gallon container last night and this morning the water is still cloudy. I thought what didn't saturate the water would collect on the bottom?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

When I mix pickling lime in my top off bucket at the rate of 1-1/2 tsp of pickling lime per gallon of water (a near saturation level), the resulting lime water seems to clear within a few hours. I get a thin film on the water surface which, I suspect, is caused by the reaction and its byproduct with atmospheric CO2. After awhile I get some off white colored sludge on the bottom. If I disturb this sludge layer by stirring or adding water to the bucket, the lime water becomes cloudy again.

Hope this helps,

Tomoko

 

[Mariner]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8009669#post8009669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 6Speed
I put some pickling lime in a 1 gallon container last night and this morning the water is still cloudy. I thought what didn't saturate the water would collect on the bottom?

You thought correctly. It should collect at the bottom in just a couple of hours. As Tomoko said, there is also usually a white film on top. You did use RO water, right?
Mariner

 

[6Speed]

I'm using 1 gallon apple juice jugs filled to the brim with RO water and 1 tsp of ESV calcium hydroxide, and I put the cap back on them. Should I take the cap off and let them sit?

 

[6Speed]

also, how much vinegar should I use to up teh saturation point?