iam planning my auto topoff set up. i was thinking that i would put a pump in to stir the kalk twice a day as well as the pump to feed the top off to the tank. this means complex wiring so the ATO pump is off while the stirring pump is on, and then for so long after the pump is finished stirring. but i was wondering if the kalk water even needs to be stirred more then once, as when i refill the reservoir and mix in the kalk. its a ~20g res. and i lose bout 2g a day. so the kalkwater would be sitting for 10 days potentially.
how often does kalkwater need to be stirred
- Thread starter aquaman2
- Start date
You don't want to stir the kalkwasser once it's been mixed. That'll just aerate the mix, and could cause some degradation of calcium content. This link should give details:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php#11
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php#11
boxfishpooalot
Active member
Also. Stirring limewater may let solid particles of lime wich have settled from Co2 precipitation to enter the aquarium.Stirring lime also increases the chance for contaminated solid lime to enter into the aquarium. With solid lime can bring unessary phophate and copper, when not stirring it would allow it to stay out of the aquarium. Its best not to stir it after the first lime settles.Ever seen the color of Calcuim carbonate from a lime reactor? Guess what the color comes from.
I pore the clear part to my top off watching carefully for particles. Is this ok?
Yes, pouring off the clear limewater is a fine plan.
I dose it from an 88 gallon reservoir where it is stirred when first mixed, and then it sits unstirred for a few weeks as it is used.
Yes, pouring off the clear limewater is a fine plan.
I dose it from an 88 gallon reservoir where it is stirred when first mixed, and then it sits unstirred for a few weeks as it is used.
Dag
Premium Member
On the one hand people say that the stuff that settles should not go in the aquarium.
On the other hand others advocate and use the slurry method (mixing powder and water in a cup and dumping the whole thing in), which necesarily involves the addition of precipitate. That's what I do, and Randy already previously opined that he had no vehement objection to this practice. See here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=389370
On the other hand others advocate and use the slurry method (mixing powder and water in a cup and dumping the whole thing in), which necesarily involves the addition of precipitate. That's what I do, and Randy already previously opined that he had no vehement objection to this practice. See here: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=389370
The drawbacks to the slurry method are what one expects from the reason for wanting to slowly dose clear limewater:
1. More potential for impurities that are not allowed to settle out
2. You can only add a little at a time or else the pH rises too much
On a different but related topic, what if I use Randy's method, put I add a powerhead in the reservoir to circulate the water for an hour a day? Wouldn't that be a good thing, or would the powerhead freeze up from the calcium?
Why would you? It will keep the limewater from being fully settled most of the time, and provides no apparent benefit unless you are adding new water that needs to have lime dissolve into it.
1. More potential for impurities that are not allowed to settle out
2. You can only add a little at a time or else the pH rises too much
On a different but related topic, what if I use Randy's method, put I add a powerhead in the reservoir to circulate the water for an hour a day? Wouldn't that be a good thing, or would the powerhead freeze up from the calcium?
Why would you? It will keep the limewater from being fully settled most of the time, and provides no apparent benefit unless you are adding new water that needs to have lime dissolve into it.
It may eventually freeze up or wear dow the impellar, but it will work for quite some time if you only stir a few minutes a day.
Good luck. Let's us know how it works out.
