Kalk dosing questions...

[scottkel]

I have a question about how everyone is using their kalk (and/or pickling lime)... Once you mix the solution, are you re-using the "settled" white powder again?

What i have been doing is this - i have a 1 1/2 gallon jug that i mix my solution with stirring for 10-15 minutes. I let the solution settle (typically overnight) and a am using an aqua lifter with an airline valve to drip into my sump. Once the solution finishes dripping, i rinse the jug and dump and make-up new solution with more powder...

Is this necessary? Is anyone just adding more water to the settled powder and comtinue to use? Will this work?

Please let me know what you are doing...

Thanks!

Scott

 

[IslandCrow]

I've done it both ways. Some of that settled powder is simply undissolved lime that will dissolve when you add more water. Some of it is impurities in the water forced out of solution from the kalk. I think there may even be some impurities in the kalk that don't dissolve and settle on the bottom as well. Nothing in there is going to be death to the tank, but I personally prefer to just dump it.

On the other hand, if you're purposely adding more kalk than can be dissolved because it's easier for you to just add water now and again (kind of like a manual kalk stirrer), that's certainly not unheard of. I did that very thing, but had issues with getting undissolved kalk into the drip tubing and gunking it up.

 

[sjfishguy]

Just dump it. Kalk is cheap and the sediment can have insoluble impurities, just get rid of them.