kalk question

pickling line is kalk and much cheaper option than paying higher price for a name brand.
 
So you're telling me that there is absolutely no difference other than price between those products? I'm printing this out and showing the LFS that a chemist who has studied this agrees with me and that there is no difference in the ingredients that make the products up. Correct?
 
Same stuff. Calclium hydroxide is calcium hydroxide. Food grade is just fine in terms of any impurity concerns,might even meet a higher standard than the hobby grade product.
 
So you're telling me that there is absolutely no difference other than price between those products? I'm printing this out and showing the LFS that a chemist who has studied this agrees with me and that there is no difference in the ingredients that make the products up. Correct?

The guy at the LFS is going to try to tell you that Brightwell adds magnesium and he might well, but it won't be soluble in the kalk water so it is of absolutely no consequence.

As far as what it will do for your tank there is absolutely no difference. If anything I would bet the Mrs Wages is cleaner because it's food grade.
 
Just looked at it. It's the Kalk plus 2. Claims strontium is added which is useless and magnesium which is impossible since it would drop out of solution in kalk water.If magnesium is in it it will never get to your tank in a soluable useful form. So it may not e the same and may have some useless stuff in it along with an unknown grade of calcium hydroxide.
 
So you're telling me that there is absolutely no difference other than price between those products? I'm printing this out and showing the LFS that a chemist who has studied this agrees with me and that there is no difference in the ingredients that make the products up. Correct?

FWIW, I am a chemist and I have studied these products in detail.

Here's my assessment from many other threads:

Unfortunately, kalk+2 is a very poorly designed product that won't work. It has very little magnesium in it (no more than is in ordinary lime: he is just labeling an impurity as a plus), but even that will precipitate out in limewater as magnesium hydroxide.

Really, this is a pitiful product. Not enough magnesium to be useful even if it worked, and it won't work.

It is a marketing gimmick.

I show in the article linked below that bulk supplied calcium oxide and hydroxide have that amount of magnesium or more already in it.

Magnesium and Strontium in Limewater
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2003/chem.htm

Chris Brightwell may be adding strontium to the kalk+2. However, it appears that despite claims in the past, strontium is just not a useful supplement for most reefs. Most people who dosed it and stopped see no difference, and there is no demonstrated need for strontium in most inverts. If, however, you want strontium for some reason, it may be a fine source.
 
Honestly, save your breath man. Don't go barking at your LFS, he/she/they, likely won't care. Just take what you learn here, smile and be on your way. You will be much better off.

While your at it. Look up Randy's articles on 2-Part solutions for Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium... and take the money you save and buy some nice frags. :)

Aquarium Chemistry: A Homemade Two-Part Calcium And Alkalinity Additive System
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/4/chemistry
 
Back
Top