Kalk + vinegar

[DeepThought]

I know that people have made supersaturated kalkwasser for years by using vinegar. What's the formula again... how many tsp of vinegar, tsp of vodka to how many gallons?

Also, if I can remember college chemistry,... vinegar is a weak acid solution that does not completely disassociate in water. If you are adding vinegar to the kalkwasser mix to supersaturate it, you should have some acetic acid left over. Essentially.... vinegar dosing (carbon dosing) your tank at the same time.

2Ca(OH)2(aq) + CH3COOH(aq) +CO2 -> Ca2(aq) + 2OH2(aq) + CH3COO + H2O(l) + CaCO3(s) ????? Sorry, my chemistry days have been over for a little too long. Can someone help me out?


Am I wrong? Can someone explain the chemistry a little better or point me in the right direction?

 

[bertoni]

The usual recommended limit is 45 ml vinegar and 15 ml Kalk per gallon:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm#7

All of the vinegar is consumed over time, so it all acts as carbon dosing. Many tanks require more vinegar than that to solve nutrient problems, though.

I'd be careful when dosing vinegar with lime. Sometimes, it leads to bacterial blooms.

 

[DeepThought]

So 3tbsp vinegar to 1tbsp kalk to 1g water. Thanks.

Ill be very careful with it. I know its been done before, but i just want to experiment with it a bit.

 

[thegrun]

I would start with 1 tbsp per gallon and increase slowly over a few weeks from there.

 

[DeepThought]

I would start with 1 tbsp per gallon and increase slowly over a few weeks from there.

Thanks. That will give me a good starting point. I appreciate the additional input.

 

[Siapin]

I haven't dosed kalk in years, so I don't quite remember the details, and I'm wondering if there are any new techniques to this practice, for instance adding vinegar to the limewater solution. What about adding vodka to this?

I'm just looking for a refresher.

I just plugged in my tunze osmolator ato this week, so I'm ready to get in to kalk dosing.

So I see the ratio is 3tbsp vinegar to 1tbsp kalk, for every gallon of fresh top off water.

I'm assuming these rates are used at the rate of tank normal evaporation?

 

[Editour2]

I have a system with total volume of approx 350 gals. Over a period of 6 months I have built up my vinegar dosing to 200ml nightly. The question I have is....I am currently dosing the vinegar in a 1 gal mix of RODI water and 1 heaping teaspoon of kalkwasser. I have high phosphates and high nitrates....should I be dosing the vinegar and kalkwasser independently to derive the most benefits?

 

[meisel1]

Just following along here, but isn't it one tsp (teaspoon) 5ml kalk to one gallon and 15ml vinegar for each additional tsp of kalk??

 

[Editour2]

Just following along here, but isn't it one tsp (teaspoon) 5ml kalk to one gallon and 15ml vinegar for each additional tsp of kalk??

That may/may not be true based on the prior post however I am talking about what constitutes the best practice to accomplish the reduction of nitrates and phosphates. Does the mixture of Kalk to vinegar somehow effect it's efficacy when treating for high phosphates and nitrates?

 

[bertoni]

Dosing the vinegar and the Kalk together should be fine. I'll add more comments in your other thread.