KALK ....What, Where & How?
- Thread starter reefrf
- Start date
It is Calcium Hydroxide or limewater. Here is a link that may help.
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/saltwater/metelsky_kalkwasser.html
http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/saltwater/metelsky_kalkwasser.html
reefrf
reefrf
Thanks! This is good stuff but I need a bit more. I have several questions.
1) Where do I buy Kalkwasser? How does it come. Is it liquid, solid?
2) How expensive is it? Is it cheaper than dosing 2 part products?
3) How do I hook it up to my back-up 5 gallon Auto-Topoff?
4) Can the Kalk solution be mixed with the back-up water in advance, for a week without problems? The artical says no more than 1 day in advance.
Thanks,
Last edited:
Tswifty
New member
I recently switched to using limewater via my ATO unit. Here's the thread I used that may help you out some.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1453924
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1453924
Try this
http://jjgeisler.com/reeftank/diy_k...ser_reactor.htm that is if you want to make one, click on the reactor and it will give you the measurements. im going to make this one ,just waiting on stuff from mariedepot. also you can use mrs wages pickling lime from the grocery store insted of buying the junk they sell at marinedepot or drs foster. plus this stuff is dirt cheap. i think i paid 2.25 for a 16oz. container at buehlers. walmart also sells them but i refuse to go into or buy anything from them. i have a couple of threads going in the diy forum about kalking that im going to bump after this,look at them and post questions on there to you might get more of a chance of an answer there too. more the merryr.
good luck and i hope this helps.
http://jjgeisler.com/reeftank/diy_k...ser_reactor.htm that is if you want to make one, click on the reactor and it will give you the measurements. im going to make this one ,just waiting on stuff from mariedepot. also you can use mrs wages pickling lime from the grocery store insted of buying the junk they sell at marinedepot or drs foster. plus this stuff is dirt cheap. i think i paid 2.25 for a 16oz. container at buehlers. walmart also sells them but i refuse to go into or buy anything from them. i have a couple of threads going in the diy forum about kalking that im going to bump after this,look at them and post questions on there to you might get more of a chance of an answer there too. more the merryr.
good luck and i hope this helps.
Tswifty
New member
Here's a Calculation I did a while back, my kalk cost is even less than the $40 per year since I am only using 1 tsp per gallon right now.
Kalkwasser... the max you mix is 2 teaspoon of kalk powder for every 1 gallon of water.
16oz per container converts to 96 teaspoons in each container.
96/2 = 48 gallons of limewater per container
48 gallons per container x 4 containers = 192 gallons
Top off container holds approx 15 gallons at a time, and we'll say my tank exhaust this supply weekly.
so 192 gallons/15 gallons per week = 12.8 or basically 3 months worth of kalk powder for $10
So I would be talking $40 a year to run my system with kalk... IF I mix it to the 2 tsp potency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESV B-Ionics costs $27.99 or around $30.00 with tax, for the 2 gallon set (1 gallon each part).
1 U.S. gallon = 128 oz.
128 oz. x 2 (# of containers in set) = 256 ounces in the set.
1 oz. = 29.5735296 ml
256 oz x 29.57 ml = 7,570.82 ml (in the set)
I currently dose 30ml of each part per night.
30 ml x 2 (because there are 2 parts ) = 60 ml per day
7,570.82 ml/60 ml = 126.18 days or basically 4 months.
So I'm talking a cost of $120 per year to dose with ESV 2-Part... IF my daily draw NEVER increases.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kalk: $40 per year
ESV 2-Part: $120 per year
Kalkwasser... the max you mix is 2 teaspoon of kalk powder for every 1 gallon of water.
16oz per container converts to 96 teaspoons in each container.
96/2 = 48 gallons of limewater per container
48 gallons per container x 4 containers = 192 gallons
Top off container holds approx 15 gallons at a time, and we'll say my tank exhaust this supply weekly.
so 192 gallons/15 gallons per week = 12.8 or basically 3 months worth of kalk powder for $10
So I would be talking $40 a year to run my system with kalk... IF I mix it to the 2 tsp potency.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ESV B-Ionics costs $27.99 or around $30.00 with tax, for the 2 gallon set (1 gallon each part).
1 U.S. gallon = 128 oz.
128 oz. x 2 (# of containers in set) = 256 ounces in the set.
1 oz. = 29.5735296 ml
256 oz x 29.57 ml = 7,570.82 ml (in the set)
I currently dose 30ml of each part per night.
30 ml x 2 (because there are 2 parts ) = 60 ml per day
7,570.82 ml/60 ml = 126.18 days or basically 4 months.
So I'm talking a cost of $120 per year to dose with ESV 2-Part... IF my daily draw NEVER increases.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kalk: $40 per year
ESV 2-Part: $120 per year
Yes.
You have to achieve the levels of alk and cal and magnesium you want by hand-dosing with supplements.
Then set your kalk drip to run with your ATO. If your evaporation is large enough or your tank small enough, it will supply all the alk/cal you need, but cannot supply magnesium. Test all levels weekly.
Overdose is not too serious in case of topoff accident: bar soda (Scheppes) kept on hand can control the ph rise. (Kalk is ph 12). But beware overdose with the soda: the ph will naturally drop back down on its own. A teaspoon to 50 gallons display tank volume would be a good initial dose. Wait a while, re test.
I don't measure kalk precisely in my ATO reservoir: any that doesn't dissolve will dissolve the next time ro/di is added to the reservoir.
BUT be sure your ATO pump is not sitting down on the bottom in a mass of undissolved kalk powder.
Kalk stirring: needs happen only once a week. Once dissolved, it stays dissolved.
You have to achieve the levels of alk and cal and magnesium you want by hand-dosing with supplements.
Then set your kalk drip to run with your ATO. If your evaporation is large enough or your tank small enough, it will supply all the alk/cal you need, but cannot supply magnesium. Test all levels weekly.
Overdose is not too serious in case of topoff accident: bar soda (Scheppes) kept on hand can control the ph rise. (Kalk is ph 12). But beware overdose with the soda: the ph will naturally drop back down on its own. A teaspoon to 50 gallons display tank volume would be a good initial dose. Wait a while, re test.
I don't measure kalk precisely in my ATO reservoir: any that doesn't dissolve will dissolve the next time ro/di is added to the reservoir.
BUT be sure your ATO pump is not sitting down on the bottom in a mass of undissolved kalk powder.
Kalk stirring: needs happen only once a week. Once dissolved, it stays dissolved.
