kalk?
- Thread starter jpitts101
- Start date
Travis L. Stevens
New member
Mrs. Wage's Pickling Lime from WalMart. It's about $2-$3 for a large container, and it's located in the canning aisle, normally near the tupperware and such.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
I forget what the exact measurements are. I just keep the spoon beside it. I'm pretty sure it's 1 Teaspoon not a Tablespoon. Whatever it is, it's per gallon. You mix it up briefly, let it settle a little, pour off the clear water, and discard the white junk at the bottom (or use it to kill pests like Aiptasia). Kalkwasser is difficult to get started with, but super easy once you get it down. Every tank is different, so every tank needs certain amounts of Kalk. One tank might only need .5 Tsp/gallon while another might need 1.5 Tsp/gallon. Starting at 1 Tsp/gallon is a good start. You can go all the way up to 2 Tsp/gallon to reach the saturation point. You can add vinegar (I don't remember how much) to get more Kalkwasser to dissolve into the water. I believe it's limit is up to 3 Tsp/gallon. If you're tank is using more than that, then dosing with 2-Part is a better option.
Here's what I suggest that you do.
1) Get the Kalkwasser mix (Commercial, Pickling Lime, etc)
2) Find out how much water you evaporate in a day. Remember (Length x Width x Height)/231=~gallons. This will help you figure it all out.
3) Mix a batch of 1 Tsp/Gallon that equals how much you evaporate. For example, if you evaporate 2 gallons per day, then make a batch of 2g.
4) Drip this for a couple of weeks. Using an IV Drip, aqualifter pump, float switch, Airline tube with a knot in it, or a peristalic (sp?) pump will help regulate the flow. Monitor your Calcium and Alkalinity closely. If it raises, then decrease the amount of Kalk you put in the water. If it lowers, increase the amount of Kalk you put in the water. Repeat Step 3 if it increases or lowers by adding or subtracting the amount of kalk that goes in the water.
5) Once you find that perfect amount of Kalk, just keep with it. Monitor Calcium and Alkalinity. Every tank will use each at a different rate. A heavily stocked SPS and Clam tank will use Calcium much faster than Alkalinity. In the case that you can't keep both equally balanced with just Kalkwasser, use the appropriate part of 2-Part to fill that gap (If Ca is low, add just the Ca part)
Here's what I suggest that you do.
1) Get the Kalkwasser mix (Commercial, Pickling Lime, etc)
2) Find out how much water you evaporate in a day. Remember (Length x Width x Height)/231=~gallons. This will help you figure it all out.
3) Mix a batch of 1 Tsp/Gallon that equals how much you evaporate. For example, if you evaporate 2 gallons per day, then make a batch of 2g.
4) Drip this for a couple of weeks. Using an IV Drip, aqualifter pump, float switch, Airline tube with a knot in it, or a peristalic (sp?) pump will help regulate the flow. Monitor your Calcium and Alkalinity closely. If it raises, then decrease the amount of Kalk you put in the water. If it lowers, increase the amount of Kalk you put in the water. Repeat Step 3 if it increases or lowers by adding or subtracting the amount of kalk that goes in the water.
5) Once you find that perfect amount of Kalk, just keep with it. Monitor Calcium and Alkalinity. Every tank will use each at a different rate. A heavily stocked SPS and Clam tank will use Calcium much faster than Alkalinity. In the case that you can't keep both equally balanced with just Kalkwasser, use the appropriate part of 2-Part to fill that gap (If Ca is low, add just the Ca part)
Travis L. Stevens
New member
I would double check my measurements. I believe Randy Holmes-Farley has an article about Kalkwasser/Limewater located in his article listing in the Reef Chemistry forum.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
Most likely, you won't need to use vinegar unless your tank is really grown out.
oldsaltman
New member
I use a 20g container and mix mine 2 teaspoons per gal. I think that is the saturated amount. 
oldsaltman
New member
I run mine through the ATO. I don't have a reactor, but this works for me. It is trouble free and consistant.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
It's all a matter of the leftover gunk. Dripping is a little more "wasteful" because you can only dissolve so much before the Calcium starts to react and percipitate out. A reactor keeps things moving and more of the kalkwasser makes it into the water. FWIW, I drip.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
I'm quite the freugal reefer, and I'll say that there is no way that I would by a kalk reactor. If I wanted to spend that kind of money, I would get a Calcium Reactor or just drip Kalk and by some more corals.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
Kalk reactors stir up kalkwasser to put Ca and Alk into the water. Ca reactors use carbon dioxide to lower the pH to dissolve calcium bicarbonate media to release Ca and Alk into the water.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
My personal opinion, yes, you use these types of reactors when your system demands more than you can offer with physical labor.
Travis L. Stevens
New member
My pH stays/stayed the same because I drip over a 24 hour period. It still drops at night, but not as bad as it was without the drip. Of course, a reverse cycle on macroalgae will help keep it from fluctuating.
Jimmy, what is your Ca, Alk, and pH?
Jimmy, what is your Ca, Alk, and pH?
