loves saltwater
Premium Member
What is it and what does it do ? Is it needed for a reef tank
kalkwasser Info needed
- Thread starter loves saltwater
- Start date
kalkwasser will add calcium and alkalinity, which in turn will raise and maintain ph. I use ms. wages pickling lime ($2.69 at local kroger), i mix it up in my top off water, it raises the ph to about 8.4. Its usually about 8.0 first thing in the morning. But the amount lime I use will be different than what you will need. My calcium levels stay high without adding much supplementation.
This might help also: http://www.reefcentral.com/FAQ/general/index.php
This might help also: http://www.reefcentral.com/FAQ/general/index.php
loves saltwater
Premium Member
The test kit is Instant Ocean
L and L
New member
Re: kalkwasser Info needed
Yes and No. Don't you just love answers like that.
let me ask you a question.... How are you keeping your calcium and alkalinity up?
Kalkwasser is Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) also called limewater or kalk. This is the ONLY additive I add to my tank except for RO/DI water (been doing it for 5 years). It keeps my calcium, alkalinity and pH up. It has been suggested that it reduces phosphates. I don’t know if it does do that, but my phosphates are undetectable with my Salifert test kit. Works for me.
Here are some great articles by Randy Holmes-Farley.
What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
Calcium and Alkalinity
Reef Aquarium and Water Parameters
Another great thing about Kalkwasser/kalk/lime is that it’s cheap(~$3.85 for 16 oz.). I buy Mrs Wages Pickling Lime at Wal-Mart. I think I use 16 oz in about two months (I’ll have to check on that).
Depending on what type of corals and other calcifying organisms you have in your tank.... there are different ways to keep calcium/alkalinity up in a reef tank.
1. Lime/Kalkwasser. You mix this powder with ro/di in a container (i use a 5g bucket) with a powerhead. I let it run like that around 24 hours. Turn off the powerhead and let it sit for 24 hours. You will have a surface crust and precipitants on the bottom. The "good" stuff is in the middle (clear liquid). You drip this into your reef tank as your ro/di top-off evaporation water. When I run out of my 5g bucket of limewater, I just drip ro/di till I make some more limewater.
2. Calcium reactors (CaCO3 / CO2)
3. Balanced two-part additives … like ESV B-Ionic Calcium buffer
Yes and No. Don't you just love answers like that.
let me ask you a question.... How are you keeping your calcium and alkalinity up?
Kalkwasser is Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) also called limewater or kalk. This is the ONLY additive I add to my tank except for RO/DI water (been doing it for 5 years). It keeps my calcium, alkalinity and pH up. It has been suggested that it reduces phosphates. I don’t know if it does do that, but my phosphates are undetectable with my Salifert test kit. Works for me.
Here are some great articles by Randy Holmes-Farley.
What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
Calcium and Alkalinity
Reef Aquarium and Water Parameters
Another great thing about Kalkwasser/kalk/lime is that it’s cheap(~$3.85 for 16 oz.). I buy Mrs Wages Pickling Lime at Wal-Mart. I think I use 16 oz in about two months (I’ll have to check on that).
Depending on what type of corals and other calcifying organisms you have in your tank.... there are different ways to keep calcium/alkalinity up in a reef tank.
1. Lime/Kalkwasser. You mix this powder with ro/di in a container (i use a 5g bucket) with a powerhead. I let it run like that around 24 hours. Turn off the powerhead and let it sit for 24 hours. You will have a surface crust and precipitants on the bottom. The "good" stuff is in the middle (clear liquid). You drip this into your reef tank as your ro/di top-off evaporation water. When I run out of my 5g bucket of limewater, I just drip ro/di till I make some more limewater.
2. Calcium reactors (CaCO3 / CO2)
3. Balanced two-part additives … like ESV B-Ionic Calcium buffer
loves saltwater
Premium Member
L and L I have not done anything to keep them up other than weekly water changes.That is what started me asking this question
ghostrida3
Member
it cost like 5$ to start a kalk drip and it does wonders, it raises the calcium, alk, and also precipitates phosphate whats not to love.
