Mrs. Wages lime and slurry method

[miatawnt2b]

Randy,
I have been using Mrs. Wages pickling lime in my tank which I add daily via slurry. (I believe I calculated it to be 1/4 tsp in 1 cup of water, twice per day)

Should I be worried about impurities in this limewater? What impurities are there and how does it effect the reef?

Thanks,
-J

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The two problems with the slurry method are that you cannot add much at once without the pH getting too high (how high does yours spike on addition?) and the concern over impurities.

If you use RO/DI water, and a good grade of lime, the impact of impurities is minimized. Is it still significant for Mrs Wages? I'm not sure. Some people note that many grades of lime leave a colored residue when settled, and those colored metal impurities enter the tank with the slurry method. They impurities can range from iron to copper to phosphate.

 

[Freed]

I got rid of my Wages as it would be a light yellow color in my mixing tub and also had a "smell" to it unlike more pure kalk powders.

 

[miatawnt2b]

I've only been adding 1/4 tsp at a time because it will only raise my ph by .1

I was just wondering about the impurities associated with slurry. Copper.... oh my! Maybe I am going to need to rethink my kalk addition methods.

Thanks,
-J

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I discuss impurities and reduction of them by precipitation in this article and those linked from it:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm