to all you limewater users...little help please

[Geodriller]

Ok. I have used limewater in the past and shooting par for the course on its effects. Over the years I have seen some pretty heavily stocked tanks with stoney's that have no problem keeping up with demands with limewater alone.

I have a moderatly stocked SPS dominate tank(and if your thinking TOTM grounds, I have a lightly stocked tank). I evaporate almost a gallon a day out of about 80g total water volume. Even with full power limewater I cannot keep up. I mix 5 gallons RO/DI with 2oz. WD vinigar and 11t. of Kent marine Kalk (I know 10 is the max but I put the other 1 in there to make sure I get full sat.) I do have alot of coraline covered rock, but I scrape it off the glass.

I know this is asking alot, but I was wondering if some of you limewater users could post a picture of your tank and tell me your kalk routines?

How strong do you make it?
how much evaporation?
How often you have to supliment?
How much vinigar do you use? (if any)
What brand kalk or pickling lime do you use?

Thank in advance for your help on what will most likely be a time consuming reply. It is much appreciated

 

[THE ROOK]

Sounds like it's time to start dosing two-part solution also.

 

[Geodriller]

I use Seachem powder suppliments. I was just curious to see If I am precipitating too much of the ca into my sump as opposed to it making it to the corals. So I wanted to see some tanks that can make it on limewater alone to compare to mine. I like limewater, but if I am going to have to suppliment every week like this I might as well spread for a reactor. I am just trying to save a little money...know what im sayin.

 

[redfishsc]

If you see white encrustation on your pump parts, then you are definitely precipitating the stuff. Drip it slower if you are seeing this.

If no precipitation, and if your sand isn't clumping together, I would not suspect you are precipitating it.


Now, as for saving money. This is personal opinion and a couple of "nano-sized" years of experience speaking, but ditch all name brand calcium, alk, and magnesium supplements. Use up what you have and don't waste your money on them.

Alk--- cheap Arm & Hammer baking soda works fine. Just fine!

Mag-- Magnesium Chloride flakes from www.bulkreefsupply.com

Calcium--- Calcium Chloride pellets from www.bulkreefsupply.com

Kalkwassar/limewater---- Pickling lime, $3 for a big canister of it. Same thing, calcium hydroxide. Works GREAT, same potency.


Look up "Randy's 2-part" -- for how to dose the alk and calcium.


Now that all being said, using the Arm & Hammer baking soda and the calcium chloride pellets, you can make gallons and gallons of 2-part mixture for what it cost you to buy a quart or two of most of the commercial grade additives.

I am nauseated and angered by the audacity of these companies to bottle up 40-cent worth of calcium chloride, mix it in distilled water, and call it something flashy and razzle-dazzle as if it did something special. It's ludicrous and dishonest if you ask me.

DO NOT ASK ME HOW I REALLY FEEL trust me!

 

[Geodriller]

WOW.. tell me how you really feel. I have indeed been tosing around the idea of randys 2-part suppliments. I believe you are the straw that broke the camels back. I dont have much seachem left. I guess I will start to make my own supliments this weekend before I run out. thnx

BTW, I am definatly precipitating...dont know why. Mag1320ppm and I only drop 1drop per second and it does not raise the pH that much. It is dripped in the back of my overflow right before it goes down the tube where it splits off, one to my sump, and one to my fuge. So it should be mixing in enough time to not cause a high pH area. (My overflow runs about 800+gph) For some reason it only precipitates in my sump and on the heaters (which is pretty normal for the heaters to show the first signs).

 

[THE ROOK]

There's an archive with some good limewater articles written by Randy. Definitely worth reading. It's a sticky in the Chemistry forum.

Two Part from Bulk Reef is about $50.00 & may last you 6 months to a year if you continue with the kalk. It would take 3-5 years to equal a reactor in cost. Just my 2 cents.

 

[THE ROOK]

Oh, and if you post your limewater questions is the chemisty forum you probably get Randy to help out, also.