Vinegar dosing measurments?

[lastduke]

does it mean if i use vinegar to mix with kalk to saturated limewater, the same amount will last 20times longer than my topoff water?
Now my tank vaporizes 0.5 G a day, and I use slightly greater than 1 teaspoon/gallon limewater. If I use dosing pump to dose vinegar mixture, 5 gallon super saturated limewater will last 200 days????
current : 0.5G a day * 1 teaspoon per gallon=0.5 teaspoon a day.
with vinegar: 5G bucket*20*1 teaspoon per gallon=100 teaspoon.....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't understand, please explain. Why would vinegar saturated with kalkwasser be 20x more potent than ordinary limewater? Thanks

Ordinary limewater is limited by the solubility of calcium hydroxide in fresh water. The acidic nature of the vinegar makes calcium hydroxide far more soluble in it.

The same effect is known to allow a little extra calcium hydroxide to dissolve in ordinary limew3ater if you add 45 mL of vinegar per gallon (maybe 3 teaspoons calcium hydroxide, not two). But straight vinegar is far more potent than adding 45 ml of vinegar per gallon of fresh water.

Make sense?

It is hard to say on the tanks pH, as I made other changes too. The way I dose it with calcium hydroxide, I think it is fairly neutral to pH. Without it, organic carbon dosing always has the potential to reduce pH, but in proportion to the amount dosed. I dose a lot so run more risk of a low pH.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

does it mean if i use vinegar to mix with kalk to saturated limewater, the same amount will last 20times longer than my topoff water?

Only if you use no fresh water at all, only vinegar. Do not use that for auto top off.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is there any different with dosing vodka or vinegar?

There are some differences, but both work OK. I get a bit more cyano with vodka, but that may vary in different tanks.

 

[chark]

Would it work if you just added vinegar to your top off water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Well, yes, with some caveats.

Diluted vinegar without calcium hydroxide may grow bacteria in the holding tank if stored for long, and if you add it at night, you may be reducing O2 when you least want to do so.

That's why I add it separately from top off water.

 

[klepto]

Well, yes, with some caveats.

Diluted vinegar without calcium hydroxide may grow bacteria in the holding tank if stored for long, and if you add it at night, you may be reducing O2 when you least want to do so.

That's why I add it separately from top off water.

Another great piece of info! Thanks Randy, I was wondering about adding vin. to ATO :thumbsup: Learning more about water chemistry changes like the above continues to fascinate me. Its great to back up reef husbandry with some science.

 

[lastduke]

Well, yes, with some caveats.

Diluted vinegar without calcium hydroxide may grow bacteria in the holding tank if stored for long, and if you add it at night, you may be reducing O2 when you least want to do so.

That's why I add it separately from top off water.

Randy, if i store the diluted vinegar with saturated limewater in a air tight bucket(used salt bucket) and dose them together at night. Will it reduce oxygen?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If the bacteria consume the vinegar at night, yes it may help drop O2. Whether that is significant or not may depend on other aspects of your setup.

Eric discusses O2 issues here:

The Need to Breathe, Part 3: Real Tanks and Real Importance
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-08/eb/index.php

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

. Its great to back up reef husbandry with some science.

:thumbsup:

Happy Reefing.