Kalkwasser "Recipe"

kjoz · #1 02/07/2006, 09:29 PM

Hi All, I used to have a "recipe" for mixing Kalkwasser with vinegar water that gave me some amazing coraline algae on my rock. Does anyone have this that they would like to share? I'm pretty sure I got the information from someone at Reef Central. When I sold my tank and all my stuff with it, I gave away the recipe as well. Thanks

DrBDC · #2 02/07/2006, 09:54 PM

Kalk has a saturation level of about 2 teaspoons per gallon of water. If you add just a little more it will help precipitate out impurities. Then, if you add 45 ml of vinegar per gallon it will allow 1 more teaspoon of kalk to be in saturation. The vinegar being a carbon source can help fuel bacterial blooms in the tank which can make it consume/process more nitrogen waste compounds. It won't actually feed the corals or directly help them, it either allows better water quality from higher bacterial levels and those benefits or by allowing a higher level of calcium and alkalinity in the water column. The latter can be achieved in other ways and should be monitored and kept at NSW or slightly higher levels anyway. Slightly is the key word there. In the case of bacterial food some will dose vodka as another carbon source as well as various brand name's that provide carbon sources i.e. some Mark Weiss products and some of the components of Zeovit system. Each and every one of those benefits/concerns would have a whole thesis paper to fully explain but that's it in a nutshell. Just watch that you don't start getting too much webby/slimy looking areas and you're good.

Oh and lower phosphate levels due to the carbon source additons can also be a benefit.

kjoz · #3 02/07/2006, 11:12 PM

Thank you DrBDC.
So, I mix 45 ml of vinegar in a gallon of water, then add 1 teaspoon more Kalkwasser than recommended on my jar of Kalk mix. This will allow a higher level of calcium and alkalinity in my water which will increase my coraline alge and improve my water quality.

DrBDC · #4 02/07/2006, 11:34 PM

That will allow more ca/alk in the kalkwasser mix. How much ca/alk in your tank is dependant upon how much of the kalkwasser mix you add to the tank. The possibility of a cleaner tank from an artificial bacterial booster shot is debateable. Otherwise everyone would dose vodka or add vinegar. You can have very high levels of ca and alk w/o vinegar as well. Certain salts, ca/alk supplements other than kalk, etc. can all elevate those levels. You should target low 400's on the ca, 8-10 on the dKh and 1350 on the magnesium. Some will push one or all of those numbers a bit, or a lot but that's another debate.

tetra9999 · #5 02/08/2006, 11:26 AM

"If you add just a little more it will help precipitate out impurities"

is this something you would see say floating on the top of the water that you would then strain out? (the impurites that is)

kjoz · #6 02/08/2006, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tetra9999
[Bis this something you would see say floating on the top of the water that you would then strain out? (the impurites that is) [/B]

Wouldn't the protein skimmer take care of anything floating on top of the water?

DrBDC · #7 02/08/2006, 11:38 AM

No it will settle to the bottom. The film you get on the top is a benefit (undissolved calcium carbonate) and it will keep air from entering the limewater and decreasing it's potency. This is a big benefit to people like me who mix large amounts and top off with a peristaltic pump over a period of a week or more.

If your tank doesn't need that much alk and ca boost that saturated limewater will provide then my personal choice is to mix to saturation, let the impurities settle, then decant the clear water off and dilute the saturated kalkwasser vs. just mix less in the water. That way you've settled out the bad junk even though there shouldn't be much if you use an appropriate grade kalk it never hurts.

DrBDC · #8 02/08/2006, 11:39 AM

Were you referring to the tank water or the kalkwasser and film floating?

trottman · #9 02/08/2006, 05:23 PM

precipitate forms on the bottem. thin layer of white powder

tetra9999 · #10 02/08/2006, 08:46 PM

the kalkwasser.. you cleared that up for me (no pun intended)

kjoz · #11 02/08/2006, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DrBDC

If your tank doesn't need that much alk and ca boost that saturated limewater will provide then my personal choice is to mix to saturation, let the impurities settle, then decant the clear water off and dilute the saturated kalkwasser vs. just mix less in the water.

I used to mix it in a gallon jug with a built in spout near the bottom. After it settled I used the clear water for my drip container, that just happened to be the old style Enteral feeding container. One of the nursing homes I was working in at that time was going to throw them away. I told them not to do that and save them for me because the LFSs sold them for $20 because they had a brand name on them from a popular additive distributor. I had a whole case of them that also went with my tank and everything else in the sale.

kjoz · #12 02/08/2006, 10:15 PM

"use an appropriate grade kalk"

DrDBC,

Can you mention what brand you consider an appropriate grade kalk? If you don't care to mention it here,would you please PM me that information?

Thank you,

DrBDC · #13 02/08/2006, 10:29 PM

and I always tell my patients we need to get some things straight!

DrBDC · #14 02/08/2006, 10:34 PM

If going with bulk Calcium Oxide like quicklime or Calcium Hydroxide products like the kalk at the LFS and the grocery store, be careful at what grade they are. Lab grade doesn't mean anything you need to see that it is at least the food grade standards. I've been using Mrs. Wages pickling lime from the store for about 2.50 a lb, you can get it at the LFS for about 15 a lb, or you can get it from Mississippi Lime Company for about 25 cents a lb. The last is a little harder to come up with though. They also make about 8 different versions with difffernt codex symbols and only 2 that I've found are quality enough.