Another kalkwasser Question

[Andrewsreef]

Randy, thank you for your prior help.

I do have two more questions.

1. Should the Calcium and Alk levels be very different with freshly mixed Kalk as apposed to Kalk I am dripping over 4 or 5 days? This seems to be the case with my system or I am doing something else wrong. If I mix up a batch daily it seems to work much better.

2. Can I add viniger to my Kalkwasswer and use it over 4 or 5 days and get higher Calcium/Alk values? Also, will this reduce my PH much as I am now only getting 8 to 8.1 dripping it 24/7 (my tank must have high CO2 levels as without the Kalk my ph was droping to 7.5 and your advice witht the Kalk has stabalized it around 8-8.1).

Thanks as always for the help.

Andrew

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Depending on the setup, the limewater should stay fine for that period. What does the dosing setup look like and how much material are you adding? The freshly mixed limewater is clear, or is it milky for a day or so? Milky would give a lot more to the tank than after it settles, and some have used that approach, but it helps impurities get into the tank.

I assume that you mean the calcium and alkalinity in the tank and not the effluent rom the doser?

Yes, you can add vinegar if saturated limewater does not have enough calcium and alkalinity for you. I will bring down the pH a little bit, but limewater tanks usually run high anyway. Yours sounds fairly low for a limewater tank.

Here's an article in vinegar in limewater:


http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1999/oct/bio/default.asp

[Andrewsreef]

Randy, I use a simpe gravity drip water container made from a camping water carrier. It holds 7 gallons. When I mix the Kalk, it is cloudy for a few hours and then turns basically clear. I have measured the PH of the clear fluid and it is around 12.2

I am mixing 1 heaping teaspoon (really heaping) per gallon. This has to be ateast 1 table spoon if not more.

I have been driping 24/7 and still having low Alk(7-8DKH/Calcium 350 but PH has been improved up to 8-8.1) I have been adding bakeing soda to help keep the Alk up.

Yesterday, I did another water change (thind one this month) and mixed only one gallon, let it sit an hour and started dripping about 1.5 drops a second (a litte faster than normal). The gallon was done by noon today. At lunch I tested the water and My Alk was 10DKH and my Calcium was 400 and PH was 8.0 The smaller batch seemed to work better for me? Not sure why.

Because my PH seems to still be a little lower than desired, I was reluctant to add vinager.

Thanks

Andrew

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I'd try adding more solids to the limewater to see what happens. Measuring pH of limewater is tricky. The best way is to do a side by side comparison to limewater that is clearly saturated (say, 1 heaping spoonful in a cup of RO/DI water It will be cloudy, that is OK). The pH of the effluent from your dripper ought to be similar to that.