Kalkwasser/Alk question

[MrMongoose]

I have been dripping Kalk in my tank for a few weeks now and I'm adding 5 tbsp of Kalk and 5 tbsp of vinigar to my 5 gallon mix.. My Ph is steady at 8.3 and my Calc is steady at 415. However my Alk went up up up from about 8.0 to 10.3 and now its back down to 8.3.....Is thier a way to stop this fluctuation? Thanks

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't think that fluctuaton is enough to worry about, but if you want to reduce it, here are some tips:

1. When you measured it,was it at the same time relative to the dripping?
Alkalinity will be highest at the end of a drip period, and lowest just before it (aside from the acetate issues described in 3).

2. Spread the dripping out over a longer period to reduce the lull periods.

3. The vinegar may partially impact alkalinity readings,so as the bacteria consume the acetate in the vinegar, alkalinity may appear to climb with nothing being added.