Limitations to spiking limewater

[mwood]

As I add SPS corals to my tank, I’ve noticed that my CA and Alk isn’t keeping up. The limewater formula I’ve been using is 1 gallon water, 45ml vinegar, 3 tsp kalk. Can I increase the vinegar and kalk in this mixture to get more out of it?

Marcus

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Possibly. You start to run other risks (like a lot of O2 consumption and bacterial growth as bacteria consume the acetate), but it might be OK.

I'd suggest scaling up each amount by the same factor as you ramp up, although I'm not sure how much more you willa ctually be able to dissolve with the extra vinegar. If you do that and it works out, let us know. :)

Another option is to supplement with a two part additive in addition to the limewater. :)

[AcroSteve]

Great article in this month's RK Mag. I think you are a great asset to all of us.

In the past I have used a formula similar the the one that mwood is referring too, but when I got my CA reactor on line, I dropped the vinegar and went back to straight limewater. I know that it is recomended 45ml/gallon. I mix 29 gal at a time and was just a little bit nervous putting in 5-1/2 cups of vinegar, so I always used half of that.

It just felt like too much, but I suppose it is not.

Anyway, I am going to return to the super saturated formula and just needed a little re-asurance that that is the right amount to add.

I have been supplimenting my kalk addition and the CA reactor with your 2 part recipie.

mwood, let us know how you make out with the changed ratios.

I figure I evaporate about 3 gal/day. I do not run any fans, just a chiller.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The 45 mL/gallon and 3 teaspoon per gallon was originally devised by Craig Bingman so that the CO2 generated when bacteria consume the acetate will just offset, in terms of pH, the high pH of the limewater.

Adding less is certainly fine, and Craig originally recommended adding less, at least to start off, just to be more careful.

FWIW, I've added vinegar directly to my aquarium to reduce pH, but I've never mixed it with limewater.

[AcroSteve]

Does it matter when during the mixing that the vinegar is added?

I have always just dumped in the kalk and vinegar while the container is being filled with ro. This is done with several powerheads already in operation to mix.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The vinegar needs to be there when the solids are mixing with the water. Other than that, the order of actual addition does not matter.