Kalkwasser with Vinegar?

[Stinkyfish1]

I read that Vinegar with you Kalkwasser mix can make it more efficient and decrease the PH a little. Is this a good practice?

1tsp Kalkwasser to 15ml Vinegar to 1 Gal is this the correct ratio?

My other question is what brand of Kalkwasser is the best? I'm using Two Little Fishes brand now, is that a good one?

[palmerc]

Adding vinegar dissolves the kalk powder to form calcium acetate.

This allows you to "boost" the calcium content of yoru kalkwasser and yes the pH will be lower.

You can use a lot more than one teaspoon per gallon, depends on how much calcium you need to add.

[Stinkyfish1]

So if the calcium is already where I want it, I shouldn't add the vinegar to the Kalkwasser? My Ca is at 420ppm and KH is at 9, I would like to keep it stable.

The problem is that when I add the Kalkwasser in the morning when the lights are out the PH goes from 8.2 to 8.4. I add a 1/4 of a gal of Kalkwasser to get the water level back up to where I want it. (1tsp Kalkwasser to 1Gal)

[chris4869]

I think you still need to incorporate a little vinegar into your kalkwasser mix to get the PH lower.

I bought a gallon of distilled vinegar for this purpose.

[five.five-six]

I would think that if you added the viniger directly to the powder, you might have problem... mix the water and pouder first :(

[Billybeau1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9638049#post9638049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Stinkyfish1
So if the calcium is already where I want it, I shouldn't add the vinegar to the Kalkwasser? My Ca is at 420ppm and KH is at 9, I would like to keep it stable.

The problem is that when I add the Kalkwasser in the morning when the lights are out the PH goes from 8.2 to 8.4. I add a 1/4 of a gal of Kalkwasser to get the water level back up to where I want it. (1tsp Kalkwasser to 1Gal)

So whats the problem ?

Looks to me like the perfect scenario. :confused:

No vinegar as far as I'm concerned.

[Billybeau1]

The only reason to add vinegar to limewater is to allow more lime to dissolve . You are not at that point and why add chemicals to your tank you do not need. :)

[Stinkyfish1]

Thanks for the responses.

I read that a jump from PH 8.2 to 8.4 is too much of a sudden increase. True?

I'm trying to get around having a doser/Auto top off for my tank. Just doesn't seem practical for a 40g.

[five.five-six]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9642258#post9642258 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Stinkyfish1
I read that a jump from PH 8.2 to 8.4 is too much of a sudden increase. True?


well it is just shy of a doubling of your H+ concentration


I just misprogrammed the ACIII on my new to me (from craigs list) 100 reef. I took the ph from 7.56 to 7.99 in about 15 minutes.. nothing seems to upset over it, I am going to just ride it out. I was planning on bringing it up .1 a day till I get th 8.2 now it is going to take 2 days instead of a week :eek:

[Billybeau1]

As far as pH goes any change within .2 should be considered OK.

I think you are doing fine. :)

[Stinkyfish1]

Cool thx...good, one more thing I don't have to add:)

[rsfontenele]

I have one question:

Vinegar have a lot organic compounds, this compounds can be a problem for water?
Or the concentration of these compounds is very small?

[grallster]

Actually, I've read (I think it was Borneman) that the resulting organic compound left over is used as food for denitrifying bacteria in oxygen depressed environments (to turn nitrate to nitrogen gas). I think it is analogous to the food that is used in the denitrifying reactors (ie the one from Aquamedic), though I could be wrong.

[TekCat]

Yes, vinnegar is a carbon food for bacteria. While it is good to boost your denitrifiers, any carbon source (vinnegar, vodka, sugar) has its disadvantages. As mentioned above the bacteria can bloom and deplete oxygen in tank to dangerously low levels. Once I had a bloom of bacterial film on surfaces, not a pretty sight.

Maybe a mineral acid would work better, perhaps muriatic. Just use extreme caution when mixing strong acid with kalk.... (though it might not be a good idea trying this at home:)) Just leave your levels where they are... they seem fine.

[Rueg]

Just drip your kalk if you don't want the PH to go up so fast. Just need a clean plastic container, some airline tubing and a air valve. Or buy something like this:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=KENT-AQUADOSE&Category_Code=Dosers

Kent makes three different sizes. Pretty cheap way to go.

[five.five-six]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9645240#post9645240 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rueg
Just drip your kalk if you don't want the PH to go up so fast. Just need a clean plastic container, some airline tubing and a air valve. Or buy something like this:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=KENT-AQUADOSE&Category_Code=Dosers

Kent makes three different sizes. Pretty cheap way to go.

I jsut returned on as the bulkhead leaked...I am sure they usaly work... but mine did not. I hooked up a dosing pump to my ACIII and it draws straight form a 5 gal bottle

[rsfontenele]

Working with muriatic acid or cloridric acid is very dangerous.
Maybe we can use acetic acid in low concentrations (4%), combined with kalkwasser.

The results are the same.