quick mrs. wages kalk question

[giants4pc]

For those dosing...I use 1 teaspoon per gallon and make 18 gallons at a time. My question is that there is always the white powder left on the bottom of the tub. When I mix a new 18 and leave what's in there, do I still put 18 teaspoons again or would I put less and consider what was left on the bottom? I guess my question is...is the saturated remnance useless because even if I don't add anymore at all and still add 18 gallons of water, there is still remnance on the bottom.

[cham]

Kalk is known for pulling undesireable minerals and metals out of the water. What falls to the bottom is mostly by products (especially if your only dosing 1 tsp per gallon) and does no harm leaving it there. I make mine in 30 gallon batches in my brute can and try to make a habbit of cleaning out the stuff that settles on the bottom a couple times a year.

I would continue adding 1 tsp per gallon, pay no attention to the stuff at the bottom unless it starts turning colors (other than white).

[bertoni]

A lot of the precipitate might also be calcium carbonate. On exposure to damp air, lime can convert slowly to calcium carbonate, which won't dissolve. Given that you're adding 1 tsp per gallon, what's on the bottom isn't going to dissolve, so I'd ignore it.

[giants4pc]

So in other words, don't assume that the leftover is 10 teaspoons (for the sake of argument). If I make 18 gallons, add 18 teaspoons.

[cham]

Right, pay no attention to whats left over.

[aquarius77]

I actually used it as kalk last week, i think it is mainly lime leftover.
I just dumped new water in and gave it a swirl, as it drips into the aquarium it is still cloudy like saturated limewater would be. Im not saying its full strength but i went ahead and used it. With that being said i do not plan to try and milk it and use the leftovers untlil there is nothing left in the bottom. I just wanted to see for myself if it would disolve into more water if added and it seems that it did.

I will callibrate my ph meter and test the ph on my resivor before it empties. That should tell me if its saturated lime water, right?

[bertoni]

pH meters are seldom accurate enough at that range to be useful for determining the concentration. A TDS meter calibrated appropriate can handle it.

[aquarius77]

What would TDS be on Kalwasser made with ro/di source water?

[Billybeau1]

It would be off the scale, and there is no reason to test the tds of limewater.

Maybe Bertoni can explain what he means. :confused:

[Billybeau1]

Kevin, lime dissolves in fresh water to saturation at about 2 tsp per gallon. Once you mix it, whatever does not dissolve, are impurities, most likely. Mrs. Wages has some impurities.

If one would use a pure lime, like Seachems, you would see no impurities at the bottom.

I use it and when I dissolve 2 tsp in a gallon of ro/di, I have NOTHING in the bottom of the container.

Not saying Mrs Wages is bad, just once the impurities settle, leave it alone.