A novel way for dosing kalk:

[widmer]

Anyone ever consider some sort of device to slowly dose straight kalk powder into the aquarium? I'm thinking some sort of device that will maybe add a tiny scoop at a given time interval? If 2 tsp of kalk can dissolve into a gallon of water, and you can safely add a gallon of saturated kalk into an aquarium over a pretty short time frame, then I can picture a device being able to add ~1/4 tsp increments in specified intervals.

This in theory would be much more accurate dosing because there is no kalk precipitating out before the kalkwasser is pumped into the tank. I was thinking of trying it with some sort of automatic fish feeder....Any thoughts?

[widmer]

Like this thing for instance:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4430+4464&pcatid=4464

I could picture pulling out the measuring spoon, filling each chamber with 1/8 tsp of kalk powder, and setting it to dose 4 times per day, the equivalent of 4 cups of saturated kalkwasser per dose. It would only need to be refilled once a week.

I guess my main point for potentially dosing pure kalk powder, is the amount you're dosing does not have to be limited to the amount of water evaporating (which, at least in my case, fluctuates from week to week). You could do away with 2-part or the calcium reactor, if you had a nice powder dosing apparatus. The kalk is super cheap, and replenishes both calcium and alkalinity in the same ratio it's being used up.

[sjm817]

I would ask Randy in the chemistry forum.

[ckoral]

hmmmm..... I have one of those laying around!


How do I know how much MS. Wages to start with? Is there a rule of thumb?

[widmer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13492218#post13492218 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ckoral
hmmmm..... I have one of those laying around!


How do I know how much MS. Wages to start with? Is there a rule of thumb?

Well they say that you can dissolve up to 2 tsp of the kalk into a gallon of water. So In theory, dropping in 1 tsp is the same as dosing 1/2 gallon of water; 1/2 tsp is the same as 4 cups of water; 1/4 tsp is the same as 2 cups of water etc.

I think the only necessity is making sure you're not dropping in too much at once. I'm playing with the idea of buying 2 of those units and setting them against each other, so that I've got a dose going in every 3 hours, and they still only need to be refilled once a week.

[ckoral]

The only thing to keep in mind with those. I dose flake food (used to). The flakes often stick to the dump bins. Also, how would you ensure you don't accidently dump it all in the tank. I've done it with food, but I am extra clumsey.

[sjm817]

I would caution against adding lime like this. Randy's articles discuss many ways to use lime, none of them in this manner. It would be a good idea to ask about this in the chemistry forum.

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

[stevedola]

sounds like a bad idea. kalkreactor and persitilic pump the way to go. i see nothing but problems with this idea.

[sjm817]

I prefer a settled container to a reactor. Some of the reasons why are in the article I linked to above. Adding dry Lime would have problems, but I would rather have an expert like Randy explain the reasons.

[siropa]

Off the top of my head I can think of a couple of reasons to not do this.

-There are impurities in lime used to make kalk. part of the sediment after mixing contains these impurities. you'll be adding them to the tank doing this.

-Kalk is mixed up with freshwater, not salt. you can get precipitation by adding it to SW. I believe Randy talks about that in the referenced kalk link above.

[sjm817]

He does:

What Is Limewater?

Aquarists have used limewater very successfully for a number of years, and it is the system that I use in my aquarium. It is comprised of an aqueous solution of calcium and hydroxide ions that can be made by dissolving either quicklime or lime in fresh water. Note that the water must be freshwater. Combining lime with seawater will result in a mess of precipitated magnesium and calcium carbonates and hydroxides

[widmer]

1. Didn't know that adding to salt water will precipitate that much out. Maybe it's something I'd consider checking out for myself, to what degree this really happens.

2. As far as the impurities in kalk, aren't they added also if you're using a kalk stirrer? Or maybe I just don't really know how people set those up...

[Hopeful Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13492533#post13492533 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by siropa
-There are impurities in lime used to make kalk. part of the sediment after mixing contains these impurities. you'll be adding them to the tank doing this.

You have to remember though, he said Mrs. Wages. That stuff is food grade, so it is damn near pure Calcium Hydroxide. No impurities...it has been used for some time now by hundreds if not thousands of reefers with no problem...

Like said though, it has to be added to fresh water and can't be added to salt water directly...so this idea wouldn't work...

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13493148#post13493148 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by widmer

2. As far as the impurities in kalk, aren't they added also if you're using a kalk stirrer? Or maybe I just don't really know how people set those up...
Yes, that can be a problem with kalk stirrers. This is one reason a settled container is a preferred method.

[ckoral]

what about air. Does a "settled container" have an air tight seal? I thought calcium hydroxide lost it's PH abilities when exposed to air? That is why I thought I needed a neilson reactor.

Anyone got a good link to a settled container method? I am about out of two part (dowflake) and I heard you can't use it anymore.

What is the ultimate way to distribute kalk to your system?

[siropa]

doesn't need to have an air tight seal. Another one of Randy's articles addresses that. as long as the solution isn't being mixed up with a power head or airstone, it loses very little potency over the time it takes to dose it.

[sjm817]

A lot of people think they need a kalk reactor, when in fact, it is simpler, more effective and cheaper just to use a settled container. The info is in the link I posted previously.

[siropa]

here is what randy says in his article:

Limewater can lose potency by reacting with carbon dioxide in the air, forming insoluble calcium carbonate. Since calcium carbonate is not an effective supplement of calcium and alkalinity in reef aquaria, the limewater can become less useful through this process. The rate at which this happens in large containers, such as plastic trashcans with loose fitting lids, is much less than many aquarists expect. There is, in fact, little degradation under typical use conditions. Consequently, the dosing of limewater from such large still reservoirs can be just as effective as dosing using any other scheme, and may have substantial advantages.


http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rhf/feature/index.php

[ckoral]

I would like to push kalk to the limit. If I buy one of those milwaukee ph meters can I somehow hook it up somehow to my kalk reactor to dose until a specified PH?

What would I hook up to it? I tried a Normally closed 1/4 water selinoid out of an old ice maker, but it burns out if left on for over minute.

Any ideas since I already have a kalk reactor?

[customcolor]

kalk reactors i think can be tricky to push to the limit cuz your adding ro water and not salt water. if you add to much ro your salinity will go out of wack. that is why the best way is to run it off a top off system. but depending on the usage of calcium in your tank depends on how much kalk you need to add. if you add to much kalk you will have calcium precipatate out of the water. by the way i suck at spelling too :)