kalc and vinegar start-up

[likefish]

I have a 120 gal tank with 40 gal sump. I am using a 5 gal container to gravity feed a float valve in my sump for my RO ATO.

I have started to introduce Kalc to the top off water at a concentration of 3 tsp/5 gal. My consumption in the tank is minimal but i watned to start my dosing in anticipation of consumption.

My ATO rate is 5gal water in 3 days so i am adding 1tsp of Kalk per day in 1.6 gal of RO.

Only problem i am having so far is that i am getting the kalk crust on top of the water at the point where my float introduces the lime water into my sump. It is in an area of very low flow. IS this a concern? (would a powerhead be appropriate to hemp it mix?)

I intend to start my vinegar/kalk at the ratio reccomended by Randy Holmes as follows:

"How much can be used? The more vinegar that is used, the lower the pH of both the limewater and the aquarium will be. One reasonable point to shoot for is to add about the same amount of total CO2 via the vinegar as is needed by the lime to form HCO3-. This balance is roughly matched by using three level teaspoons of solid lime per gallon of limewater, and 45 ml of distilled white vinegar per gallon of limewater. For those aquarists choosing to use vinegar in limewater, these values are a suitable starting point. Note that the pH of the limewater is still quite high, so slow dosing is usually required."

To maintain this ration I will be adding 15ml vinegar to each tsp of kalk and maintain my current kalk dose at 3tsp / 5 gal. SO.... 45ml vinegar to 3 tsp kalk in 5 gal water = 15ml vinegar and 1 tsp kal per day added to my system.

SOUND right? I intend to start working my way up from there as I see more Ca consumtion in the tank.

Is 15ml vinegar a day even a recognizable dose in a system with a 150 gallon total volume?

Thanks for comments and suggestions!!

[bertoni]

The vinegar is optional, and in this case it'll serve mostly as a form of carbon dosing. It might help bacteria remove nutrients from the water column, but it could cause some bacterial slime or other growth, as well. You can try it, and see what happens, but the vinegar won't help with the calcium and alkalinity levels. That's not a huge dose of carbon for a 150g, though.

The crust could be a problem. I am wary about dosing lime with a float valve because they have been known to get stuck, particularly when dosing limewater, since, as you've seen, the lime can precipitate and form a crust. Is the end of the tube from the limewater reservoir below the water level? If so, the tube might tend to plug a lot, and there might be a lot of lime lost to precipitation.

[Skynyrd Fish]

I used to dose kalc with a 5 gal bucket, some ice maker water line and a brass needle valve. I never had a problem and every 4 days would have to add a little water to the sump. My needle valve was set to approx 1 gal per day. I was afraid of using a float valve in case it clogged and stuck open. Keep an eye on it and see if it works. You could always and more water before the tube sucks surface water to keep from getting crust.

[usmc121581]

I just started dosing vinager with Malcolm and I used a starting dose of .1ml per 25 gallons. So in your tank you would start off with .6ml from day 1-3 then 1.2ml for day 3-6. It is not recommend to start dosing vinager unless you are able to test for nitrates first.

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/116-vinegar-dosing-methodology-for-the-marine-aquarium