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View Full Version : Vinegar and Kalk in Top Off


semperfi102582
02/08/2016, 08:21 AM
I have a 25 gallon mixing tank that I add roughly 1 cup of Kalk to based on a 2tsp per gallon ratio. How much vinegar would you add to that amount of kalkwasser in millileters? All of the information I've read on this subject so far is from the Randy Holmes Farley articles and the number I'm getting for the amount of vinegar that I should be adding is high, so I think I might be doing something wrong.

FloMotion
02/09/2016, 12:23 PM
I have a 25 gallon mixing tank that I add roughly 1 cup of Kalk to based on a 2tsp per gallon ratio. How much vinegar would you add to that amount of kalkwasser in millileters? All of the information I've read on this subject so far is from the Randy Holmes Farley articles and the number I'm getting for the amount of vinegar that I should be adding is high, so I think I might be doing something wrong.

I found my "sweet spot" around 30ml of vinegar per gallon of 1/2 saturated kalk top off (my calcium and alkalinity demand isn't that high). I would start slow and increase the vinegar over time until you see film algae fade on the glass. I stopped increasing the vinegar dosage once I saw the wight bacteria film on the glass. At this point, I feel my carbon dosing, alk, and calc are balanced... until my tank's demands change.

semperfi102582
02/10/2016, 12:42 PM
I have about that same mixture on my 125g. But now I have cloudy water. WTH?

FloMotion
02/10/2016, 06:44 PM
I have about that same mixture on my 125g. But now I have cloudy water. WTH?

My top off container holds 10 gallons of rodi, so I add 4 tbsp kalk powder and 300ml vinegar to the top off reservoir.

So in your case (based on MY tank's needs) I would add 10 tbsp kalk powder and 750ml of vinegar to the 25 gallon reservoir. Again, these numbers are based off my tank's needs, so your measurements are most likely different.

What are you using for an ATO?

thepotoo
02/11/2016, 02:53 PM
I have about that same mixture on my 125g. But now I have cloudy water. WTH?

Have never vinegar dosed, but isn't the point of it to cause a bacterial bloom which the skimmer will remove?

sixpackgarage
02/11/2016, 03:32 PM
Since vinegar is acid, are you trying to counteract the increase in alkalinity of the Kalkwasser, or ?

mav3rick478
02/11/2016, 03:59 PM
I do 1tsp kalk to 1/3 cup vinegar to 1 gallon water.

Six, mixing Kalk, vinegar and water makes the kalk dissolve better than kalk and water alone.

gottalikesharks
02/11/2016, 05:11 PM
Here's a pretty good video I found on YouTube....https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LV1yENM0VUM

Crowed
03/12/2016, 03:44 AM
Is it possible to mix vinegar and water in ATO container and having kalk in kalkwasser mixer? Will that work?

Ah64av8tor
03/26/2016, 08:20 AM
Is it possible to mix vinegar and water in ATO container and having kalk in kalkwasser mixer? Will that work?

I mix Kalk, vinegar and RO/DI water in my 40g ATO tank, I have found that since I have started adding vinegar to the Kalkwasser there is less sediment precipitate left in the bottom of the ATO storage tank requiring less frequent cleaning than with just adding Kalk. That being said, the quality of Kalk used will greatly affect the total amount of impurities left over.

I have a 125g sump outside of my house utilizing fans evaporation cooling for My 150g DT requiring a lot of top off water. Since I have a relatively low demand for Kalk supplementation and high volume of Top-off water from my ATO (about 5g per day) I use weak Kalkwasser solution.

I will go back to mixing my kalk outside of the ATO depending on my demand (1tsp kalk to 1/3 cup vinegar to 1 gallon water)and only poring the clear liquid into the ATO storage tank. I am doing this only because of the shear size of my ATO Tank making frequent cleaning difficult not to mention that the summer is coming and I will need much more top off water.