Kalkwasser, volume, amount

[Casperson]

HI Randy and anyone who wants to take a stab at this.

I understand that 1tsp of Kalk(Calcium Hydroxide) will dissolve in approximately 1 gallon of RO/DI water. If I place 2 tsp in 1/2 gallon of water, there will undoubtedly be some precipitate or fall out of calcium hydroxide. Is the amount of Kalk. left dilluted in the 1/2 gallon a higher quantity then 1tsp in a gallon? or is it equal to the gallon that has less fall out. Hope you follow my thought here? Trying to raise my calcium level with a smaller amount of make up water.
I drip my Kalk. Don't have a high evaporation amount.

Thanks,

Tom C.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The maximum solubility of calcium hydroxide in water depends on temperature, but is about 2 level teaspoons per gallon of water. Any additional lime that is added will just settle to the bottom.

In general, limewater is not a suitable way to raise calcium, because it will push alkalinity too high to do so. It raises alkalinity by 1 meq/L (2.8 dLH) for each 20 ppm rise in calcium.


What is the calcium and alkalinity now?

These articles may help:

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm


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

[Casperson]

Thanks Randy,
So what your saying is, any additional calcium hydroxide I add will settle out and not add more calcium to that particular solution.

Calcium is 375ppm and alkalinity is 8dkh.
Very steady at this figure always.

Tom

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So what your saying is, any additional calcium hydroxide I add will settle out and not add more calcium to that particular solution.

That is correct: it settles out of the limewater as a white mud on the bottom of the limewater container. If you add the particles to the tank, that can add more calcium and alkalinity, but it also adds more impurities, and risks those solid particles landing on dellicate organisms.

I'd keep dosing the limewater as you are, since the alkalintiy is fine, but I'd make a one time boost to the calcium with calcium chloride. This calcualtor shows how much to add (as detailed in the first article above):

Reef chemicals calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

[Casperson]

Thanks Randy,
The calculator is great!

Tom C

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

:thumbsup:

Happy reefing. :)