alternative to Kw for top off

[mofro]

I need to know if there are any substitues for kalkwasser for buffering alk and Ca in ro top off H2O? I am sceptical using kalkwasser, as precipitation onto my aragonite (rendering it useless). I have been using Aragamilk for some time now with very good results, but the cost is a prohibitive factor. Ca reactor is also not an option due to budgetary constraints. Is thater a way to dissole Araganite, eg A.R.M. from caribsea in ro water to remineralise it and add some ca and alk to my top off water. Has anyone experimented with soda water in ro water to dissolve more aragonite into solution? I am tempted to try it, but just do not have all the equipment or funds to measure parameters.

[Sk8r]

I use Kent buffer.

[salreus]

Soda water itself would be RO water with CO2. So I believe it would depend on what the PH of soda water is and what the ph level need to dissolve the ARM. I think is what would happen is even if the PH was low enough, the CO2 will percepatate out of the water too quickly to be effective. And as the CO2 leaves the water. The ph of the water will increase and the ARM will no dissolve anymore.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There are many good ways to supplement calcium and alkalinity, but none other than limewater that work well in a single top off system. This article has more:

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

A dual top off system can use a two part system, including my DIY:

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

I need to know if there are any substitues for kalkwasser for buffering alk and Ca in ro top off H2O? I am sceptical using kalkwasser, as precipitation onto my aragonite (rendering it useless).

Has that happened to you, or is it theoretical concern? Large numbers of aquarists use limewater just fine. It is what I prefer to use. :)


I have been using Aragamilk for some time now with very good results,

AragaMilk and other products that are just fine calcium carbonate sand in water are not very useful supplements, IMO. The sand does not dissolve in seawater. This article details those issues:

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/chem.htm


Calcium carbonate is much less soluble in fresh water than seawater, so dissolving it into RO water is not a useful way to add more than a tiny bit of calcium and alkalinity. Adding soda water to it is complicated and tricky to control. When I've tried it I just got a volcano of sand, water, and carbon dioxide.