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FAQs on Supplementing With Kalkwasser, Mixing & Storing
Related Articles: Calcium,
Understanding Calcium & Alkalinity,
The Use of Kalkwasser by Russell Schultz,
Calcium Reactors Related FAQs:
Kalkwasser 1, Kalkwasser 2,
Kalkwasser 3,
Kalkwasser 4, & FAQs on Kalk:
Rationale/Use, Calcium Measuring/Test
Kits, Sources of Calcium,
Calcium Supplements, Dosing Kalkwasser,
Kalk Reactors, Kalk Automation,
Alkalinity Interactions,
About Kalk Use & Other Supplements, e.g. Magnesium,
Troubleshooting/Fixing,
CaCl2 (Calcium Chloride)/ Pickling Lime Use,
Calcium and Alkalinity, |
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Re: 20K HID and Actinic Blue Light…now Kalkwasser and Nitrate
– 06/10/09
Hi Eric,
<<Hello Oowais>>
Thanks very much for your prompt answer.
<<Quite welcome>>
Normally I use deionized or distilled water to make Kalkwasser water.
<<Okay>>
But I recently noticed that the deionized water contains 10 ppm of
Nitrate.
<<Odd, the deionization process should remove all traces…perhaps it is
leaching from the containers>>
I would like to know if I can use seawater, with around 0 ppm, to make
the Kalkwasser water?
<<I suppose you could…though I don’t know what kind of result you will
get/if the extra salt ions will cause any adverse reaction. Try it and
see what happens…>>
I just made a coil denitrator and would like to know the output flow
rate per hour of the water.
<<This is a balancing act… Start with a fast drip and measure the output
for Nitrate and make adjustments accordingly…you want as fast a stream
as you can get with a “zero” Nitrate reading>>
Thanking you,
Oowais
<<Happy to share… EricR>>
Old Kalkwasser – 04/14/09
Hey guys,
<<Gary>>
I looked thru your many Kalkwasser FAQs and cannot come to a firm
conclusion on an approach to an almost automatic Kalk setup.
<<Okay>>
I have a 10 gal container that I fill with new RO water once a week
via a shut off valve. I have a premeasured cup of Mrs. Wages
pickling lime to create the mix of limewater. I then mix up the
solution manually and let it sit for at least 10 hours.
<<Sounds good thus far>>
I then run an Aqua-Lifter on a timer to dose the Kalk slowly into
the tank at a predetermined drip rate to keep pH within check.
<<Okay>>
My main question is the leftover Kalk on the bottom of the 10 gal
container. Since I have the draw tubing 2” from the bottom of the
container, I will never receive ANY of the sediment sitting on the
bottom of the container but it will get mixed in when new lime and
water is added.
<<Indeed>>
Do you see an issue with this?
<<Nope>>
It’s really convenient to mix up 10 gals once a week, but the larger
dosing container is rather cumbersome to pickup and washout weekly.
Any advice?
<<What you are doing is fine (but do still figure to give the
container a good cleaning 2-3 times a year)... In fact, you can
probably just add water and give the old slurry a good stir without
adding new Kalk powder for a time or two after. The water can only
dissolve “so much” of the Kalk powder at a time...test the pH of the
solution after mixing and if it falls below 11 you know to start
adding new powder>>
Thanks, Gary
<<Happy to share… EricR>>
Kalkwasser Magic Number (pH) – 04/08/09
Hello friends.
<<Greetings>>
I have done like most and have spent oodles of time scouring this forum
for the answers I need to all of my questions to find the answers to
many other things I wasn't looking for but was good to know anyway.
<<Indeed>>
But I'm not in the mood at this time to hunt for the one question you
can easily answer for me if you would be so kind.
<<Mmm…>>
I recently purchased a Hanna pH/temp tester, the red one, and have
calibrated it. Seems really accurate at least temperature wise as I can
compare it with my other thermometers. It takes a few moments to get to
its final reading as it slowly moves to the proper degree/pH. Anyway, I
have been dosing with Kalkwasser via my 29 gallon Rubbermaid trash can
with a slow drip in to my sump. I make up enough to last a week. When I
refilled to a week’s worth (maybe 15 gallons RO water), before adding
new Kalk, I tested the pH of the water and found it to be 11.30.
<<Not unusual…often the remaining solids can be stirred/remixed a time
or two to create a new “batch” of Kalkwasser without the need for adding
more powder>>
What should the pH be at when it is added to a fresh mix?
<<About 12.0>>
Seems like 11.3 is pretty good for not even having to add more Kalk.
<<Agreed…as mentioned>>
I'm sure if I added more Kalk the pH would go up but to what?
<<To about 12 or a bit more. But why not just do it and see for
yourself…>>
I do know enough to know the old, "if it ain't broke don't fix it", so
I'm not going to do anything stupid here while everything is stable and
healthy looking, but I would like to know what the magic number or
target should be.
<<As long as the pH is 11 or more, I see no need to add more Kalkwasser
powder. Just give the new water a good stir and let the solids settle
out again (the water can only render in to solution a finite amount of
Kalkwasser powder). But… Some folks are also more comfortable with
dumping/cleaning/mixing fresh each time…is up to you
Also, can those pH calibration fluids that come in those packets be
emptied into a plastic bottle or something to store in to be reused
later, or once you open it you have to use it once and chuck it?
<<As long as the calibration solution does not become diluted or
contaminated it can be reused. The solutions can also be obtained in
bulk (e.g. - 220ml bottles), though the single-use packets likely afford
the highest degree of accuracy (less chance of contamination)…depending
on how they are used>>
Thanks cyber friends,
Jason
<<Happy to share… EricR>>
Calcium Oxide (Making Calcium Hydroxide) – 01/22/09
At work
I have access to food grade Calcium Oxide CaO (lime). I believe when
calcium oxide is mixed with water it is Calcium Hydroxide (Kalkwasser
mix).
<<A bit oversimplified but yes, the Calcium Oxide “reacts” with
the water during a process called “slaking” to form Calcium Hydroxide.
The byproduct would then again be mixed with water to make the
“Kalkwasser”>>
Can I use this instead of Kalkwasser?
<<Won’t be
“instead of”… If you go to the trouble to slake the Calcium Oxide, then
the byproduct will be Calcium Hydroxide (Kalkwasser powder)>>
I know
a concern for Kalkwasser is that there could be harmful impurities in
the raw material. I have the Certificate of Analysis for this Calcium
Oxide so I know that this material has very low to no harmful
impurities.
<<Considering most of the organisms we keep can detect
values in the parts-per-million, even parts-per-billion range…having
“very low” harmful impurities can be quite significant. But even so,
this food-grade product is likely fine, and certainly no more of a risk
than the grocery store pickling lime used by many hobbyists>>
I just
wanted to get advice from an expert before I go and do a little
experiment at home.
<<I’m no chemist, but the reaction of the Calcium
Oxide and water will generate a lot of heat…and reportedly about double
the volume of the solid material. I also do not know how violent (if at
all) this reaction will be. I suggest any experimenting be done outside
with very small amounts until you get a feel for the process. Be sure to
wear eye and skin protection (as a “base” substance, the Calcium
Oxide/Hydroxide is more damaging to your eyes than an acid!) and do
research the “slaking” process before you start. And though not as
readily accessible as he once was, you might also see if you can reach
Randy Holmes-Farley (a reef hobbyist AND experienced chemist) over at
Reef Central for his take on what you want to do>>
Thanks for your
help. Love the website.
Matt
Columbus, Ohio
<<Happy to share
mate. EricR…Columbia, SC>>
RO/DI water 11/30/07
Hello
<hello Steve>
I found many
sections on aerating and buffering newly made RO/DI water for water
changes and makeup water. My question is if I'm adding Kalkwasser to a
gallon of water to drip into my system does this also need to be aerated
and buffered first? If RO water has a low PH wouldn't the high PH
Kalkwasser offset this?
<Your question is a good one. pH is lower
after coming out of a RO unit because many of the "minerals" that would
buffer pH have been removed. Once the water flows from the RO to the DI
unit it has ALL the minerals removed, leaving pure water. This water has
0 TDS and is a very "soluble solvent". This means it is eager to absorb
any mineral content that it exposed to. Therefore, mixing it with
Kalkwasser (Calcium Hydroxide) will immediately have a reaction. The pH
will soar up to 9.0 and the hardness will soar to 8-12DKH. This is good
for a Saltwater tank as it adds calcium and buffer to the tank.
As
far as making it goes, add your dry powder to your 1 gallon jug, then
shake very well so that you dissolve as much as possible. Then let
settle so that you go from cloudy water to clear water. The only thing
you want to add to the tank is the clear water. Then just drip that in
overnight each day or as necessary (depending on your rate of
evaporation)
Hope this helps-Rich.. aka. Mr. Firemouth)
Thanks
Steve
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