How many times can you use Kalkwasser?

[James w Lewis]

I have had a reef tank for 3 years now doing OK with water changes and a big skimmer. I am getting some very high end pieces now and I don't want to make a mistake. I just bought a Walt Disney frag and a Sexy corals Dynamite chalice along with many others from various venders. I have been using kalk by putting a few spoonfuls into a 5 gallon bucket and pouring RO water into it and putting the lid on it till the white settles at the bottom then pouring into the sump as the water evaporates. I have been using the kalk over and over replacing it about once a month or just putting more in and leaving the old. many times can you actually use the kalk before you need to throw it away and use new stuff. This is a pretty newbie question I know but I have never had a reason to worry about it but now a accident or incident could cost me a LOT of money. Where can I go for a crash course in reef chemical for the ADD idiot.

 

[HiddenUser]

I'm a bit confused on the question, but here is what I do...I mix about 4 TSP of Kalk with 4.5 gallons of RODI Water. I'll shake the container then let it sit overnight and so I know the kalk should be dissolved. I'll then pour that kalk / RODI water mixture into my ATO container. If I end up not using all of the kalk / RODI mixture, I'll just add more RODI water and add more kalk in correlation to the amount of RODI water that I add to my mixing container.

If I use all the kalk / RODI water, I just rinse my mixing container and repeat as needed.

After 2-3 months I'll also rinse out the kalk sludge that has accumulated at the bottom of my ATO container.

 

[d2mini]

James, first you should probably get an ATO if at all possible. Stability is key, and since the Kalk is adding Alk and Calc to your water, your ATO will add it in much smaller amounts, keeping your tank from having swings.
Second, you are testing your Alk, and Calc, right?
Third, what I would do when using Kalk in my 35g Brute trash can that i used for my ATO is just add more (measured) Kalk every time I re-filled it with RODI water, and then about every 6 months or so I would dump the whole thing and clean it out.

 

[James w Lewis]

So, in short, the Kalk is used up after one use? I have been using it multiple times and throwing it away after a couple of weeks or just adding to it. Now Im really going to sound stupid but what is a ATO. I really need to get on the ball and learn this stuff before I kill expensive stuff. I was going to rig up a drip process rather than just pouring it into the sump which should be easy enough. Any info would be welcomed.

 

[-Logzor]

Definitely invest in an Auto Top-off (ATO). I run kalk in my ATO reservoir, I use a conductivity probe to measure the strength of the kalk. I'll keep mixing it up the old until the conductivity drops. What's you're budget like? I would be happy to help you get the right equipment to support your new frags. Eventually you'll need dosing pumps but kalk in the ATO is a great way to handle a small number of corals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Depending on how much solid matter you add, some solid calcium hydroxide may remain ready for more fresh water to come along and usefully dissolve.

Over time, you may collect calcium carbonate in the solids, and that will not dissolve in limewater.

But I don't clean out the residual solids often at all. Maybe once every few years. I just keep adding more solids and more water.

 

[James w Lewis]

Well this helps. What is kalkwasser and what is the stuff that is left. I rigged up a drip system last night to administer it slowly instead of pouring it in the sump. I have so many corals in this tank now that Im going to have to start adding calcium every day. send me a link to what I need to buy please.

 

[heathd.hd]

Start googling randy ' s articles on kalk water he go over the use pretty well. I also would say you want to invest in a auto top off system. Basically it just pumps your top of water into the return pump area of your sump. If you have the room it would be ideal.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

These have more on limewater and the sediment in it:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Chemistry And The Aquarium: Metals In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

The Degradation of Limewater in Air - Reefkeeping.com

Aquarium Chemistry: Magnesium And Strontium In Limewater ? Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

What is that Precipitate in My Reef Aquarium? by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[BiggestE22]

So, in short, the Kalk is used up after one use? I have been using it multiple times and throwing it away after a couple of weeks or just adding to it. Now Im really going to sound stupid but what is a ATO. I really need to get on the ball and learn this stuff before I kill expensive stuff. I was going to rig up a drip process rather than just pouring it into the sump which should be easy enough. Any info would be welcomed.

No you can leave the sludge and just add more. A very experienced Reefer gave this info to me. However you may want to clean your jug out after a month of so

 

[BiggestE22]

Depending on how much solid matter you add, some solid calcium hydroxide may remain ready for more fresh water to come along and usefully dissolve.

Over time, you may collect calcium carbonate in the solids, and that will not dissolve in limewater.

But I don't clean out the residual solids often at all. Maybe once every few years. I just keep adding more solids and more water.

Randy has it. Can use even longer

 

[BiggestE22]

Definitely invest in an Auto Top-off (ATO). I run kalk in my ATO reservoir, I use a conductivity probe to measure the strength of the kalk. I'll keep mixing it up the old until the conductivity drops. What's you're budget like? I would be happy to help you get the right equipment to support your new frags. Eventually you'll need dosing pumps but kalk in the ATO is a great way to handle a small number of corals.

A doser would be better.

 

[dferrant]

I just used saturated kalk solution in my ATO reservoir.
I supplement with w part (b-ionic) from a dosing pump, use frequent alkalinity testing to work out the amounts.

 

[fragit]

Can you hook your ATO line into a Kalk stirrer like the Avast Marine K1 for its feed line. Or with this kind of device do you need to use a doser?

 

[14 foot reef]

Well this helps. What is kalkwasser and what is the stuff that is left. I rigged up a drip system last night to administer it slowly instead of pouring it in the sump. I have so many corals in this tank now that Im going to have to start adding calcium every day. send me a link to what I need to buy please.

Please be careful dosing something that you don't know what it is or what it does. You will need to understand what your putting in your tank to understand how much you need. Testing is a must with kalkwasser, it will raise your PH and your Alk, possibly to levels that are dangerous to fragile SPS if you don't understand the dosage.
Try watching this video from BRSTV

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Please be careful dosing something that you don't know what it is or what it does. You will need to understand what your putting in your tank to understand how much you need. Testing is a must with kalkwasser, it will raise your PH and your Alk, possibly to levels that are dangerous to fragile SPS if you don't understand the dosage.
Try watching this video from BRSTV

Since the post you quote is seven years old, I expect he is past the danger point, .

 

[14 foot reef]

Since the post you quote is seven years old, I expect he is past the danger point, .

YIKES !!!!

Had no Idea I was reading a 7 year old post.... Time for a coffee break.

Thanks Randy.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

I don’t know. I hear some people are slow learners!!

 

[Miami Reef]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

I actually do a have question about this.

I’m starting a new tank with an ATO container with a float valve.

Let’s say I make a full saturated solution in a 10 gallon ATO reservoir, but by the end of the week 6.2 gallons are missing. It’s going to be challenging to fill back the container for RODI and guess/estimate how much kalk I need to add. So by every week the kalk ratio will be less and less accurate.

How can I do this? Can I just saturate it until there is kalk percipitation on the bottom at all times?

And is it true that I can’t mix saturated a kalk solution?

 

[fragit]

@Randy Holmes-Farley

I actually do a have question about this.

I’m starting a new tank with an ATO container with a float valve.

Let’s say I make a full saturated solution in a 10 gallon ATO reservoir, but by the end of the week 6.2 gallons are missing. It’s going to be challenging to fill back the container for RODI and guess/estimate how much kalk I need to add. So by every week the kalk ratio will be less and less accurate.

How can I do this? Can I just saturate it until there is kalk percipitation on the bottom at all times?

And is it true that I can’t mix saturated a kalk solution?

That’s why I’m asking about a stirrer and just having my ATO pump into the stirrer. Wouldn’t that be the same as just using my ATO can?