Kalkwasser on a doser in nano

[rishma]

Quick question. I am looking into the Seachem kalkwasser, which states the following mixing ratio: "Add 3 g (1 teaspoon) to 4 L (1 US gallon) of water and mix to dissolve. If using pure water, a fully saturated solution is prepared by adding 6 g (2 teaspoons) to 4 L (1 US gallon)."

Would you go for the 3g or 6g per 4 litres?

I always mix a saturated solution if using a dosing pump. It’s much easier to know how much alkalinity/calcium is being dosed because saturated will be consistent. There will be some powder left over that settles in a saturated solution.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I always mix a saturated solution if using a dosing pump. It’s much easier to know how much alkalinity/calcium is being dosed because saturated will be consistent. There will be some powder left over that settles in a saturated solution.

Thanks
I'll give that a shot, I'll buy some kalkwasser once my dosing pump is installed

 

[exnisstech]

My Bad. I misread Garfs statement

 

[exnisstech]

Kalk can be hard on regular dosing pumps. When I dosed it I used a brs 50ml minute doser on a digital timer that adjust the on time down by the second. I was at 7200 ml a day so I mixed it in a brute trash can. You won't need anything that large obviously. They make a 1ml minute pump as well. Couple that with a timer and your in for less than $100. Just have to do the math once you verify the flow rate of the pump. I dosed kalk like that for several years years.
Sorry if it's been mentioned and I missed it but you'll want to make sure the tube in the container is suspended above the sediment at the bottom. You don't want to dose that.
Also this is all I ever used. No need to buy expensive kalkwasser and this is in most grocery stores in the canning section.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Kalk can be hard on regular dosing pumps. When I dosed it I used a brs 50ml minute doser on a digital timer that adjust the on time down by the second. I was at 7200 ml a day so I mixed it in a brute trash can. You won't need anything that large obviously. They make a 1ml minute pump as well. Couple that with a timer and your in for less than $100. Just have to do the math once you verify the flow rate of the pump. I dosed kalk like that for several years years.
Sorry if it's been mentioned and I missed it but you'll want to make sure the tube in the container is suspended above the sediment at the bottom. You don't want to dose that.
Also this is all I ever used. No need to buy expensive kalkwasser and this is in most grocery stores in the canning section.

Thanks! I get my doser very soon so I will hook up kalk to it and see how things go

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Kalk can be hard on regular dosing pumps. When I dosed it I used a brs 50ml minute doser on a digital timer that adjust the on time down by the second. I was at 7200 ml a day so I mixed it in a brute trash can. You won't need anything that large obviously. They make a 1ml minute pump as well. Couple that with a timer and your in for less than $100. Just have to do the math once you verify the flow rate of the pump. I dosed kalk like that for several years years.
Sorry if it's been mentioned and I missed it but you'll want to make sure the tube in the container is suspended above the sediment at the bottom. You don't want to dose that.
Also this is all I ever used. No need to buy expensive kalkwasser and this is in most grocery stores in the canning section.

Does it have to be a continuous dosing pump? This is the pump I am getting

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, dosing does not need to be continuous 24:7.

 

[exnisstech]

Does it have to be a continuous dosing pump? This is the pump I am getting

It does not.
I've found kalk is pretty hard on those type of pumps. Mine always plugged up. A peristalic pump on a timer works better for kalk IME

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It does not.
I've found kalk is pretty hard on those type of pumps. Mine always plugged up. A peristalic pump on a timer works better for kalk IME

Is that not a peristaltic pump?

 

[Brad Coughlan]

It does not.
I've found kalk is pretty hard on those type of pumps. Mine always plugged up. A peristalic pump on a timer works better for kalk IME

Thanks.
Only asked because the doses would be spread further apart than that on the BRS continuous doser, so I wondered if that would create more PH fluctuations. To be honest, I don't think I have enough alk/calium consumption in the tank yet which would allow me to dose enough kalk to see a noticeable difference in PH. My last PH reading a couple of weeks ago was as low a 7.5... Hence why I am opting to change to kalk, as well as installing a co2 scrubber.

 

[exnisstech]

Is that not a peristaltic pump?

Appologies It is but I was referring to one like I posted from brs earlier that uses 1/4 tubing. The one like the OP is getting has not worked well for kalk when I used them because of the small diameter of the tubing and the fitting having an even smaller ID. The fittings add a lip inside the tube which is where mine always plugged.

 

[exnisstech]

Thanks.
Only asked because the doses would be spread further apart than that on the BRS continuous doser, so I wondered if that would create more PH fluctuations. To be honest, I don't think I have enough alk/calium consumption in the tank yet which would allow me to dose enough kalk to see a noticeable difference in PH. My last PH reading a couple of weeks ago was as low a 7.5... Hence why I am opting to change to kalk, as well as installing a co2 scrubber.

A timer is needed to use the continuous pump. I used this one. It allows the on time to be set in 1 second increments.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Appologies It is but I was referring to one like I posted from brs earlier that uses 1/4 tubing. The one like the OP is getting has not worked well for kalk when I used them because of the small diameter of the tubing and the fitting having an even smaller ID. The fittings add a lip inside the tube which is where mine always plugged.

Ah, makes sense.