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Dosing Limewater


aesp533262

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I have had my water parameters manually stabilized (alk 9, cal 400, ph 8.2) and was looking to start a dosing regiment of Kalkwasser(using Mrs Wages Pickling Lime) to maintain those parameters. I started with a small dose and a small container (1/2 tsp to 1.25 gal of water). I added to tank with a gravity fed ato with a float valve. Not a long term solution, just temp.

 

I noticed that after half the container was emptied, there was residue floating near the float valve, slimy white. The residue from the container did not make it into the line( i dont think).

Now im noticing small white specks in the tank (likely perciptiation)

 

Any suggestions what to do or check? I think ill change to just RO water next and stop the limewater. But need some help understanding whats happening.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

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My guess is that the undissolved kalk settled to the bottom. When the ATO was activated, it released it into your tank. You might try modifying your reservoir to allow particles to collect at the bottom, by attaching the feed line higher on the container (or by using a siphon, where the hose doesn't go all the way down to the bottom).

 

Kalk can really affect pH, so most people recommend dripping it in at night. It's actually easier to dose two part solution (although it's a little more expensive).

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Nano sapiens

You can make up a clear solution by mixing in a container and then siphoning out the clear liquid after a few days, thus leaving the deposits on the container bottom. Use this clear solution in your ATO.

 

This is the method I use for my gravity-fed ATO bottles.

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Mr. Microscope

Unless you have an extremely consistent evaporation rate, I don't think it's a good idea to top off with Kalk. This will be an especially big factor going from season to season depending on where you live.

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My thought has been that it dripped too fast and that I need to slow the rate at which it enters the tank. I am going to try another 1.25 gal of solution with a modified drip rate still using the float valve to dictate total tank volume.

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Nano sapiens

Unless you have an extremely consistent evaporation rate, I don't think it's a good idea to top off with Kalk. This will be an especially big factor going from season to season depending on where you live.

 

I've been using this method for 30+ years. As long as one checks alkalinity/calcium regularly, and adjusts the amount of Kalkwasser to compensate for any seasonal evaporation changes, it works quite well.

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Mr. Microscope

 

I've been using this method for 30+ years. As long as one checks alkalinity/calcium regularly, and adjusts the amount of Kalkwasser to compensate for any seasonal evaporation changes, it works quite well.

Cool! Thank you for sharing your experience. Do you have any thoughts on nano vs. larger tanks. I've been hesitant to employ this method on my 25 gallon system fearing the swings would be too dramatic.

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Nano sapiens

Cool! Thank you for sharing your experience. Do you have any thoughts on nano vs. larger tanks. I've been hesitant to employ this method on my 25 gallon system fearing the swings would be too dramatic.

 

On my previous larger system (55g) I used to hand dose a set amount of Kalkwasser a couple times a day, which amounts to the same thing as using an ATO that doses a set amount of solution a few times a day.

 

I've been very satisfied with my simple gravity-fed bottle ATOs. The average rate of dosing is roughly 4-5 tbls every hour or two in my open-top cube which is not enough to produce a harmful pH spike. I just adjust the Kalkwasser-to-RO/DI ratio when requried to maintain a steady alk/cal level.

 

If you don't mind having the ATO container above the water line (gravity-fed), then it's a really simple solution once dialed in. There are no valves of any type to fail. The only caution is to make sure that there is no air that can leak in (a good seal between the bottle/container and the cap/spout is paramount).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Iirc, water will only retain about 2 tbl per gallon max. you'll always have some white gunk in the bottom of your container and you do not want this in your tank. so keep you pump off the bottom. the pickling lime method can work on tanks up to 100g depending on the corals you keep.

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even larger depending on demand, and delivery method. i use a stirrer and with a dosing pump hooked to an apex to decide weather the Kalk stirrer should continue based on pH. however you can also add white vinegar to ato if you choose to add talk to that container to increase the strength should demand get too high . in addition talk can help with phosphate management as well.

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