How do I make Kalk Paste?

[Damsel13]

What's in it and where can I get it? I live in Orange Co. Ca. So you Washington and Oregon people can't direct me to a local store probably but if I remember correctly Charlie said that it is something used in canning food and one can buy it cheap somewhere besides a fish supply store. I got's to kill me some aiptasia! I have been using Aiptasia-X by Red Sea and it works great but is a little pricey around here.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Debbie

 

[Myteemouse]

wal mart MRS WAGES PICKLING LIME!!!

 

[DonW]

Try walmar for Mrs Wages pickling lime. It will be in the canning section. Once you get it just mix a little tap water and you have kalk paste.

Don

 

[roscoe]

Aptasia totally sucks! IMO kalk, joes juice, Lime and any other method that I've tried wroked very well temporarly. If you don't siphon out every little flesh you are pretty much going to see that few you've killed come back within a few months plus many many more. I have so many in my 40b now I just learned to live with them for the time being until everything goes into the 270g. I have so many corals in the 40b that I don't even really notice them any more.

 

[DonW]

You have to keep a clean tank or they will just keep comming breeding. If your diligent with killing them and your tank is clean they will be gone until the next time their introduced.

Don

 

[returnofsid]

Mrs Wages pickling lime can be found at Walmart or larger grocery stores. Problem is, it's used for pickling, so is a seasonal item. Some LFS also carry it and have it year around. If you can't find it at any of those places, due to it not being the proper season for pickling, try www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Damsel13]

Excellent! Thank you all for your feedback. I am grateful. Yes, when keep my tank clean I don't get them in the display but they are in my little mini-sump and I am not too concerned as they don't seem to thrive in the display. I put a peppermint shrimp in there a year ago but have NEVER seen it. I doubt it is in there but I'm not having a problem keeping things under control with the aiptasia-x. I love squirting the little buggers!:badgrin:

Walmart here I come.
Thanks so much guys!!!!!!

 

[roscoe]

You have to keep a clean tank or they will just keep comming breeding. If your diligent with killing them and your tank is clean they will be gone until the next time their introduced.

Don

Clean as in what? Clean rock/sand?

 

[DonW]

Clean everything. They need food to thrive. If you actually have a low nutrient system they starve. They are a good indicator of nutrient levels if your striving for that nutrient poor sps system.

Don

 

[roscoe]

Clean everything. They need food to thrive. If you actually have a low nutrient system they starve. They are a good indicator of nutrient levels if your striving for that nutrient poor sps system.

Don

Well I guess my 40b is nutrient rich:badgrin::badgrin:. My SPS seems to love it as they grow like mad and colors are nice and bright. I don't know when the last time I tested my water params.:lol:. I just use my corals as indicators. If they look happy and growing why do I need to test right. If I test and my numbers isn't the ideal numbers I tend to mess with the tank for no apprent reason:lol::lol:.

 

[DonW]

I guess if your happy with what you have then that's all that counts. I can easily starve aptasia and by no means are into achieving nutrient levels as low as the zeo folks. That's just to much work for me.

Don

 

[roscoe]

I guess if your happy with what you have then that's all that counts. I can easily starve aptasia and by no means are into achieving nutrient levels as low as the zeo folks. That's just to much work for me.

Don

Yeah ZEO folks are nuts. It seems like alot of work and the zeo systems I've seen don't look anymore impressive than an non ZEO system. Corals look the same or better in a non zeo system at least the ones i've seen.

 

[Damsel13]

Well... I got all excited and planned a trip to WalMart yesterday. Turns out I should have called. They stopped carrying any canning products at all. Can you believe that???!?Then I went to a big grocery store...they carried lots of canning stuff but only pectin nothing like Mrs. Wages. What other types of stores might carry this product and what is it exactly? I was so disappointed.

So, for now the aiptasias live on. Yech! I had tons of tank maintenance planned but getting rid of the aiptasias was first on the list I don't do enough regularly scheduled maintenance although I am "good" about water changes, 30% once a month. I carry the water 80 lbs. up some stairs from the garage.I get my water from a local fish store. Salt and fresh. I don't blow my rocks off nearly enough. Today, if I can find Mrs. Wages (or equalivent ) I planned to blow off all the rocks really well, vacuum my very shallow sand bed, run fresh filter media and charcoal, and then change it after I stir things up a few times. I will vacuum my mini-sump and clean the bak-pac skimmer as I can see some detris has collected in the bottom. Hopefully all these things will help keep the aiptasia down to a managable number. Mostly they stay out of the display and live in the mini-sump/fuge and overflow. I put a peppermint shrimp in my tank about a year and a half ago but I have never seen it!:eek2: I think some monster that lives in my rocks ate it.:evil:

I would love to be able to have more flow in my tank. Right now I have a Rio+1700 return pump and 2 1200 maxi-jets in the front but hidden behind rocks. These combined with the close fitting hood tend to heat up the water.:doubt: There is just a small cut out in the back of the hood. I usually run 1 96 watt PC 50/50. I have another installed but running both adds about a degree to the temp. which is already 80F! And I really got the second one because I wanted to try to have a monti C. grow in there. It did well and was putting out new growth for a while, the nitrates crept up and I had to go on a trip and when I got back most of it was bleached/dead My tank is a fairly old tank. I would say it was close to top of the line when it came out. I am guessing sometime in the early '80's.

Nitrates have always been present, no 0's here! It's hard to keep them below 50ppm. For a few months I had my hands in the tank all the time cleaning, cleaning, cleaning and got them down to 10ppm according to a salifert test. But my skin didn't like that much. They would sting after having them in the tank for so long. I haven't tested lately but I am guessing nitrates are about 100ppm. I have mushrooms and xenia growing in the tank, oh and some zoo's. The zoanthids seem to be the most sensitive to the nitrates.

Sending along a picture. any suggestions are most definately welcome!
Thanks!

 

[returnofsid]

The problem is that most stores won't carry it until late summer and fall. I'd suggest trying http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/index.html or a LFS. Another option would be http://www.bulkfoods.com/search_res...tFromSearch=fromSearch&txtsearchParamTxt=4330

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Ebay is also a good source for Kalk

 

[Damsel13]

Here are some pictures:

View attachment 33852View attachment 33853View attachment 33854

OOps How did he get in there?

 

[jhampton_wsu]

If you have a LFS that you can buy Joe's at you shoud also be able to buy Kalkwasser powder there. This should be cheaper than Joe's.

 

[Damsel13]

okie, appreciate the interest and suggestions