Switching to Kalkwasser

[travis_]

I previously have used sea lab blocks to maintain my calcium, but now that I am up to 200 gallon water these blocks are too expensive and I am looking to switching to kalkwasser. I really like the KISS approach and was planning on using a 5 gallon culligan container mounted above the tank, mix in 2 tbs of food grade pickling lime per gallon of water, stirring well, and let siphon drip into my tank at ~1 drop per second which will last just under 1 week. I may occasionally stir the mixture and I was going to put a bag over the top to reduce evaporation. Do I need to decant the clear liquid off from the settled lime? Or is it OK to just have the sediment in the 5 gallon jug with the siphone hose intak an inch or so off the bottom? Anyone see any problems with this? I don't want to go to a complexities of a calcium reactor. If I could get ahold of some huge sea lab blocks for cheap I would continue doing it this way.

thanks for input.

 

[Myteemouse]

make sure you stir well! befor!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

was planning on using a 5 gallon culligan container mounted above the tank, mix in 2 tbs of food grade pickling lime per gallon of water, stirring well, and let siphon drip into my tank at ~1 drop per second which will last just under 1 week. I may occasionally stir the mixture and I was going to put a bag over the top to reduce evaporation.

The container needs to be fully sealed. Use a large jug or sealed salt bucket

Do I need to decant the clear liquid off from the settled lime Or is it OK to just have the sediment in the 5 gallon jug with the siphone hose intak an inch or so off the bottom?

Have it drip well above the lime level

Anyone see any problems with this?

The primary problems with this type setup is from dumping in too much all at once which can spike the alk and kill corals and clams.

If I could get ahold of some huge sea lab blocks for cheap I would continue doing it this way. thanks for input.

Big blocks are trouble too, no controlls. I used the 5 gallon jug system for half a year until built a better DIY one. Mine has always been fed with RO by my ATO pump. Only doses based on evaporation. Was great just a PITA and ugly. Often led to small floods on the floor but better than in the tank.

Do a google for DIY Kalk stirrers, will find many very easy to build or already built ones. Puyallup Matt would probably build you one, I think Danno had one that was almost ready to go.

 

[roscoe]

I do this on my 40b I drip about 1 1/2 gallon per 24hr. I wouldn't reccomend using PH to mix the kalkwasser you will get sick of replacing them . I am using a magnetic stirer that I borrowed from a kind fellow reefer here.