Keeping up Ca, Mg and str.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I was doing 100ml per 5 tsp in 5 gallons to make a 50% solution, that's 20ml per tsp not 100 (and that equates to 40mL per gallon for a 100% solution). I don't know where you got 60mL per gallon as a minimum. If you look back at that article

http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/b...alkwasser.html

Some words of caution, especially for any reefkeeping newbies out there -- If you are using Vinegar in your Kalk mix for the first time, I'd start off with 5 ml per quart at first. If you find you still need to get more Calcium into your tank per unit Kalkwasser, work up over a couple of weeks to a max of 12-15 ml per quart (the stoichiometric amount for Carbonate as recommended by Craig Bingman), or if you are feeling brave or really need lots of extra Calcium and de-Nitrate action as I do, a max of 24-30 ml (the stoichiometric amount for Bicarbonate, which I use).

4 quarts/gallons...so that's a minimum of 20mL per gallon, MAXIMUM of 120mL/g. At 2 tsp per gallon for a saturated solution, that's 10mL per tsp minimum, 60mL/tsp max.

[kerry]

Minimum for saturation is what I should have included. Then there are others that said 100ml is saturation. I was just wondering if anyone using 60ml has had precipitation at all. I cannot afford to have precip as my tank eats Ca. like its candy.

[joelespinoza]

Minimum for saturation is what I should have included. Then there are others that said 100ml is saturation. I was just wondering if anyone using 60ml has had precipitation at all. I cannot afford to have precip as my tank eats Ca. like its candy.

In my experience 60ml of vinegar and 2 tsp of kalk is ok if you leave it sitting for a few hours. If you want to be 100% sure there is no precipitate then use 90ml mix it well enough that it is almost all disolved before you ever add the RO/DI water then shake it up some more, and let it sit for half an hour or so.


I know that saturated solution of kalk in RO/DI water is about a ph of 12, I was curious how much different amounts of vinegar bring it down.

[Floyd R Turbo]

I was just adding the vinegar to the container that had the kalk powder in it and shaking for 30 seconds or so, then pouring it into the RODI in a 5g bucket and I got maybe 1/8 tsp of precipitate, maybe, and that was for 10tsp of kalk with I think 100mL vinegar, or whatever I was up to. Anyways I had nearly zero precipitate.

[SantaMonica]

I'm just adding the vinegar to the RO first, then adding the kalk.

[Floyd R Turbo]

When I did that, the water never got clear enough to see the bottom of the bucket. When I dissolved in vinegar first, it cleared up in a few minutes. Not 100% clear, but much, much clearer.

[kerry]

I was just adding the vinegar to the container that had the kalk powder in it and shaking for 30 seconds or so, then pouring it into the RODI in a 5g bucket and I got maybe 1/8 tsp of precipitate, maybe, and that was for 10tsp of kalk with I think 100mL vinegar, or whatever I was up to. Anyways I had nearly zero precipitate.

Thats good to know!!! Thank you Sir.

[kerry]

I'm just adding the vinegar to the RO first, then adding the kalk.

I get a lot less precip when I add the kalk to the vinegar first.

[SantaMonica]

Yes but that is harder to do.