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    Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?

    ericpkeith
    ericpkeith


    Posts : 99
    Join date : 2013-05-07
    Location : Thousand Oaks

    Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?  Empty Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?

    Post by ericpkeith Thu Aug 08, 2013 12:41 pm

    I'm finding out that I don't have enough evap for effective top-off with the typical Kalk/RODI on my nano as it's getting too loaded with SPS. I'm already at the max of 2 teaspoons per gallon and figure I need to double this. The only way I know I can do this is to use 5% vinegar (acetic acid) to buffer the extra Calcium Hydroxide.  
    Has anyone done this? Can you share your experience? I have looked at other message boards and find a lot of mixed information on this topic. For example, some people swear by it and others say they had problems with a dropping pH and build up of organic carbon.

    Note: I know that I could setup 2-part dosing pump and dose Calcium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate but want to keep this as a last resort...

    Update: most articles I've read show that adding 3 teaspoons of vinegar (@ 5% acetic acid) per every teaspoon calcium hydroxide (kalk) is the most effective ratio. I top off from a 2 gallon glass pickle jar, so my goal is to combine 2 gallons of RO water with four teaspoons of kalk and 12 teaspoons of vinegar. Gently mix, let settle, and go from there.
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    Ace25


    Posts : 45
    Join date : 2013-02-05
    Location : https://www.facebook.com/groups/CentralCaliforniaCoastReefers/

    Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?  Empty Re: Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?

    Post by Ace25 Fri Aug 09, 2013 12:37 pm

    That is my main method for dosing. I mix up 30grams of Kalkwasser and 100ml of Vinegar in a 5G bucket, let settle for 24 hours sealed, then scoop it out carefully into my ATO bucket, making sure not to stir up the stuff that settled on the bottom. Been doing it that way for close to a decade now.
    ericpkeith
    ericpkeith


    Posts : 99
    Join date : 2013-05-07
    Location : Thousand Oaks

    Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?  Empty Re: Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?

    Post by ericpkeith Fri Aug 09, 2013 11:48 pm

    Are you finding that this method maintains both calcium and alkalinity? I have a hard time maintaining my alkalinity using just RO water. For example, my dkh has been dropping at least a full point in under a week, typically from 8-7. The fluctuation is bad enough that it is really stressing my Montis; I Digitata has stopped growing and I even had one Setosa start to bleach on me before I started dealing with the issue by adding a small amount of soda ash each day.

    Are you having any bacteria issues? I haven't noticed anything yet but it's only been 48 hours or so.

    Lastly, what kind of numbers have you been able to maintain the vinegar and kalk? Week over week, my numbers were:

    Calcium = 380-420
    Dkh = 7-9 (I dose to 8 or 9 with soda ash and then watch the numbers drop throughout the week)

    Thanks!
    ianmcalpin
    ianmcalpin


    Posts : 141
    Join date : 2013-08-02
    Location : oxnard

    Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?  Empty Re: Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?

    Post by ianmcalpin Sat Aug 10, 2013 2:23 am

    the vinegar isn't really there to dose. the vinegar is mainly add just to help break down the kalkwasser. and depending how much sps corals u have in your system the kalkwasser might not maintain specially if your alk is dropping pretty fast you might have to start dosing a two part for a more stable solution.

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    Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?  Empty Re: Kalkwasser with Vinegar - anyone have experience doing it?

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