Heating kalkwasser on stove

[Leko]

I keep my kalk barrel outside.

Can you heat kalkwaser without changing it's saturation?

 

[EnterName]

Calcium oxide and Calcium hydroxide are actually less soluble in warm water than cold water, so some of it will fall out of solution when you heat it up, which effectively changes the Kalkwasser's concentration.

It's probably best to heat it to room temperature, let precipitate accumulate on the bottom of the container and carefully decant the liquid off. This way you will always have a 1.73g/L concentration (assuming room temperature of 20°C/68°F).

Solubility of Calcium hydroxide:
1.89g/L @ 0°C/32°F
1.73g/L @ 20°C/68°F
0.66g/L @ 100°C/212°F

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Why are you wanting to heat it?

 

[lbacha]

You should be slowly dosing it so don’t worry if it is cold

 

[Leko]

I wanted to heat it (78) because i thought i should, sounds like it could be optional - its ato kalk/vinegar water. My 125 uses about a gallon a day.

I've got a 50/50 hybrid system that keeps up with high waste levels -fingers crossed it continues. I've got the Sulphur Denitrator/carbon dosing working.

Thanks for all the info guys

 

[Leko]

wanted to heat it (78) because i thought i should, sounds like it could be optional - its ato kalk/vinegar water. My 125 uses about a gallon a day.

I've got a 50/50 hybrid system that keeps up with high waste levels -fingers crossed it continues. I've got the Sulphur Denitrator/carbon dosing working.

Thanks for all the info guys

 

[EnterName]

I wanted to heat it (78) because i thought i should, sounds like it could be optional - its ato kalk/vinegar water. My 125 uses about a gallon a day.

I've got a 50/50 hybrid system that keeps up with high waste levels -fingers crossed it continues. I've got the Sulphur Denitrator/carbon dosing working.

Thanks for all the info guys

After re-reading my own comment, I'm pretty sure you don't need to heat it. It really doesn't matter much if it is a 1.89g/L (0°C/32°F) solution or a 1.73g/L (20°C/68°F) solution. The difference will be negligible. The only thing you should keep an eye on is not accidentally adding undissolved Calcium (hydr)oxide or the effect could be far stronger than expected.

I can't tell you if dosing Kalkwasser is actually what your tank needs. If you are doing it for the pH increment I recommend reading through these articles if you haven't already:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/understanding-ph-in-reef-tanks-part-one.1133/
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-to-raise-ph-in-reef-tanks.1136/
https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/why-chasing-ph-is-a-trap-for-beginner-reefkeepers.1141/

 

[Leko]

Great info thanks for the links also. I wrestled with my tank for 9 MONTHS- dinos so bad I almost gave up the hobby for good. Rollercoaster DK - moving 2 points a day with low bioload at the time. Brown scum everywhere no coralline could grow-smothered in 20 min. I finally got tired of dumping S.A. twice a day and added kalk to my ato. But what would consume the excess calcium? No corals or coralline algae. Didn't care..this was it, this worked or it's time to drain the tank and move on from the hobby. Within a 2 weeks the heavy dinos were gone. Coralline budding all over the rock, DK steady at 8. Nitrates very low. Sand white.

Can't explain it

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m sorry, what lacks explanation?