How much does air affect Kalkwasser potency?

[DeputyDog95]

So got the 10ms calibration and calibrated the meter to 9.9ms. That's as high as it will read.

Ditched the reactor and moved the Kalk operation over to a 55g drum in conjunction with an Ecotech Versa continuous duty pump.

Got the barrel filled with RODI, mixed in the appropriate amount of Kalk (12g per gallon), and could only get the mix to 7.5ms. Dumped in a whole bunch more, Kalk is cheap, and let it mix for 20-30 mins using a pump, checking it periodically during that period and still couldn't get it over 7.5ms. Gave up and sealed the barrel.

I did loosen one of the caps on the lid slightly (couple of threads) so the barrel wasn't being sucked in on itself as it was pulling the solution out. Not sure if that was necessary or not, but I have seen smaller dosing containers crush in on themselves when the dosing container was completely sealed. Is this necessary, or should I just seal it up?

Now the meter (https://hmdigital.com/com-100/) says it auto-compensates for temp and I calibrated the meter using the 10ms solution at pretty close to the prescribed 77f temp.

The water temp in the barrel is a little warmer for whatever reason and comes in at about 81f. When I put the meter in the calibration solution at around 75-76f (ambient in the office), it still read 9.9ms. However, when I rinsed it off and went right over to the barrel to test the mixture, the 81f Kalk mixture would still only read 7.5ms.

I have to believe that after mixing for 30 mins with a pump and using probably double the amount of Kalk needed... It has to be saturated, right?

Thoughts? I'd really like to figure out a definitive way to measure the potency of the Kalk to ensure I'm dosing a uniform mixture, consistently.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, I expect using double the amount results in saturation.

The actual amount dissolving and hence the conductivity (even after temp correction! declines as temp rises, though I don’t think it drops as much as you are seeing.

 

[DeputyDog95]

Yes, I expect using double the amount results in saturation.

The actual amount dissolving and hence the conductivity (even after temp correction! declines as temp rises, though I don’t think it drops as much as you are seeing.

Added more Kalk today for the hell of it. It's cheap... Briefly saw 9ms, and then it dropped to 7.5ms when the temperature reading adjusted on the unit.

Not sure what's up with that... I tried calibrating the unit, but the ambient in my office is 76 and the fluid in the barrel always stays a little warmer at around 78 for whatever reason.

It's ok to leave one of the screw on caps a little loose to account for the vacuum created when dosing, right? When you press on the lid, you can hear air hissing through it. I don't think the pump is strong enough to crush a 55g drum, but I would imagine if I completely sealed it, it would create some sort of strain on the pump, right?

 

[Garf]

Added more Kalk today for the hell of it. It's cheap... Briefly saw 9ms, and then it dropped to 7.5ms when the temperature reading adjusted on the unit.

Not sure what's up with that... I tried calibrating the unit, but the ambient in my office is 76 and the fluid in the barrel always stays a little warmer at around 78 for whatever reason.

It's ok to leave one of the screw on caps a little loose to account for the vacuum created when dosing, right? When you press on the lid, you can hear air hissing through it. I don't think the pump is strong enough to crush a 55g drum, but I would imagine if I completely sealed it, it would create some sort of strain on the pump, right?

Saturated calcium hydroxide has an Alkalinity of 123 ish dkh, if you can dilute a sample that gets to around that, using an Alk test, I’d forget your conductivity meter, to be honest.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Saturated calcium hydroxide has an Alkalinity of 123 ish dkh, if you can dilute a sample that gets to around that, using an Alk test, I’d forget your conductivity meter, to be honest.

Needs to be settled totally clear for that, however.

 

[DeputyDog95]

Saturated calcium hydroxide has an Alkalinity of 123 ish dkh, if you can dilute a sample that gets to around that, using an Alk test, I’d forget your conductivity meter, to be honest.

That sounds like a plan.

I'm using a Hanna checker.

What's the best way to go about testing the Kalk? I assume you need to do some sort of ratio of Kalk to DI water to dilute it?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

yes, a loose cap is fine.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

That sounds like a plan.

I'm using a Hanna checker.

What's the best way to go about testing the Kalk? I assume you need to do some sort of ratio of Kalk to DI water to dilute it?

I would not use a Hanna checker on kalkwasser.

 

[DeputyDog95]

I would not use a Hanna checker on kalkwasser.

Why not? It goes in a vial and then in the checker? The checker is never actually exposed to the Kalk. I have a salifert alk kit as well I could use if you think the Hanna is a bad idea.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Why not? It goes in a vial and then in the checker? The checker is never actually exposed to the Kalk. I have a salifert alk kit as well I could use if you think the Hanna is a bad idea.

The Hanna does not actually do an alk titration, and I do not believe it is accurate for non-seawater solutions.

 

[DeputyDog95]

The Hanna does not actually do an alk titration, and I do not believe it is accurate for non-seawater solutions.

Maybe the salifert then?

 

[Miami Reef]

Maybe the salifert then?

That will work. It’s very accurate, too!

 

[DeputyDog95]

That will work. It’s very accurate, too!

How exactly do you do it through?

Can't be percent Kalk, right?

 

[Miami Reef]

How exactly do you do it through?

Can't be percent Kalk, right?

I apologize, I’m not well versed with what you’re trying to accomplish here.

All I know is titration test kits for alkalinity can work both in fresh and saltwater, and they help test for total alkalinity.

Hanna’s test kit for alkalinity uses a different mechanism that won’t give accurate results for alkalinity standards, nor will it work for freshwater.

 

[QuickrdenU]

Follow up question.

Assuming, two teaspoons of Kalk per gallon for full saturation, a teaspoon of Alk weighs approx 4g, and you have a container holding 55g of RODI water...

Does 220g of Kalk, mixed thoroughly, sound about right to get me to full saturation?

I ordered that Uline 55g container this morning. I'm done fooling with these reactors. They save space, but the constant tinkering to not get to full saturation and trying to keep it at full saturation is getting old as compared to the bucket method. Mix, seal, dose. Easy!

This drum has a nice top that seals the whole thing off. We'll probably just drill one of the caps and use a john guest fitting to connect the outside to the inside to eliminate any air exchange.

As mentioned above, I'm still not sure what to use to run a straight line to the bottom and how high the pickup should be off the bottom to avoid picking up the sludge.

Suggestions welcome

Run the RO tubing through a piece of pvc that reaches to the bottom. Cut some verticle slits in it so it can suck in water a few inches above the bottom of the container.

 

[Garf]

How exactly do you do it through?

90 mls of RODI into a jug.
Add 10mls of Kalkwasser in question.
Quick stir.
Test using Salifert. Be careful with the colour change (it’s more subtle than testing saltwater for some reason).

A result of 12 ish DKH X 10 equals fully saturated and your conductivity meter is telling lies. A result of 9 ish DKH X 10 means it’s not fully saturated and your conductivity meter is good, but there’s something weird going on.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Maybe the salifert then?

Yes, that would be fine.

 

[DeputyDog95]

Just curious...

I'm mixing my Kalk in a 55g drum now out of laziness and I'm developing a nice layer of white sludge in the bottom from the powder precipitating out at saturation.

When I am making new Kalk, I always throw a pump in there to churn it up before adding the new Kalk powder. Which by the way, has become a dedicated pump because it doesn't matter how well you clean it afterwards, you can't get all the Kalk out!

Is there any potency in that sludge Kalk when it's mixed back into the water column? Just wondering if I could add less new Kalk powder when making new batches if that sludge is going back into solution.

 

[Miami Reef]

Just curious...

I'm mixing my Kalk in a 55g drum now out of laziness and I'm developing a nice layer of white sludge in the bottom from the powder precipitating out at saturation.

When I am making new Kalk, I always throw a pump in there to churn it up before adding the new Kalk powder. Which by the way, has become a dedicated pump because it doesn't matter how well you clean it afterwards, you can't get all the Kalk out!

Is there any potency in that sludge Kalk when it's mixed back into the water column? Just wondering if I could add less new Kalk powder when making new batches if that sludge is going back into solution.

Correct. Kalkwasser isn’t very water soluble, so the insoluble portion will redissolve when adding more water.

There will be some impurities that will precipitate out, so it’s best practice not to dose any undissolved particulates.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

How much does air effect Kalkwasser potency? I’ve heard about ACI’s method of floating a piece of styrofoam on the water surface to prevent air-kalk interaction. My question is do you do this? Is it helpful for maintaining Kalkwasser potency?


I’ve got a 10 gallon brute bin behind my tank with Kalkwasser that goes in via a dosing pump. I put a piece of styrofoam on the surface figuring it can’t hurt, maybe it helps keep the Kalkwasser pH up. But the styrofoam often gets hung up on my float switch and dosing line.

I was thinking about alternative DIY floating lids and remembered a video I saw on YouTube. They use a “shade balls” on water reservoirs in the southwest to prevent water evaporation. This gave me the idea of making a floating Kalkwasser lid with ping pong balls. It seems like it would work fantastic, but I’m not sure if it’s even necessary. Perhaps a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.

I’m curious if anyone is using a similar floating lid and has measured a difference in Kalkwasser pH with and without it.

Here’s a video of the concept I’m referring to:

I use kalkwasser as a paste to smother my hydroids as suggested, chemicals which I'm not familiar with in my aquriam.
Im happy to learn though