Kalk Powder Strait to Tank

[downhill_biker]

After reading about Anthony Calfo doing a slurry dose of kalkwasser in a shot glass I decided that I could dose kalk strait to my system. I have done this many, many times, and lately have been doing it on a daily basis. Is there any ill effects to this? Is it still doing what it is supposed to be doing chemically?

I have a 300g system and I put about 6 tsp in each day. So as I were to dose 3 gallons of limewater each day. The pH raises from 8.2 to 8.4 in my sump, but is then distributed to 2 tanks. I figure the corals only see a .1 pH change.

 

[blackhawk86]

you shouldnt be adding kalk powder directly to your tank because of the biproduct it makes. if you mix it normally there will be a layer of sediment at the bottom of the container you mixed the kalk in, at this point you should siphon the clear water off of the top of the sediment gently so all you get is the clear kalkwaser and leave the sediment behind. the product of the mix should be added via a auto top off system at night time slowly to refill make up fresh water and buffer the ph swing that happens at night due to photosynthesis. As far as how your adding it now i would assume its doing the same thing chemically but all that sediment is getting in your tank, filters, and anywhere else it can settle and the ph, cal, mag, and alk are not being held very stable when you dose if ph jumps from .2 to .4 quickly because the flux could change the other parameters being all tied together. I would try to mix it normally if you are having trouble.

 

[downhill_biker]

see im not really having troubles. everything seems stable and seems happy. i use food grade kalk, which should be cleaner...i would think. i know how it is supposed to be dosed, but i was asking if there are any major ill effects to doing it using the slurry method?

 

[Murfman]

If the kalk powder settles on corals it will kill them. I use Kalk to get rid of aptasia and unwanted mushrooms/gsp. I had an accident where the slurry was in the water column of my mixing bottle and it settled on a bunch of my stuff, killing it all.

 

[blackhawk86]

other than what murfman said and the flux in ph i cant think of anything else that it would hurt.

 

[downhill_biker]

i dose the kalk in the drain from the tank, then it goes through a 100g sump/fuge, then up to the display. by that time it is very diluted, and is just a slightly cloudy water. by the time it distributes in the display it doesn't even cloud.

ph flux was my biggest worry, but it only jumps a point, maybe 1.2, but that is still relatively gradual...at the rate of my return pump.

 

[ZoaFan08]

i dose the kalk in the drain from the tank, then it goes through a 100g sump/fuge, then up to the display. by that time it is very diluted, and is just a slightly cloudy water. by the time it distributes in the display it doesn't even cloud.

ph flux was my biggest worry, but it only jumps a point, maybe 1.2, but that is still relatively gradual...at the rate of my return pump.

Uhh pH changing by 1.2 is something to worry about.