Last kalkwasswr/carbon dosing question

[Wildreefs]

Being I may need more vinegar in kalk to accomplish carbon dosing for nitrate than it can handle ph wise, being no pox is more potent per ml, thus requiring less, can I use this in place on vinegar for carbon dosing? I know vinegar will saturate the kalk better from an alk and calcium standpoint, but if that’s not an issue at this moment (I’m doing alk, 2/3 of my daily evaporation water still comes from plan r/o top off, the othe 1/3 is the 1300 ml of limewater ) could I do 45 ml of nopox per gallon of kalk ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You would add more vinegar to the kalk if you want to dose organics this way, or you can use NOPOX. In either case, the concern is the pH in the kalwkasser not getting too low and allowing bacterial growth in it. More solid calcium hydroxide added will eliminate that issue.

 

[Wildreefs]

Randy, thanks for your help. Based on the make up of the nopox, if I want to deliver both alk and calcium, while carbon dosing to lower nitrates, would two teaspoons of kalk in a gallon of ro water, along with 45 mls of nopox, keep me in the safe zone ph wise to ward against bacterial growth in the kalk?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy, thanks for your help. Based on the make up of the nopox, if I want to deliver both alk and calcium, while carbon dosing to lower nitrates, would two teaspoons of kalk in a gallon of ro water, along with 45 mls of nopox, keep me in the safe zone ph wise to ward against bacterial growth in the kalk?

I'm not certain, but probably. Do you have a pH meter?

 

[Wildreefs]

I'm not certain, but probably. Do you have a pH meter?

I do not. Had an American marine that just wouldn’t calibrate anymore .

my thinking , is if 45 ml of vinegar per gallon was the recommended for kalk saturation and still safe PH wise with bacteria, would the same amount of nopox (45 ml) have less effect than the vinegar because nopox has less of the vinegar and more of the vodka?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I do not. Had an American marine that just wouldn’t calibrate anymore .

my thinking , is if 45 ml of vinegar per gallon was the recommended for kalk saturation and still safe PH wise with bacteria, would the same amount of nopox (45 ml) have less effect than the vinegar because nopox has less of the vinegar and more of the vodka?

The 45 mL per gallon was typically recommended (originally by Craig Bingman in an article of his) to allow 3 teaspoons to dissolve. With 2 teaspoons it is likely still high enough in pH to keep bacteria from growing, but I have not calculated it or measured it myself.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FYI, here's Craig's original article from long ago:

Aquarium Frontiers Biochemistry of Aquaria

 

[Wildreefs]

The 45 mL per gallon was typically recommended (originally by Craig Bingman in an article of his) to allow 3 teaspoons to dissolve. With 2 teaspoons it is likely still high enough in pH to keep bacteria from growing, but I have not calculated it or measured it myself.

Fair enough.

suppose a ph meter is what I’ll need to get .if I’m buying that, I can take the money instead and get a seperare doser for the nopox. Trying to make the most of the cabinet space I have and the dollar .

When you mix up say 10 gallons ro, 30 teaspoons of kalk and say 45 mls per gallon (450) of vinegar one time, and place it into a reservoir, does the vinegar ever settle out and leave you with uneven portions going in? Or once it’s stirred up well, it tends to stay in the state? Like if you mix it well to avg out 45 ml a gallon, is it like that in day 10, or is it lighter on mls in the beginning then heavier, or more potent as you work towards the bottom of the reservoir?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Fair enough.

suppose a ph meter is what I’ll need to get .if I’m buying that, I can take the money instead and get a seperare doser for the nopox. Trying to make the most of the cabinet space I have and the dollar .

When you mix up say 10 gallons ro, 30 teaspoons of kalk and say 45 mls per gallon (450) of vinegar one time, and place it into a reservoir, does the vinegar ever settle out and leave you with uneven portions going in? Or once it’s stirred up well, it tends to stay in the state? Like if you mix it well to avg out 45 ml a gallon, is it like that in day 10, or is it lighter on mls in the beginning then heavier, or more potent as you work towards the bottom of the reservoir?

I'd try without a meter and see how it goes. If the solution bubbles or alk seems to drop too much in the tank, then see what you can do about it.