Neutralize Ca(OH)2 Acetic Acid

[PeterErc]

Hey there,
Been balling calcium hydroxide and 5% vinegar at about 1tsp Ca(OH)2 to 60ml acetic acid. I have been successful at keeping levels up doing so but now tank is back in full swing.
I do not have a ph monitor/controller or probe. My question is how much vinegar to add to the lime to neutralize ph? I am concerned i will end up dosing way to much carbon and not be able to keep levels up.
Is there a stronger acid to use for more saturation of the kalkwasser?
Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There’s no other acid I’d recommend and acid strength is not what matters.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish? Is there a specific reason you are wanting to bring the pH down?

 

[PeterErc]

Thanks for the reply

I am trying to accomplish substituting using lime to maintain calcium and alkalinity. Instead of using two part.
Some back ground info may be helpful. I have a 150g and 36g that were both neglected and overgrown with algae. I have used kalk and vinegar in the 150 top off to help maintain levels when tank was full blown sps. I dosed vinegar mixed with kalk in the 36g to cause a bacterial bloom and maintain ultra low nutrients to get rid of algae. I also dosed the 150 with the combo. Both tanks are almost free of nuisance algae. I still dose Algaefix weekly with seemingly no ill effects .
So for the 36g about 60ml vinegar and half tsp of kalk mixes clear with no sediment. One tsp kalk in 60ml has sediment. I am curious the ph level of the mixture. I think Ideally a solution with ph of 8-8.4 would be good. Then dose would have to be adjusted to maintain levels.
How much Mrs Wages will dissolve in 60ml vinegar to have a ph of approx. 8.4?
What effect will this solution have in the aquarium, am i missing something?
Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Are you dosing kalkwasser now and is the pH too high in the tank?

Nearly everyone who uses kalkwasser does so wanting the pH boost, and rarely does it get too high.

Dosing calcium acetate (like you are making but you can buy it) carries with it a huge organic carbon dosing effect per dKH of alk added. Are you sure you want that?

if that’s what you want, the way I’d do it is saturate vinegar with calcium hydroxide and use the clear solution after the excess gas settled. I’ve dosed that in small amounts for the carbon dosing effect without any pH drop from the vinegar.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Wanting the solution at pH 8.4 is neither desirable nor easily obtained because it has no buffering at all between about pH 7 and pH 10, meaning one extra drop of vinegar will likely drop the pH from above 10 to below 7.

 

[PeterErc]

Ahh i see about the solution.
I do not monitor PH thats why I am curious. I do have fresh air intake going into the skimmer.
That is the concern the heavy carbon dosing effect as a result. I have been carbon dosing for years in ATO, vinegar/kalk.
Feed heavy, skim hard and let em grow. Guess I will keep dosing/ballng and see if I can keel up with demand using calcium acetate,
Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You cannot keep up with demand using normal kalkwasser dosing?

 

[PeterErc]

I can keep up at the moment but once I get growth going and add more sps it will be challenging

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I can keep up at the moment but once I get growth going and add more sps it will be challenging

Ok, in that case, I would not do it now u less you are certain you want a large carbon dosing effect.

most folks adding vinegar use the old Craig Bingman recipe of 45 mL of vinegar per gallon and dissolve about 3 tablespoons of calcium hydroxide.