Brianemone Posted December 12, 2004 Report Share Posted December 12, 2004 What the cabbage is pickling lime (i asume its something used in the pickling of foods) and is it an american thing or can you get it here??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted December 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 anyone?? just out of interest how much does "kalkwasser" cost?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Pickling lime is just food grade Calcium Hydroxide. Kalkwasser is just Calcium Hydroxide. Kalkwasser from a pet shop costs around $90 per kg, this is most likely reagent grade, which is about as pure as you can get. For around the same price you can get a 25kg bag from a chemical supply house, this would be food grade, which is not as pure, but the impurities are not necessarily bad, I think sodium and magnesium are the most common. Take your pick. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted December 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 cool thanks iduncan, hmmm magnesium ill take some of that to thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Yes you can get it here, most (?) people use it, cost depends on where and how much you buy, LFS $30+ for a little jar but has nice lable, instructions etc. If you can find someone who is bulk buying it that will sell you some from memory $15/kg (1kg is heaps). Or find a chemical supplier and ask for calcium hydroxide (sp?) (? please correct me if I have the name wrong (and any other info in this post)). NB: you buy it as a power. As to what it does, hopefully someone will explain it all cause I would like to know as well, but it all has to do with balancing/increasing the calcium/PH/alkalinity. To use it you add some of the powder to your top up water give it a good shake let it settle (you'll see the white stuff settle on the bottom of you bottle) and drip it in overnight. Done over night because it increases your PH, which naturally drops overnight when the lights go off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 I think food grade is like 99.995% pure and lab grade is like 99.9999% pure, so not much in it. APS chemicals in Auckland sell it and will deliver. Alois often has a sack and sells it, I think Steve Woods often has a sack too. Not sure of the price from either but its significiantly cheaper than the pet store price. I am running low, need to get some myself. Maybee i'll organise a sack too, anyone in wellington want to split a sack? Doesn't seem to be many down sides to kalkwasser if used correctly, I think most people use it. Brendon said to not use it with Zeovit, so I didn't, but not using Zeovit right now so am using Kalkwasser in my 200 litre DIY stirer Piemania Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 How does Calcium Hydroxide work? Well the calcium part supplies calcium funnily enough. The hydroxide provides alkalinity via the following reactions: (hydroxide plus carbon dioxide) OH- + CO2 --> HCO3- (Bicarbonate) (hydroxide plus bicarbonate) OH- + HCO3- --> CO3-- + H2O (Carbonate and Water) Alkalinity is the concentration of bicarbonate and carbonate (essentially). I've got a bag at the moment if anyone wants some. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Just worked out that my tank uses 9 grams of calcium a day. It would take me 7.5 years to use my bag up completely. So it cost me only $11 a year for calcium at the moment. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBlog Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 I’ve just started a dosing regiment on my tank following the instructions in CHEMISTRY AND THE AQUARIUM: A Homemade Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Additive System by RANDY HOLMES-FARLEY, Ph.D. It suggests using calcium chloride and magnesium chloride (as well as baking soda) as part of the dosing mix. I have done so over the past few days with awesome results, i.e. parameters right on my target. However, I am a bit concerned about the effects of chloride on the overall chemistry of the water. It has been pointed out to me by some that the chloride can have detrimental effects on salinity levels over time due to chlorine buildup in the water???? I am completely clueless to all the chemistry jargon and thus simply followed these instructions since 1) the guy does have a PhD, 2) it came from a reputable source and 3) the person that I bought the dosing pump off of was using the same exact setup (a reputable, successful reefer). Should I in fact be using Hydroxide instead of Chloride? BTW, this stuff is amazingly cheap. I bought a 25KG bag of both for less than $30!!! Awesome if it is the right stuff, but not so good if it isn’t!! I did some quick calculations as well and this stuff should last me YEARS!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 There are many different methods for maintaining calcium and alkalinity. Calcium chloride adds calcium. Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) adds alkalinity. combine the sodium from the baking soda with the chloride from the calcium, and you have sodium chloride, or plain old table salt. Sodium and Chlorine are to to most abundant atoms in salt water. In short this method will raise salinity, but if you are doing regular water changes I wouldn't worry. The advantage of this method over say kalkwasser, is that the volume of water required to raise the parameters the same amount is MUCH lower (50 to 100 times less). So if your calcium or alkalinity demand outstrips your evaporation rate when using kalk, you should have no problem keeping levels correct using the two part method. Also chlorides are less expensive than hydroxides to purchase. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeBlog Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 Thanks for the piece of mind Layton! That's great news since it works amazingly well. And even better, the price is right!! 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted December 13, 2004 Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 I'll split a bag with you, Pies. Well...a kilo or so anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted December 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2004 ill have to look at getting some, i havent really bothered untill now cause the only hard coral i have is a calastrea and its doing fine (already doubled in size), but with the soon to be added sps i think it might be quite beneficial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregb Posted December 15, 2004 Report Share Posted December 15, 2004 Instead of paying $30 for 200 grams & getting ripped off just pay $12 for 20kg of builders lime at any good hardware store. Bunnings for instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted December 15, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2004 builders lime?? not sure i want a 25kg bag. but is there any thing else added to this stuff? i can always throw half away if i dont need it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted December 15, 2004 Report Share Posted December 15, 2004 im sure i read somewhere that builders lime is bad because of other nasties that are added to your tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lduncan Posted December 15, 2004 Report Share Posted December 15, 2004 I'd stay away from builders lime. $90 for 25 kg isn't a bad price. Like I said, if anyone wants some, I already have a big bag of it, let me know and I'll send some. Layton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregb Posted December 16, 2004 Report Share Posted December 16, 2004 Builders lime is ok. Its cleaner than you think. They fire the lime stone to about 1000 degrees before it get turned to powder. I found out my LFS used the same stuff but had it ground really fine by a chemical mob for next to nothing. Then he would put it into 200gram bags & and flog it to the poor sucker that didnt know any better. $ 30 Australian what a rip. I mix 3tsp-3Lt of RO shake well & let settle for 24 hours by then the solution is nearly clear. For large tanks make more & drip it in all day & for 100Lt or less a couple of cups full until you get used to how much you need each day to keep your alk, cal & Ph. So all I can say is it works just fine & the $$$ I save I can by shares for my kids future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetskisteve Posted December 16, 2004 Report Share Posted December 16, 2004 I chuked a bag the other day-cheap crap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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