Kalk mixing question

pjhaddock · 07/10/2006, 11:28 AM

Hey all, sorry if this has been discussed, I looked and could not really find an answer anywhere. I mix my kalk (1/2tsp/gal not a big demand right now) in a Brute can and dose it 24/7 with a peristaltic pump from reefdosingpump.com that is set equal to my evaporation rate, it lasts around a week to 10 days. Keeps my alk and calk perfect so what I am doing is working obviously. But my question is this, after the initial mix, should it be mixed again at any time? Should you run a small pump in it 24/7 to keep it mixed? Or should you just leave it alone and not disturb it? Right now I mix it, forget it, and dump out the residue and do it all over again each week. Whats the best way? I know the, "if its not broke dont fix it" but just been thinking about it. Thanks!

Philip

Randy Holmes-Farley · 07/10/2006, 11:34 AM

No, you should not mix it after the initial stirring. Additional stirring will just keep impurities suspended in the water where they will get into the tank, and permits faster of entry of CO2 into the water, degrading the limewater by producing calcium carbonate.

This article has more:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

pjhaddock · 07/10/2006, 12:09 PM

Thanks Randy, glad to hear that I have been doing things right! Any idea what the ideal length of time would be to mix it before closing the can? I cant figure a way to tell when its mixed all its going to mix....so here is what I have been doing for the past 6 months or so. I put all my powder in, then add the water (~30 gallons), and then put a little 160gph pump in it for 10 minutes or so. Seems to mix well without aggitating the water surface much at all. Hard on that poor little pump though, the plastic gets really brittle, they are cheap though!

Randy Holmes-Farley · 07/10/2006, 12:35 PM

An hour to a day is likely fine on the mixing. Even 10 minutes may be perfectly adequate, depending on how demanding you are that the water be saturated.

Conductivity is the best way to judge the dissolution and potency, as shown in the article above.

07/10/2006, 11:28 AM	#1
pjhaddock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 466	Kalk mixing question Hey all, sorry if this has been discussed, I looked and could not really find an answer anywhere. I mix my kalk (1/2tsp/gal not a big demand right now) in a Brute can and dose it 24/7 with a peristaltic pump from reefdosingpump.com that is set equal to my evaporation rate, it lasts around a week to 10 days. Keeps my alk and calk perfect so what I am doing is working obviously. But my question is this, after the initial mix, should it be mixed again at any time? Should you run a small pump in it 24/7 to keep it mixed? Or should you just leave it alone and not disturb it? Right now I mix it, forget it, and dump out the residue and do it all over again each week. Whats the best way? I know the, "if its not broke dont fix it" but just been thinking about it. Thanks! Philip __________________ Philip Jacksonville, FL 120G with 40G Sump Current Tank Info: 120G AGA RR

07/10/2006, 11:34 AM	#2
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	No, you should not mix it after the initial stirring. Additional stirring will just keep impurities suspended in the water where they will get into the tank, and permits faster of entry of CO2 into the water, degrading the limewater by producing calcium carbonate. This article has more: What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

07/10/2006, 12:09 PM	#3
pjhaddock Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 466	Thanks Randy, glad to hear that I have been doing things right! Any idea what the ideal length of time would be to mix it before closing the can? I cant figure a way to tell when its mixed all its going to mix....so here is what I have been doing for the past 6 months or so. I put all my powder in, then add the water (~30 gallons), and then put a little 160gph pump in it for 10 minutes or so. Seems to mix well without aggitating the water surface much at all. Hard on that poor little pump though, the plastic gets really brittle, they are cheap though! __________________ Philip Jacksonville, FL 120G with 40G Sump Current Tank Info: 120G AGA RR

07/10/2006, 12:35 PM	#4
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	An hour to a day is likely fine on the mixing. Even 10 minutes may be perfectly adequate, depending on how demanding you are that the water be saturated. Conductivity is the best way to judge the dissolution and potency, as shown in the article above. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef