Vinegar In Kalk

[djb1971]

I have been experimenting with adding acetic acid ( distilled white vinegar ) to my kalkwasser makeup for about 5 months now. I run a deltec calcium reactor which frankly struggles to maintain a good calcium level unless it's on for 15 hours a day, and it's a noisy b*****d. So I thought I'd try to gain more bio available calcium through my kalk. the link at the bottom describes my waffling for the uninitiated :P

2litre bottle mix:

15ml vinegar
2 spoons kalk

Then mix, then top up with ro.


I was dripping kalk into my tank 24hrs a day, now just 2 litres overnight. there is a significant coralline growth improvement and the calcium levels are super easy to maintain. you do have to keep an eye on magnesium/alkalinity/ph especially when first starting the vinegar method.


Anyone else been trying it? and if so what results have you had?

:thanx:


kalk/vinegar link (http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/breefcase/kalkwasser.html)

[keith]

I have been doing this for several years now. I add two heaped teaspoonsful of powder to 15ml white vinegar, shake, add RO water and drip over a powerhead. Coral growth is excellent and always remarked upon by visitors in fact starting with frags I had to strip the tank after three years because I could not get in there to do maintainance.

Incidentally I have always dripped the cloudy mixture with no bad effects.

If you look at the Main Tank page on my website, address in my signature, you will see pictures of the growth.

[djb1971]

Thanks for that Keith, everyone goes on about doing it but nobody seems to have done it long term. Your tank is great advert for it :thumbsup:
I had been doing it in my large sps reef that I sold to my mate last weekend and was very impressed with the results. I'm going to continue doing this is my new setup when it starts in the new year ( after decorating and carpet blah,blahblah :wacko: )
I wouldn't advise it to the novice because until you get the mix right for your tank own tank it could lead to disaster.

Thanks for the info :thumbsup:

By the way love your holiday snaps

EDIT: a few years back there was alot of hype about adding pure kalk direct with no adverse effects. I dont think a little of the mix would hurt and as I said your tank is living proof - literally

[Sweetlips]

djb, Now that's what I call Useful Info, thank you very much for taking the time to explain and for sharing. Now then, who wants to buy my Calcium Reactor? :P before anyone wants to part with some hard earned cash, consider this, I have struggled with it eversince I bought the bloody thing, first off the media blocks the grille in the base, therefor it stops fluidising, It's a deltec model, you can't dismantlle the base to unblock it, after all that grief it does a poor job of maintaining Ca levels, even though my tank as yet has a small demand. So thanks to your help, I now condem it to the garage and It's your method starting in the New year. I bought some Mag additive from Labtech, where do you buy your Kalk from? thanks again M8...Steve

[Shinken]

One word....................................

Korralin!

[5061litres]

Originally posted by Shinken@Dec 21 2005, 09:01
One word....................................

Korralin!
My unit is definately a set and forget type unit that makes no noise at all.. i have never had to worry about the PH in my tank either.

excellent units!

tony

[djb1971]

Originally posted by Sweetlips@Dec 21 2005, 00:22
djb, Now that's what I call Useful Info, thank you very much for taking the time to explain and for sharing. Now then, who wants to buy my Calcium Reactor? :P before anyone wants to part with some hard earned cash, consider this, I have struggled with it eversince I bought the bloody thing, first off the media blocks the grille in the base, therefor it stops fluidising, It's a deltec model, you can't dismantlle the base to unblock it, after all that grief it does a poor job of maintaining Ca levels, even though my tank as yet has a small demand. So thanks to your help, I now condem it to the garage and It's your method starting in the New year. I bought some Mag additive from Labtech, where do you buy your Kalk from? thanks again M8...Steve
Buy calcium hydroxide ( kalk ) here (http://www.coralculture.co.uk/shop/index.php?cPath=43_193)


I'm glad you're willing to try it Steve, if you read the link I put in my original post, it's something to do with the acid dissolving more kalk=more calcium. :D

The only thing I would say is don't put loads of vinegar in to start with, build it up as you get used to how much your system will take and don't overdose more than the link states. :thumbsup:

Only use white distilled vinegar :P


In response to the calcium reactor replies, you are lucky. I'm rapidly going off deltec equipment. It's not cheap to buy but usually is noisy/fiddly/faulty. Anyone from deltec reading this pm me and I'll swap my skimmer and reactor for another if you think you can produce a quiet one <_<

[Sweetlips]

Thanks again M8, I will let you know how it goes, I totally agree with you on the Deltec stuff, especially on price, reading the other guys thoughts on Korralin and such like it's obvious there is better and cheaper options. Steve

[djb1971]

Originally posted by Sweetlips@Dec 22 2005, 02:02
Thanks again M8, I will let you know how it goes, I totally agree with you on the Deltec stuff, especially on price, reading the other guys thoughts on Korralin and such like it's obvious there is better and cheaper options. Steve
Steve pm'd you :thumbsup: