Vinegar in Kalk?

S

silicon_dt

Anyone do this? I saw that adding vinegar is a good thing?

Would I just do this method...

add 1/4 cup(60ml) of vinegar to a 1 gallon jug. Add 2 tsps of kalk.
Slosh them around...

Then add the RO/DI?...

What does the vinegar do other then allow more kalk in the solution?
 
Using white vinegar in kalkwasser lowers the Ph of the solution, which allows more calcium hydroxide to dissolve into the mixture. It has also been identified as a carbon-based food source for beneficial bacteria.

Now, if you use 1/4 of a cup per gallon, then I feel you're in for a bit of trouble as the tanks Ph will drop like mad. I use 1 tbsp per gallon myself and some consider that excessive. :roll:
 
I just saw a few sites that said to use 15ml per 1/2 tsp of kalk powder.

http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/breefcase/kalkwasser.html
"To avoid this, try mixing and adding your Kalkwasser like this: pour 15ml of 5% Acetic Acid (or ordinary Distilled White Vinegar from the grocery store -- same thing) into a 1 liter (1 quart) container. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of lab-grade Ca(OH)2 (or commercial Kalkwasser mix) in the Acetic Acid, and then dilute to 1 liter (1 quart) volume with either RO/DI water, or even tank water."

so 1 gallon (2 tsps powder) = 60ml (1/4 cup) of vinegar according to this site...

I will probbably only use 1 tablespoon tho :)
 
I started mine off by adding 20ml to my 3 gallon topoff container every night as well as two tablespoons of calcium hydroxide. (For my ~250 gallon total volume system that evaporates 5-8 gallons per day)

I've slowly been increasing the amount of white vinegar to where I am now, at around 100 ml of white vinegar into the topoff container every day. I wouldn't go any higher though, but I've been quite happy with the results I've seen at this level (But I highly do NOT recommend starting off at anywhere NEAR the dosing level I'm currently at! If you're gonna go this route, start VERY slow, monitor your pH closely)
 
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