Kalkwasser -How much to add with non-drip system

[sinner's girl]

I've search "Kalkwasser" and read all the topic under it. I did not find the answer to my question. We do not use a dripper (?). We mix the Kalkwasser in a gl jug with fresh water, let it sit, then add some to the tank a few times a day for a week. This is how the lfs told us to add it. Now I'm taking over the job of adding Kalkwasser to our 55 (we didn't have lr in before so never added it). I want to know how much to add each day or about how much to add each time I add it. (i know it should replace the evaporation). lfs also told us to watch the ph, I tested last night and it was a little low but not much.
I read where someone made a drip system, can anyone tell me how to do this (or point me in the right direction and i'll read it for myself). When we frist stated using Kalkwasser, we did not know of the drip system.
Thanks!
(One day I'll know enough and I'll be able to help, until then thanks for helping!)

 

[sinner's girl]

NM, i'm sorry. I found the answer on a different board. I guess when i searched i didn't include all boards. sorry agian for this post.

 

[luke]

A drip system can be as simple as some airline tubing coming out of a container full of kalk sitting above your tank or sump. You start a siphon then tie the end of the tube in a knot. Dose kalk at night to combat the low pH you noticed at night (all tanks do this). You can go up from there in complexity. The trick with a siphon drip is to only have as much kalk as you want to put in the tank that night ready to be siphoned. This is because you cannot really control the drip rate that closly.
For a more technical, but effective, method: You can purchase an inexpensive float sitch and wire that into an extension cord, then plug a pump into that to turn off when your water is low. This is by far the most effective way to maintain salinity *although it is more complex, which means it can break*
Either of these methods work. I personally have used them both extensivly. On a larger tank, such as yours, the former works fine. But on small nanos the latter is the only method that works to my satisfaction. I dose kalk into my ten this way (float switch), and I don't have any problems with salinity shifts, or pH shifts.
Luke

 

[sinner's girl]

cool, thanks Luke!

 

[cyn]

I use a medical drip bag that is used in nursing for tube feeding. It has a roller clamp that you use to control the rate of dripping. With a little practice, I have figured out how to get the one half gallon to drip in overnight. All I do in the morning is rinse and roll up the bag for next time! Works great!
cyn

 

[wastedincome420]

Hey I just happen to get a couple of "NICE" chem feeders today. They can be adjusted to the drip rate you want. They are a "Mec-O-Matic" made by "Pulsa Feeder" check out there web site you can see pics and the price they sell em for. I would be willing to sell em' at a much better price.
Wastedincome420@aol.com

 

[sinner's girl]

cyn - can anyone buy a medical drip bag? and where would I get one? That sounds like a great way to do it.
WastedIncome420 (love the name....) If i read the page correctly they want way to much money for that thing...(sorry but my money doesn't grow on trees...)

 

[fishman1]

You can by drip unit at your local fish made by KENT marine. In 3or4sizes. It works great I use a small one my self I think it a half gallon.

 

[biggdriver]

there was a post about a week ago witha link on medical drip bags..search back in this column and you should be able to find it

 

[kris walker]

Well, I'm working on a webpage (sorry, no address yet--waiting till it looks better). Here is part of a page I wrote on making your own dripper:
If you like to live on the edge, use the slow dump method. However, if you want to be the safe boy scout (and I do), the dripper system is preferred.
Such a system can easily be made out of an old milk container (1 gallon, plastic), a long piece of tubing, and an air flow controller (an inexpensive piece of plastic that connects two pieces of tubing that has a knob on it to control flow through it).
1. Put a hole in the cap of the milk container.
2. Slide the tubing through it until it reaches the bottom of the container when the cap is on. Put some sort of sealant around the interface
between the tubing and the cap (if the fit is tight enough, this is not necessary).
3. Fill the container with the kalkwasser (do not include the upper film or lower crust) and cap
4. Find a flat place above the tank to put the container.
5. Make sure there is enough tubing to reach
the tank and create a large bow that can sag well below the tank. This makes starting flow after refilling the container much
easier.
6. Find a good place to insert the control valve. Then cut the tubing and insert.
7. Now create the gravity-driven suction by sucking on the end of the tube until the kalkwasser starts coming out
(be careful you don't get a mouthful!)
8. Once it starts coming out, tighten the control valve to stop the flow
9. Find a place in the back of the tank to tape the tubing so that the end hangs over the back just above the water. Tape it!
Done! When you want to drip, just turn the control valve. Note: you can let the container "go dry" if you want. In this case,
1. refill the container,
2. open the control valve
3. instead of untaping the tubing from the back and sucking, lift the sagging part of the tube up above the tank so that the old kalkwasser starts dripping into the tank. This creates suction that should sufficiently suck the new kalkwasser into most of the tubing. You may have to play with the location of where you lift the tubing to understand the suction thing. You will get the hang of it after a few times. If you cannot get it to work, odds are that you don't have a large enough bow in your tubing, in which case you should make your tubing longer.
Yea, I know, I need a life,
sam

 

[sinner's girl]

biggdriver - I searched earlier before posted but must have missed that post, thanks for pointing it out to me.
Thanks sam! I don't think you need a live (maybe you do have extra time...j/j) but maybe you just want to help others and pass on your knowalge, now each time someone asks you already have the info, simply copy and past.
Thanks again to all, I will look in each method and see which is best for me. (no i'm not procrasting doing my work...if only i was tested on the upkeep of swf...)

 

[cyn]

I am not sure if just anyone can get one, I would immagine you could try a medical supply store. Or, if you know anyone in the hospital setting, You could ask them. I get mine at work, I use the ones that we have used the day before for liquid feedings. I just rinse them really well with ro water and they work fine. If you are unable to get one, let me know.
cyn