Kalkwasser

[sandy]

I *finally* bought Kalkwasser Mix (Kent Marine)
I put 8 tsp. in a 5 gal water container filled with fresh ro/di water (yesterday). The water STILL looks cloudy. From what I read, I should not add the cloudy stuff to my tank.. only the top clear stuff. Hmmmm. What to do?
Also... drip method? Geez. Can I just pour in tiny amounts at a time? Do I really need to buy something to drip it in?

 

[me-n-my-fish]

I would drip it. Thats what I do, and it works great. Also, you are to add the water from the MIDDLE of the concoction, not the crusty top or the milking bottom. I mix mine, let it sit for about 24 hours then drip it.

 

[sandy]

Okay, super dumb question... can I "drip" it with some homemade device? No problem with time and patience... just money. At what rate does one drip this stuff? A drop every minute? Seconds? *sigh* feeling pretty darn dumb.
My 5 gal container has a spiget (spell) about 1" from the bottom. I'm hoping this will save me some labor. Thanks for the reply.

 

[slb243]

I use a plastic gallon milk jug to drip kalkwasser water into my tank. Cut the top off of a milk jug and rinse it out well. Then fill it 3/4 with kalkwasser water (don't pour in the cloudy, milky stff on the bottom of the bucket) and set it above your tank or sump on something stable. I set the jug on by glass center brace with part of jug over the open water beneath. Poke a small hole into the side of the jug, near the bottom. A needle, pushpin or very small nail works well. Then the water will drip or drizzle into your tank, depending on the size of your hole. It usually takes a couple hours to drain. My tank is 135 gallons so 1 gallon doesn't affect my PH much. If your tank is smaller or you have animals sensitive to PH or alkalinity changes, be careful and only make a very small hole. The hole tends to seal itself up after a while and needs to be reopened. This is the cheapest solution I've found.

 

[sandy]

Thanks!