Kalk is short for kalkwasser which means "lime water" in German. The product is calcium hydroxide. You can use the stuff from your LFS for about $10 per lb. You can also use pickling lime for about $2 per lb. Some people with huge systems use construction grade lime because it's real cheap. Pickling lime is the best choice, IMO. As far as why people use kalk, you can do a search & find some really good threads that explain the chemistry, application, etc.