[MISTERFIXIT]

Hey NAH2O peoples,
I've been using my own dosing system for about 10 months and it's working great.I thought I'd share the info from my trials.

Calcium-Pickling lime--$1.25-Kroger-1 lb can--other Kalkwasser-8 oz for $6.00
Magnesium--Epsom salts-4 lb carton--$2.00-Kroger--other liquid supplement--$5.95--16 oz
Buffer--baking soda-$1.00--2lb--Kroger-- other buffer (Kent) 8.8 oz--$5.95
Prices may vary of course

I have a 55 gal and a 90 gal

I dose every 3 days
55 gal--
1 teaspoon pickling lime dissolved in 8 oz of hot (microwave it 30 secs) treated water stir it well.Put in sump or filter.
1 t spoon epsom salts added to sump or filter or dissolve in water and added to tank.
1 t spoon baking soda dissolved in water and added to tank.
My coraline algae is growing like crazy!! I'm loving it.
Please do all water tests accordingly.This is my personal formula and works for me,test water frequently and dose according to your tanks needs.

[the_blue_tuna]

When you do this , do you let the solution stand for awhile to let some of the solids precipitate out of the mix? That way you just add a clear liquid with no "chunks" ? Thanks

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by the_blue_tuna

When you do this , do you let the solution stand for awhile to let some of the solids precipitate out of the mix? That way you just add a clear liquid with no "chunks" ? Thanks

I have no need to let it stand,it dissolves completely in hot water and stir and I add it to my sump.NO chunks at all!Too cool!

Marc aka Mr Fix It

[neenish]

Is there another name for pickling lime? I ask for it out here on the West Coast and people look at me all weird. I'm still on a mission to find this product.

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by neenish

Is there another name for pickling lime? I ask for it out here on the West Coast and people look at me all weird. I'm still on a mission to find this product.

Hey Neenish,
The actual chemical name is hydrated lime,you find it in the section of the grocery with the canning goods,Mason jars and such.If you can't find it there,check on the web,you're bound to find it there.Its Ball's Pickling Lime.

Marc aka Mr Fix It

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by the_blue_tuna

When you do this , do you let the solution stand for awhile to let some of the solids precipitate out of the mix? That way you just add a clear liquid with no "chunks" ? Thanks

Hey Blue,
I put the lime in the container 1st ,then add the water ,then heat it and stir,keeps the chunks down.

Marc

[hooked4life]

MISTERFIXIT : By adding a 1tsp of pickling lime at once instead of adding it slowly, doesnt affect the PH that much? I am just curious. I use a 2G container and dose with a medical dosing pump at night. I will try that buffer recipe.

Will..

Originally Posted by MISTERFIXIT

I dose every 3 days
55 gal--
1 teaspoon pickling lime dissolved in 8 oz of hot (microwave it 30 secs) treated water stir it well.Put in sump or filter.
1 t spoon epsom salts added to sump or filter or dissolve in water and added to tank.
1 t spoon baking soda dissolved in water and added to tank.
My coraline algae is growing like crazy!! I'm loving it.
Please do all water tests accordingly.This is my personal formula and works for me,test water frequently and dose according to your tanks needs.

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by hooked4life

MISTERFIXIT : By adding a 1tsp of pickling lime at once instead of adding it slowly, doesnt affect the PH that much? I am just curious. I use a 2G container and dose with a medical dosing pump at night. I will try that buffer recipe.

Will..

Hey Will,

My ph usually runs between 8.0 to 8.4 when I first started I had some 7.5 spikes but adjusted the buffer.I was tryng to add too much lime and my calcium was too high,about 600 ppm.This is working for me now but make sure you test your calcium/ph/kh as much as every 2 or 3 days.The dosing really depends on the actual tank usage and how fast it is being consumed.Patience My son!!

Marc aka mr fix it

[Poseidon]

Is Pickling lime Calcium Hydroxide? Is this the same as Ag Lime? I can get a 5 gallon bucket of agricultural lime FREE!!! but I'm hesitant to use it....

[Rook]

Yes, it is calcium Hydroxide. There are different grades of hydroxide though, I am not sure where that stuff you can get would be. Pickling lime is food grade, store bought kalk is research grade (I think) and then there is lab grade. They get more expensive in order and contain less impurities in order. Most use food grade and see no ill-effects. I use Mrs. Wages pickling lime. Works great.

MrFixIt,

I find it strange that you need to add that much biocarbonate (buffer)(baking soda) eventhough you are adding pickling lime? Pickling lime adds both calcium and alklinity to the tank in proper proportions to then amounts the corals use them. It would seem that your alk/calcium would get out of balance doing this? Also, do you really need to dose that much magnesium? I don't really use that much magnesium in my tank and it is quite heavily stocked. I assume from your statements that you are testing all of these on a regular basis.

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

Is Pickling lime Calcium Hydroxide? Is this the same as Ag Lime? I can get a 5 gallon bucket of agricultural lime FREE!!! but I'm hesitant to use it....

No sir Its not the same,
Like rook said, use food grade lime,no ill effects.It should say hydrated/slaked/builders/or household use.Pickling lime is the safest IMO.

Hey Rook,
I keep the mag very high to increase the ability for calcium absorbsion.Don't know if I spelled it right but what the hey!My kh is usually around 10-11,ph about 8.4,and yes I've had some 8.7 spikes too.So far so good.

Marc AKA Mr fix it

[Poseidon]

Thanks Mark!!!

Found the Pickling lime Finally!!! Had no luck at Krogers, but Meijers had it... Then I could NOT FIND EPSOM SALT... everyone was out of the stuff, what the heck is it used for usually?

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by Poseidon

Thanks Mark!!!

Found the Pickling lime Finally!!! Had no luck at Krogers, but Meijers had it... Then I could NOT FIND EPSOM SALT... everyone was out of the stuff, what the heck is it used for usually?

Hey,
epsom salts are used as a muscle relaxer topically,as a soak for tired feet,achy hands and joints,or as a laxative.Go to a drug store they'll have plenty!

Marc (mr fix it)

[jdepp]

what does the epsom salt do? how big is ur tank so i can get an idea of how much ur putting it in? thanks

[MISTERFIXIT]

Originally Posted by jdepp

what does the epsom salt do? how big is ur tank so i can get an idea of how much ur putting it in? thanks

Hey jdepp,

Epsom salts is a magnesium supplement

Size doesn't matter (ha ha).The thing is to test your water.Magnesium levels usually around 1100 to 1300 ppm.Depending on tank size and livestock and consumption

[Poseidon]

Found it a Rite aid...

Thanks!!!

I added about 1 Tbsp lime to 5 gallons water and dripped it in last night, my calcium was low... around 300 ppm I didn't want to take it up to fast, I'll test again tonight and prob add some more b4 bed... i don't have a Magnesium test kit so I won't add that till I test And my ph is 8.1 to 8.3 depending on time of day so thats good for now, I forgot to test Alk though, I'll do that tonight as well

[Timesailor]

calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2, colorless crystal or white powder. It is prepared by reacting calcium oxide (lime)(commercial lime often contains impurities, e.g., silica, iron, alumina, and magnesia) with water, a process called slaking, and is also known as hydrated lime or slaked lime. (Slaked lime is formed from reaction of quicklime (calcium oxide) and water. Quicklime reacts with water to form calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2]. Slaked lime is a fluid mixture of calcium hydroxide and water formed by mixing 1 part of quicklime with about 4 parts of water. Users of lime usually produce this mixture themselves in equipment called lime slakers. Slaked lime resembles a milk shake and is sometimes called "milk of lime."
When heated above 580°C it dehydrates, forming the oxide. Like the oxide, it has many uses, e.g., in liming soil, in sugar refining, and in preparing other compounds. It is a strong base and is widely used as an inexpensive alkali, often as a suspension in water (milk of lime); it is used in leather tanning to remove hair from hides. It is used in whitewash, mortar, and plaster. It is only slightly soluble in water, about 0.2 grams per 100 cubic centimeters, so its solutions are weakly basic. Limewater is a clear, saturated water solution of calcium hydroxide. It is used in medicine to treat acid burns and as an antacid. Because calcium hydroxide readily reacts with carbon dioxide, CO2, to form calcium carbonate, a mixture of gases can be tested for the presence of CO2 by shaking it with limewater in a clear container; if CO2 is present, a cloudy calcium carbonate precipitate will form.





16 oz. (454g) W502$1.85

For pickling cucumbers the old-fashioned way for extra crispness and flavor! Makes Cucumber Lime Pickles (recipe on each bag), Green Tomato Pickles, Watermelon Rinds and Citron Pickles.

Food grade calcium hydroxide with no additives or preservatives.


Hum, Pickling Lime at 1.85 for 454g?

As opposed to Reef Kalkwasser at $9.99 for 500g

Gee, it must be those last 6 ounces that add the additional $8.14. Do you think?