[Sueet]

I have ordered the mrs. wages lime, and I have procured several medical bags with the thin tubing, and drip controls... NOW... once the mrs. wages gets here, I have a couple things yet to figure out before I can actually use it.

Firstly... HOW can I tell exactly how much water my tank precipitates in a day? Do you guys have a mark on your tank somewhere, and keep track of exactly how much you put in?

Secondly... Once I mix the lime and water, let it sit for awhile, and then put it in the bag, do I have to worry about the lime settling out of the water even more? Is it going to block up the tubing eventually? Should I rinse it out each day?

... And also, how important is it to set this up at the exact same time every night? My life is a bit chaotic, and very little happens on a dead-set schedule. Thanks for any help/advice here, it's much appreciated!

Sueet

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Sueet

Firstly... HOW can I tell exactly how much water my tank precipitates in a day?

You meant to say "evaporates." If you have a sump, you would notice the amount that the water level dropped from the level it was at 24 hours previously. You could determine the amount by measuring the amount of water required to return the level to it's previous mark or you could measure the drop on the sump and calculate it mathematically based on volume. Most tanks will evaporate between one to two gallons per day per hundred gallons of tank volume depending on the intensity of the tank's lighting, the ambient room temperature, ambient humidity, etc.

If you don't have a sump, you could always place a piece of tape on the outside of the tank at the spot that represents your ideal operating water level and then measure the drop in the water level after 24 hours. Example: If the interior dimensions of your tank are 47" x 12" and your water level dropped exactly 1/2" overnight, you lost approximately 1.2 gallons to evaporation. 47 x 12 = 564/231 = 2.44 x .50 = 1.22 gal. There are 231 cubic inches in a gallon.

Secondly... Once I mix the lime and water, let it sit for awhile, and then put it in the bag, do I have to worry about the lime settling out of the water even more? Is it going to block up the tubing eventually? Should I rinse it out each day?

You should add one to two teaspoons of Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime per gallon of R.O./D.I. water, stir vigorously for about 20 seconds and then allow it to rest for several hours. It takes longer for Mrs. Wages to clarify completely than it does for the more expensive Kalkwasser product because the more expensive stuff is more refined. They are both 100% pure calcium hydroxide but Mrs. Wages is food grade and the other stuff is research grade.

After about 8 hours your limewater should be crystal clear although it will get cloudy again if you disturb it, so you want to carefully pour off the clear liquid without going all the way down to the bottom of the mixing bucket.

You will not have to worry about the lime settling out of the water even more if you do it the way I am explaining it; however, it's a good idea to rinse out your dosing container with a weak vinegar solution perhaps once a month. I usually rinse out my mixing bucket once a week. In the meantime, I simply add fresh water on top of the sediment in the bottom of the bucket, add some more calcium hydroxide powder and stir everything up again. I clean out my Kent 2.5-gal AquaDoser about every four or five weeks or so.

... And also, how important is it to set this up at the exact same time every night? My life is a bit chaotic, and very little happens on a dead-set schedule. Thanks for any help/advice here, it's much appreciated!

It doesn't make much difference. Dripping it at night after the lights go out is best because it helps to counteract the nighttime drop in pH but some people drip it very slowing 24/7.

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by Ninong

rinse out your dosing container with a weak vinegar solution perhaps once a month.

Thank you for the valuable information... Regarding the vinegar solution... Do you mean water mixed with vinegar? If so, can it be tap water, or should I use ro/di water for this too? 'preciate the help

Sueet

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Sueet

Thank you for the valuable information... Regarding the vinegar solution... Do you mean water mixed with vinegar? If so, can it be tap water, or should I use ro/di water for this too? 'preciate the help

Sueet

Whenever I clean any aquarium related equipment -- pumps, dosing containers, anything -- I always use regular tapwater that I add maybe 1/2 cup of vinegar to. It's loosens up any calcium deposits.

[Sueet]

Thanks alot... does the type/kind of vinegar matter? I usually keep white vinegar around the house for cleaning, but I can easily get some other kind if needed.

Also, is there a limit to how long ahead of time you can make the kalk mix? Like.... If I wanted to make up a 5 gallon bucket, and then just fill the drip bag out of that for a week (or however long), is that feasible, or does it need to be mixed fresh every day? I am assuming that the water can only absorb/hold so much of the lime, so it seems reasonable that... like the sw, it could be mixed ahead of time..... but as usual, I would rather ask than find out the "hard" way.

Sueet

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Sueet

Thanks alot... does the type/kind of vinegar matter? I usually keep white vinegar around the house for cleaning, but I can easily get some other kind if needed.

Yes, plain white vinegar.

Also, is there a limit to how long ahead of time you can make the kalk mix? Like.... If I wanted to make up a 5 gallon bucket, and then just fill the drip bag out of that for a week (or however long), is that feasible, or does it need to be mixed fresh every day? I am assuming that the water can only absorb/hold so much of the lime, so it seems reasonable that... like the sw, it could be mixed ahead of time.....

It is better to mix it fresh every day or every other day but some people mix up a week's worth at a time. The problem is not that the water can only hold so much of the lime, the problem is that the limewater reacts at the surface with carbon dioxide from the air, as evidenced by the crusty film that forms on the surface. This reaction with CO2 from the air negatively affects the limewater and lowers its effectiveness. Thus the recommendation to keep it tightly covered. Ideally you want as little air inside the mixing container as possible if you are mixing up a batch for the next several days. Some of the plastics manufacturers make containers with floating lids that remain on the surface as the liquid level lowers. I haven't looked into anything that fancy myself because I have always used mine within 48 hours, usually within 24 hours.

I suggest you mix up a batch large enough for three days and see how that goes. Avoid unnecessary vigorous mixing after it has initially been made up because you are introducing more CO2 from the atmosphere every time you do that, and never shake it like a cocktail. Stirred, never shaken.

[Sueet]

Thanks for the great info, ... I wonder, do you ever get tired of hearing that? lol ... Maybe someday (yeah right) I will know enough to be able to help you somehow.