Dosing Pickling Lime
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URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=64676
Printed Date: August 13 2025 at 3:51pm
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Topic: Dosing Pickling Lime
Posted By: Tanuki
Subject: Dosing Pickling Lime
Date Posted: May 30 2013 at 7:36am
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Have any of you tried this for your SPS? I have grown to realize that keeping a tank is just like witchcraft (everyone has their own magic recipe and 99% don't work), but I was talking to a guy that swears by Pickling Lime, so I was curious if any of you had experience with it? ------------- Defending Reefscape Champion (I Think) |
Replies:
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 30 2013 at 8:16am
Experience? Are you kidding? What do you want to know?  I have to run, but if you do a search here you will find more than enough info. Or call me and we can talk it over. I use it in top off water added only at night because it is helpful in raising pH at the nighttime when pH tends to drop a little. Coral are happier for it. Aloha, Mark  808-345-1049 ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: Tanuki
Date Posted: May 31 2013 at 8:07am
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Thanks for chiming in. Mostly I am curious if it is effective or not? Is it primarily an alk boost/ stabilizer? ------------- Defending Reefscape Champion (I Think) |
Posted By: Fatman
Date Posted: May 31 2013 at 10:30am
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Yes, it's effective. Boosts both Calcium and Alk, also helps me keep my pH up. Nasty side effect is that it clogs up the equipment some so I have to maintain it more frequently.
------------- February 4: Winter Banquet at the Living Planet Aquarium Tickets: http://utahreefs.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=36 |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 31 2013 at 10:37am
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Yes, it is extremely effective. It is known by several names: Pickling Lime kalkwasser limewater Calcium Hydroxide Ca(OH)2 It adds both Alk and Ca in fairly equal proportions - just what our tanks need. The amount that can be added depends on the amount of top-off water being added. It should be dripped/dosed slowly at night to attain it's best effect and to avoid damage. Typically it supplements Ca and Alk but does not deliver enough for tanks with numerous stony coral or heavy coralline algae growth. Again I suggest you search here for the discussions already written about what it does and how to use it. Mahalo, Mark Almost always available to "talk reef" Call or text 808-345-1049 ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: suiso man
Date Posted: May 31 2013 at 12:25pm
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Mark I have also been doing reading about it. I am actually dosing ca and alk. Everything I have read leads me to believe its that same as dosing kalkwasser. Am i misunderstanding? If not Then that means that you only have to dose ca and alk or dose kalkwasser, but not both. |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: May 31 2013 at 1:47pm
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It's not the same. Usually we dose all three. Because kalkwasser/pickling lime is inexpensive and helps with night time pH, it's a good thing to use, but the top-off water cannot deliver enough of it for many tanks. Kalkwasser has a very high pH so cannot be dosed in bulk, like other additives. Dosing Alk (baking soda) and Ca (Calcium Chloride) in bulk or using a Calcium Reactor is still necessary to give stony coral, clams, snails, crabs coralline algae, etc. all the Alk and Ca that they are using. Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Fatman
Date Posted: May 31 2013 at 6:02pm
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I use kalk regularly and add three part as needed. For me that's a couple of times a week. ------------- February 4: Winter Banquet at the Living Planet Aquarium Tickets: http://utahreefs.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=36 |
Posted By: badfinger
Date Posted: May 31 2013 at 8:22pm
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So kalk is basically all I used for 3 years, I loved it!... it grew sps great! I used it in all my top off water, day and night. In a 60 gallon tank w/23 gallon sump that went thru 10 gal top off a week, in peak growth I was adding 13teaspoons to the mix and it kept my levels perfect. The tuff part is figuring what your tank uses up, so you start small and then add more and more. 2 teaspoons a gallon is fully saturated. You can add vinegar to your kalk, to be able to dissolve 33% more kalk per gallon (I believe that's what randy farley said) to make it more potent. My next tank I will be using kalk again in all my top off, its great and cheap. I think in 3 years I spent $25 on kalk. And bonus you can buy it at walmart if you run out. So to me, you can completly run your sps system by just kalk. But every system is differnt |
Posted By: sabeypets
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 12:36am
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I use kalk in top off water for my 230 gal. Works great, and I have huge sps colonies.
Use cation! Drip slowly, if added to quickly can over dose and will cause a rapid rise in pH. Can also cause clumping/harding of bottom substrate. ------------- Shaun American Fork "Would you leave a dead cat in your kitchen till tommorow?" Builderofdreams |
Posted By: sabeypets
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 12:41am
Maintaining magnesium on the high end around 1300 will help stabilize alk.
------------- Shaun American Fork "Would you leave a dead cat in your kitchen till tommorow?" Builderofdreams |
Tanuki wrote:Posted By: Fatman
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 8:00am
That's an excellent point that I had forgotten. Thanks for mentioning it. Fat ------------- February 4: Winter Banquet at the Living Planet Aquarium Tickets: http://utahreefs.com/store/index.php?route=product/category&path=36 |
Posted By: Tanuki
Date Posted: June 02 2013 at 9:17am
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Great input guys I really appreciate everyone chiming in. ------------- Defending Reefscape Champion (I Think) |