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Source for Pickling Lime? Plastic shavings?

Origami

By Origami,
in New to the Hobby

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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

Anybody out there know of a ready local source of food-grade pickling lime for making my own kalkwasser? I've not checked my local grocer's shelves but think I'd be in for an adventure as there aren't probably too many people involved in canning here in the big-city 'burbs.

 

 

 

Second, and eat your hearts out: My wife likes our first tank and is asking me to set up a second! :clap: Anyways, I'm thinking (for this one) about making my own rock - that aragocrete stuff written about at GARF. The recipe calls for using plastic shavings as a lightweight filler. Anybody have a good local source of the stuff?

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treesprite Neptune Reefer

treesprite

I'd enjoy trying to make my own rock at some point - let me know how it goes.

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johnnybv Oracle Reefer

johnnybv

Anybody out there know of a ready local source of food-grade pickling lime for making my own kalkwasser? I've not checked my local grocer's shelves but think I'd be in for an adventure as there aren't probably too many people involved in canning here in the big-city 'burbs.

 

 

 

Second, and eat your hearts out: My wife likes our first tank and is asking me to set up a second! :clap: Anyways, I'm thinking (for this one) about making my own rock - that aragocrete stuff written about at GARF. The recipe calls for using plastic shavings as a lightweight filler. Anybody have a good local source of the stuff?

I have a 5 gallon bucket of mississippi lime from the last group buy that I would be willing to part with.

john

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flowerseller Oracle Reefer

flowerseller

I have a 5 gallon bucket of mississippi lime from the last group buy that I would be willing to part with.

john

Someone should take john up on this.

The only thing better is reagent grade from Sigma.

NO ONE makes kalk just for the aquarium trade, it's ALL repackaged and many are not this clean.

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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

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Thanks. But a 5 gallon bucket? That sounds like it would last me FOREVER. LOL.

 

 

 

So, no big plastic fabricators in our area that would be a good source of shavings? I'll definitely see if I can't get some questions out to Almon.

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madmax7774 Master Reefer

madmax7774

I can't dispute the manufacturing details of kalk powder(calcium hydroxide), because I am not an expert. However, I will say that for me, in the last year, I have tried 3 different source of kalk powder with differing results:

 

Ms. wage's pickling lime - I tried this for 2+ months or so, and it was terrible. It left a grey sludgey residue in my kalkstirrer, and I had trouble keeping my PH above 8.1, and the growth was not very good. I don't recommend this.

Mississippi lime - i used this for about 5 months, and it was ok. still had low PH, and growth was average at best.

ESV brand kalk powder - going 2+ months now, and results are superior to the rest. PH is stable now at 8.3, growth is taking off, and no sludgey residue. Oddly enough, it seems to last longer in the stirrir to.

 

I'm not saying that the other's don't work, it's just that for my tank, and my situation, the ESV is superior, and in my opinion better. take that for what it's worth.

John

:)

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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

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(edited)

Thanks, John. So, just how long would a 5 gallon bucket last? Understand that I'm new to this and the few kalk reactors that I've seen either in-person or in pictures look to be pretty modest in size. I've got to imagine that a 5 gallon bucket of the stuff is a lot.

 

 

Any thoughts on kalk reactors? DIY or buy? Know of a good DIY design? What about a simple kalk drip?

 

 

Thanks also for your experiences with the different brands. Looks like I'll research it a bit and see if I can find any significant difference that might account for the different observations you had.

Edited by Origami2547
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madmax7774 Master Reefer

madmax7774

a 5 gallon pail of kalkpowder would last you well over a year or more. As far as Kalkstirrer's, Dan from GSA has the market cornered on them. He makes a fabulous product that is very inexpensive. You can't beat his product for the price. They sell them locally at BRK, and I believe they have a few in stock. The problem with a simple kalk drip is that without the agitation of a stirrer, the powder settles out to the bottom of the container, which is a pain.

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yauger Oracle Reefer

yauger

a 5 gallon pail of kalkpowder would last you well over a year or more. As far as Kalkstirrer's, Dan from GSA has the market cornered on them. He makes a fabulous product that is very inexpensive. You can't beat his product for the price. They sell them locally at BRK, and I believe they have a few in stock. The problem with a simple kalk drip is that without the agitation of a stirrer, the powder settles out to the bottom of the container, which is a pain.

 

Which do you think would be better? Kalk Stirrer or Kalk Reactor with a small internal pump to mix the kalk twice a day...

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Origami Neptune Reefer

Origami

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Ah, terrific NAGA! Maybe I don't need exactly a car full, though. ;) I think I'd like to get a good quantity from you, if I could, and maybe mess around this winter with trying to fab and cure some rock. Where are you anyway?

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