vinegar and kalkwasser

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

foma2000

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Nov 13, 2004
Messages
325
Location
santa cruz california
so i heard from a notable sorce that adding a small amount of white kitchen vinegar to your kalkwasser right when you mixing it will help elimenate the participate you find at the bottom, as well as make it so you dont have to wory about the amount of C02 in the tank nessasary to combine with the kalkwasser to form the bicarbonate and calcium ions. the person that i heard it from showed some chemical equasions that seemed to show that it was true.
just wondering if any one here does this or has heard something diffrent[/center]
 
It's true.

Also, you can use pickling lime from the grocery store rather than the expensive kalkwasser. They are chemically the same and the pickling lime is a heck of a lot cheaper.
 
Start with ½-1 teaspoon of 5% common white vinegar if using 2 teaspoons of kalk per gallon of RO and adjust accordingly otherwise. Not recommended if the tank has any nuisance algae issues. I would not use more than 2 teaspoons of vinegar though, although some have used as much as 3 without adverse effects.

Cheers
Steve
 
I've experimented quite a bit with limewater and vinegar. My experience has been the opposite. I've found that if you skim heavily then vinegar will decrease algae. Experiences differ though.

The vinegar I use doesn't have any sugar so perhaps that's the difference. I just get the cheap gallon jugs of the stuff made by adding pure water to Acetic Acid.
 
Last time I checked, vinegar in any form contained a source of carbohydrate?

Cheers
Steve
 
I suppose I'm wrong. I thought Acetate was a salt but I'm no chemist, not by a long shot.

I can't see any possible way for algae to use it though. Is it indirect? How do carbohydrates feed algae?

When I experimented with it the algae quickly died off. Has your experience been different?
 
Ball's or Mrs Wages Pickling Lime can be used instead of aquarium grade kalk. You can usually find it in your local grocery store for a fraction of the price. I use Ball's with great results.
 
Bang Guy said:
I suppose I'm wrong. I thought Acetate was a salt but I'm no chemist, not by a long shot.

I can't see any possible way for algae to use it though. Is it indirect? How do carbohydrates feed algae?
As far as I know it's indirect through it's interaction with bacteria. Not being a chemist myself we are in the same boat. I repeatedly looked for references on white vinegar (diluted acetic acid) and every hit came back with a nutritional analysis having carbs. No idea what exactly the carbs source is comprised of but it is still a nutrient source none the less.

When I experimented with it the algae quickly died off. Has your experience been different?
Personally never noticed a difference either way.

Cheers
Steve
 
Back
Top Bottom