Odd ball kalkwasser question.

SeanT · 06/22/2011, 10:53 AM

I'm on my phone so searching for the answer is a bit difficult, my apologies if this has been asked and answered.

In regards to making kalkwasser, can you use salt water instead of fresh water?
If not, why?

Thanks,
Sean

disc1 · 06/22/2011, 10:57 AM

Nope. The solubility of kalk would be pretty low in salt water I don't think you'd be able to get it high enough to dose the tank with. Why would you want to put it in salt water anyway?

bertoni · 06/22/2011, 12:25 PM

The kalk would raise the pH a lot, and cause magnesium hydroxide to precipitate. I agree that you wouldn't be able to dissolve much.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 06/22/2011, 01:39 PM

Definite no due to magnesium hydroxide precipitation, among other things (like calcium carbonate). You'd mostly end up just swapping calcium for magnesium.

06/22/2011, 10:53 AM	#1
SeanT Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Wilmington, North Carolina Posts: 13,860	Odd ball kalkwasser question. I'm on my phone so searching for the answer is a bit difficult, my apologies if this has been asked and answered. In regards to making kalkwasser, can you use salt water instead of fresh water? If not, why? Thanks, Sean __________________ My tank was cool. Current Tank Info: Barebottom (the tank not me...at least not at the moment).

06/22/2011, 10:57 AM	#2
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	Nope. The solubility of kalk would be pretty low in salt water I don't think you'd be able to get it high enough to dose the tank with. Why would you want to put it in salt water anyway? __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

06/22/2011, 12:25 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The kalk would raise the pH a lot, and cause magnesium hydroxide to precipitate. I agree that you wouldn't be able to dissolve much. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

06/22/2011, 01:39 PM	#4
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	Definite no due to magnesium hydroxide precipitation, among other things (like calcium carbonate). You'd mostly end up just swapping calcium for magnesium. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

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