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nfrank · 04-16-2009, 05:37 AM

A better way to provide GH and KH is pulverized Dolomitic Lime, packaged for lawn and agricutural use. It is very inexpensive. Put a Tbs or so in a plastic bottle and shake it up to make a nice suspension. Some of the coarser particles will remain in the bottom. Pour the milky liquid into the tank and it will clear/dissolve in a few hours, faster with CO2 injection. Do it at night and you may not even notice it. Check the fert tables for correct dosing. Using an amount similar to the CaCO3 should be fine.

The dolomite is composed of CaCO3 and MgCO3 ... and the Ca:Mg ratio for GH is the perfect 3:1 ratio.

BTW, i no longer use it and as the previous folks indicated, it is not important to worry about low KH. I wouldnt want it to be zero however. Frequent water changes with my KH=1-2 tap water is sufficient to keep my levels OK. I now focus on maintaining Ca and Mg levels. I use Plaster of paris (CaSO4) and epsom salt (hydrated MgSO4) ... in equal parts by volume--which i dump in the sump, so the slow dissolving white sludge is not a problem. Without a sump, making a suspension as with the lime would help it dissolve. I add 1/2t of each with a 200L water change.

04-16-2009, 05:37 AM	#7 (permalink)
nfrank Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: NC Posts: 181 iTrader Ratings: 17 iTrader Positive Rating: 100% Plant Points: 25200	Re: CaCO3 for alk A better way to provide GH and KH is pulverized Dolomitic Lime, packaged for lawn and agricutural use. It is very inexpensive. Put a Tbs or so in a plastic bottle and shake it up to make a nice suspension. Some of the coarser particles will remain in the bottom. Pour the milky liquid into the tank and it will clear/dissolve in a few hours, faster with CO2 injection. Do it at night and you may not even notice it. Check the fert tables for correct dosing. Using an amount similar to the CaCO3 should be fine. The dolomite is composed of CaCO3 and MgCO3 ... and the Ca:Mg ratio for GH is the perfect 3:1 ratio. BTW, i no longer use it and as the previous folks indicated, it is not important to worry about low KH. I wouldnt want it to be zero however. Frequent water changes with my KH=1-2 tap water is sufficient to keep my levels OK. I now focus on maintaining Ca and Mg levels. I use Plaster of paris (CaSO4) and epsom salt (hydrated MgSO4) ... in equal parts by volume--which i dump in the sump, so the slow dissolving white sludge is not a problem. Without a sump, making a suspension as with the lime would help it dissolve. I add 1/2t of each with a 200L water change.