I mixed a batch of kalkwasser yesterday and today when I removed the lid I noticed that some of the powder was still at the top of the water. Is this normal? I let it sit for 24 hours.
It is quite normal. You want to siphon off the middle. I used to use a hose attached to a rock so it would be 1" above the bottom the the mixing bucket. Then siphon the kalk out until about 1" from the surface. You do not want to use the top or bottom of the mix. Good luck
The solid on the surface isn't calcium hydroxide, it's calcium carbonate that forms when CO2 in the air reacts with the limewater. While not desirable to send it into the tank, it does provide somr eprotection of the underlying limewater from being ruined by atmospheric CO2.
Take a plastic pail and drill a hole about 1" above the bottom. Insert a small piece of tubing through the hole and attached a needle valve to the outside end (the hole should be smaller than the OD of the tubing so there is a snug fit). This way whatever settles on the bottom stays there. You can float a piece of styrofoam in the pail to reduce the amount of surface area exposed to the air...the lid of a box that is used to ship livestock works well.
