Baby bottle kalk drip?

[MandarinFish]

I have a FOWLR system with ugly diatoms, and I used some silica sand... so the diatoms aren't going away.

Kalk is supposed to help remedy this, but I'm supposed to drip.

I want to drip without buying yet *more* equipment (especially since this is a FOWLR).

I have extra baby bottles. I was thinking these could drip nicely.

What do you think / recommend?

 

[Will C1]

hard to say i bought a 1 gal dripper from kent at my lfs for about $15 but you can try baby bottles im not shure how well this would work only putting in 8oz at a time.

 

[MandarinFish]

I used a very weak solution to ensure I don't shock my fish.

Sure enough, the baby bottle method lets out 1 drop per 5 seconds.

Seems to work!

Not a great long-term solution by any means, but it seems to be effective at slowly releasing a kalkwasser mix into my FOWLR.

I understand kalkwasser helps battle diatoms, which I am struggling with in this tank (just move over my 55 into this new 135).

Hopefully will be gone soon.

 

[JeffK]

An easy, inexpensive way to drip kalk is with an enema bag (never used for its intended purpose, of course), which can be purchased at any medical supply store. One bag costs only a few dollars (I don't remember the exact amount, but it was cheap) and lasts many months. You just have to run vinegar through it occasionally to remove any calcium build-up.

HTH

Jeff

 

[MandarinFish]

The tough part is going to the store and asking for an enema bag with a straight face.

Never had a high colonic. Never will.

My new renter (moved in downstairs today) works for a medical supply place. Maybe I should ask him.

 

[ZigZagZombie]

I use a 5gal Absopure bottle. I drilled a hole about 1 inch from the bottom and hooked up my drip line there. I went to a medical supply store and picked up a IV clamp to adjust the drip rate. Then you just put your kalk in the 5gal bottle and shake it up. Let it sit overnight, and then drip away....No need extract the clear water, since you won't suck up any water below 1 inch.....Works for me.

 

[Will C1]

not a bad idea zigzag but how do you hide a big ugly bottle

 

[ZigZagZombie]

Well my tank is in the basement. There is a room that is behind the tank. That is where all my stuff that you don't what to see is in. The jug sits on a platform higher then the tank. I run a line through the wall behind the tank and into the sump. Like i said it work great.. Mix kalk once every 5 days...

 

[Will C1]

i see you have another room i wish i could do that. where abouts are you in MI?

 

[Markymarklar]

really don't know too much about silica sand but instead of just trying to slow or cover up the problem shouldn't you take care of the root of the problem. will the silicates eventually be used up from the sand? if they don't then i would think about changing the sand.

 

[ZigZagZombie]

I live in St. Clair Shores. It's about 15 miles out of Detroit...

 

[Will C1]

not too far from me i live about 15 miles west of Novi.

 

[MandarinFish]

What is "absopure?"

I am very intrigued by this.

I guess more importantly, is this a soft plastic, hard plastic, or glass container?

 

[ZigZagZombie]

Absopure is a water company. They are on the internet. I didn't get my container from the site, but maybe you can order from them. The container is a hard plastic. It's the kind they use in offices for water coolers.....