E.S.V. KALKWASSER

[MIOR6485]

I JUST PURCHASED 4LBS OF ESV KALKWASSER FOR $25.00 INCLUDING SHIPPING FROM ISLAND AQUATICS. ALAMO WANTED $21.00 FOR 750grams. THEY ARE RUNNING SPECIALS ON ALL ESV PRODUCTS.

[GaryP]

All LFS have a pretty healthy mark up on additives. Its their most profitable product lines. Whether you buy any new livestock, you will always need some additives. They may drop their prices on Livestock to get you through the door, but they more than make up for it on their dry goods.

That's why I buy my additives at HEB. :D

Gary

[eleyan]

HEB carries ESV kalk ? :D LOL

[MIOR6485]

GaryP

Where did you find pickling lime. I tried walmart, target and a small HEB with no luck. Is it the heb market place where they have it? I have purchased some before but I dont remember where. Is it seasonal in san antonio.

[dow]

HEB carries ESV kalk ? :D LOL

LOL, no. HEB carries pickling lime, the same stuff. You can find it in the canning section (where they sell the mason jars). Mine says Ball 100% Natural Pickling Lime.

Works great, costs less!

... or is that Taste's Great, Less Filling?

[eleyan]

So do you use the same measures as kalk (1 teaspoon per gallon on top off water)? does this buffer dKH as well?

[Brett Wilson]

Eleyan,

Yes, Yes. I take advice from Eric Borneman and use the Miss Wages Pickling lime (just as good as balls, both can be found at Albertsons.
I recently got some ESV pickling lime for next to nothing so i'll eventually compare it and see how it is...
-Brett

[GaryP]

I don't use Kalk. I make my own buffer from Baking Soda and Washing Soda (from HEB).

Pickling Lime and Kalk are both Calcium Hydroxide. I've never used Pickling Lime but I know there is a lot of info on using it on the net.

Gary

[JimD]

I wouldnt use anything but ESV... Ive seen the crud other mixes leave in my reactor. No thanks.

[MIOR6485]

Once I recieve the ESV kalk, I will empty and clean the reactor and start over. I agree with JimD that crud is left over but does that happen to all kalk? When using a kalk, do you have to measure the PH to determine if you need to add more to the Kalk reactor or do you just observe and wait till the solid amount is reduced before you add more?

[brewercm]

The only place I've found pickling lime around here was at the Super Wal-Mart in Kerville one day. They had a bunch of their canning stuff clearanced and I picked up a couple of large containers(I think 2lb) for $1 a piece. Still not really close to San Antonio though, I believe when I was looking someone said the HEB on New Braunfels had some but not sure which HEB if there's more than one on New Braunfels.

[brewercm]

By the way, that is a great price on the ESV Kalk. I bought a small jar of Kent a few months back and paid out the butt local.

[JimD]

ESV is the only kalk mix Ive used so far that didnt leave a tan residue in my reactor, whether the impurities are making it to the tank or not doesnt matter to me, just the fact that they're present is enough to make me choose not to use them. Monitor the effluents Ph, when it drops below 12/12.1-2, its time to recharge... Normal Ph range is in the 12.4-5 area.