am I mixing my kalk right??

[martym]

I just started to use Seachem Kalkwasser. The first time I mixed it, I wasn't that carefull and powder go into the air. After about 5 mins. my nose started to fill funny. The next time I mixed it I was carefull, no dust, but the same thing happened, I removed the mixture from the room and with in 10 mins things were back to normal. I put the powder in first and slowly add water to it. I gravity feed my sump. The make up water falls about 1" before hitting sump water. Does this feeling happen to anyone else, or am I mixing wrong?

[Jack]

Yah, calcium hydroxide aka kalk powder is caustic and not good for you at all. I'd mix yours outside from now on. It's happend to me before too and it's not a good thing!

[beaker020]

as most chemists will tell you; its standard practice to add a chemical to water and never water to a chemical. The initial very high concentration solution may cause a chemical reaction or precipitation. This is particularly important when mixing salt water. Always add the salt to the water, not the other way around. Also, don't shake the container of kalk before opening it, I make that mistake occasionally.

[Aquattro]

Generally that is meant for acids, where you can get a highly exothermic reaction.
Water to kalk is only slightly exothermic.