5074 experts, or knowledgeable kalk doser, question

[septicdeath]

I just picked up a 5074 calcium dispenser. I'm trying to figure out how much of the powder to add.

I have a 50g tank with about 13g in the sump. I use the osmolator with a ro storage tank that I try to keep full, but t varies on how much water is in it at any time which is why I like the 5074.

I've read that no more than 1/2 tablespoon will dissolve in a gallon of ro/di water, but I wouldn't even think that the 5074 holds a gallon. So I dont think I have

Can someone help me out with using the 5074. I've mounted it into my system, and filled the 5074 up with water so that the whole system is primed. I would assume that you can unscrew the cap, and use a funnel to add the kalkwasser mixture to the 5074. I added 2 tablespoons to the system, and just let it fall to the bottom and allowed it to mix on its own, this is what I understood was to happen. No need to shake it and stir it all up, just make sure that you do this AFTER you top off, so that the system has some time to mix before it starts moving it into your sump.

Anyways, with 63 gallons of water, can someone tell me how much powder to add to my 5074? I'd prefer to only have to add mixture to the 5074 every 7 to 10 days like I was told I could expect with the unit. I usually do tank maintenance once a week, so after water changes and getting the system totally online and primed, this would be a perfect time to add powder to my system, so maybe a 7 days supply?

And one more question? Will your recommendation change across manufactures? or can one assume that Kents, Tunze's, BRS's. I'll probably use Bulk Reef Supplies stuff, as I use their carbon and gfo already, but I have the stuff that come with the tunze right now, and why waste money.

I currently use Tropic Marin pro reef, with no other supplements, so I am adding to compensate pro reef, my tank is new, but my ph was stable at about 7.85-7.90 via lab grade ph probe on Apex system.

Thank you in advance.

-John

 

[septicdeath]

no input? figured a weekend post would generate the most chatter, but maybe we all need to get up to goto work before we log onto the reef forums, missing our tanks from the office.

Anyone?

 

[rvitko]

The 5074 must be mounted inside the reservoir with your osmolator pump, the only volume of any consequence is how much your reservoir holds. For a typical 7 gallon reservoir about 4 teaspoons is the recommended dose. If you need a copy of the 5074 manual it is a free download on our website. The manual does give more specific recommendations based on tank size and inhabitants. Every time you refill the reservoir, you add more powder to the dispenser, after a month or two the dispenser should be cleaned and any old powder removed.

Kalkwasser is kalkwasser, the brand does not matter.

 

[septicdeath]

okay, maybe I cant use this, I have a custom made sump that is a sealed plexiglass cube, with only a fill hole and a osmolator pump hole. I mounted the 5074 with the glass attachment to the outside of my sump on top of my ATO reservoir. I plummed from my osmolator pump to check valve to 5074 and from the 5074 to the original ato return spot on my sump. I thought that I added the powder to the 5074 and that it didnt matter where the feed water was from, for instance, I'm about ready to directly add ro/di to my storage tank via my ro/di unit, using a double optical float valve, so now, I have a unlimited amount of water in my ato reservoir. I would pump directly to my sump, but would rather have the protection of filling a remote reservoir and using a Tunze Osmolator to do the top off?

Or did I misread what your saying?

 

[rvitko]

The problem with that set up is that the 5074 hoses are not 100% secure, over time kalk brittles and hardens the tubing and it will someday pop off, that is why it must be inside a reservoir and not set up as a stand alone unit. As far as the way water is added, that is fine, if you have a general idea that you are using say 7 gallons every 10 days, every 10 days you would just add the powder to refill it. The main issue is that I would never install it where a leak or tubing pop off could be a catastrophe.

 

[septicdeath]

Thanks, maybe I can hang it inside my sump vs outside my sump, or just get in the habit of upgrading tubing every 9 months or so.

 

[rvitko]

The sump could be risky as if the tube comes off, a lot of kalkwasser will be added at once.

 

[septicdeath]

well 100 bucks is a little too much for me to spend and not figure out how to make it work. It looks like I could use zip ties to make sure the tubes dont come off, and just make sure I replace the tubes every 9 months or so, your right, dumping into the sump doesnt make sense, since the tube that should get brittle would be the tube with kalk in it, and the lower tube has a check valve on it, were only talking about the upper tube potentially getting brittle, so with that in mind, I guess I will just leave it the way I have it (as I dont have a bucket for a top off (god, thats got to look REALLY bad in someones living room, a large bucket for top off) and take my chances with replacing the tubing on a schedule that I will come up with, thanks for all the info, if you have any real life experience with how long it takes for the tubing to become brittle, that would be cool. Also, Im assuming that I could replace with a pvc based tubing or airline tubing in the future. Or maybe Tunze sells the black tubing, since I only have 12 inches or so from the top fitting to my sump. I could zip tie that as well.

 

[rvitko]

Typically they install in a 7 gallon bucket that is installed inside the cabinet.

I can only advise you that anything different is a risk. I am not certain a zip tie is absolutely secure and both the top and bottom fitting due tend to loosen, the tubing looses its elasticity and will not be a tight fit after some time, generally this takes 12-18 months to be really noticeable. We do sell the tubing, parts 5000.390 or 5000.380.