Add as Kalk as your tank will allow!

[HVF21221]

These two solenoids are fed from my top-off pump. My aquacontroller jr. controls which one is open by tank pH. One solenoid goes from the freshwater top off to the sump. The other goes through my Kalk reactor. This way I can add as much Kalk as my tank as the pH will allow. My setpoint will be 8.2 This should make for very stable pH values in my tank. The green lights on the left show which valve is open and will be marked "Fresh" and "Kalk". I opted for this rather than my litermeter because the LM would fluxuate too much based on evap and I would have to keep fine tuning it throughout the year.

 

[dgasmd]

Dude, that is so wrong. I like it!!! However, I would go a little higher on the pH threshold to maybe 8.35-8.4. Very sweet indeed.

 

[stugray]

where did you get the solenoids?

Stu

 

[HVF21221]

The solenoids are from mcmaster.com.
Hey Doc, what's up? Why would you run a higher ph? I thought 8.2 was good.

 

[msuzuki126]

Great idea.

 

[PrivateJoker64]

Brilliant in its simplicity!

 

[Avast Marine]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8206089#post8206089 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HVF21221
The solenoids are from mcmaster.com.
Hey Doc, what's up? Why would you run a higher ph? I thought 8.2 was good.

If you can drive your Ph a little higher your corals can consume more more calcium. A higher set point just gives you a little time for that to take place so the solenoid doesn't turn on and off all the time.

Killer project!

 

[8BALL_99]

what happens if your PH probe goes bad......

 

[HVF21221]

How do ph probes go bad? They don't go bad over night. I know when the won't hold calibration they need to be replaced but if you do routine calibrations you will never have to worry.

 

[MJAnderson]

Why are you using PH as the guide to adding Kalk? Isn't it possible that you're adding too much and Alk/Calc will go too high?

 

[whirley]

HVF21221,
do you have a relay on the solenoid?

I have the exact same solenoid, bought it years ago, but forgot how I was going to hook it up.

THanks
whirley

 

[dgasmd]

Dandy 7200 hit it on the nail. Another reason is that at night it will hold the volumes of kalk lower avoiding a Ca precipitation from a large amount of kalk being dumped overnight.

There are 2 downfalls to this system though, and you should not let them prevent you from using it. HOwever, learn what they are so you know how to better tune the system:

1. The pH of the tank will be very dependant on the appriate and constant calibration of your pH probe. I know what you do, so staying on a tight schedule on them won't be hard. That alone would prevent me from using it since I am lazy!!

2. You will have fluctuations on your alk and Ca depending on how much kalk was dumped on a daily basis, which may never be the same from day to day. That can make your tuning of a Ca reactor very difficult to achieve consistancy.

I still like it though!!!

 

[aroundtuit]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8206089#post8206089 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by HVF21221
The solenoids are from mcmaster.com.
Hey Doc, what's up? Why would you run a higher ph? I thought 8.2 was good.

I'm looking for a solenoid at a reasonable price. What model is that from McMaster? How do you like it?

 

[jmait769]

Great idea HVF21221!! :thumbsup:

Below is a crude drawing of how I think you have this hooked up. Is this correct?

I was wondering if you could elaborate/give more detail on how you have the AC jr connected, programming and what do you use to activate the pump?

Thanks!

Jay

 

[HVF21221]

The solenoids are Mcmaster.com 7877K5, they are 110V so you can just wire them to a plug and they will work as you power it on/off.

I do calibrate very regular. I will have to do a little study on Ca++ and alk levels.

 

[HVF21221]

Yes, your drawing is correct. The top-off pump is what ever method you choose for top-off(gravity with float valve, osmolator, float switches) In my case I use two float switches in my sump. One controls the level, the other is an emergency high level shut-off for some protection. These are using 12 DC for safety and controlling a mag 2 in the fresh water reservoir. The ACjr. uses it's pH controller to read the tank pH. The 2 solenoids are plugged into my DC8. The control prgram I am thinking about goes like this: Substitute what setpoint you want.
If pH<8.21 then "Kalk" on
If pH=8.21 then "Kalk" on
If pH>8.21 then "Kalk" off
If pH>8.21 then "Fresh" on
If pH=8.21 then "Fresh" off
If pH<8.21 then "Fresh" off

Substitute "Fresh" and "Kalk" for the number plug on your DC8

I think I got the script right.

 

[PetPirate]

Cool idea.

BTW... I think those are the same solenoids I ordered for my DI auto top-off.

I was disappointed to find they had some brass parts in contact with the water.

You can get away with them, but I would hardly recommend them.

 

[eameres]

Is brass such a bad thing if you're only running fresh and kalk water through them?

just a thought, but if you're running low on outputs on your DC8, you could use relay and put a normally open contact on the kalk solenoid and a normally closed on the fresh solenoid. This way they would always be in sync and only use a single output.

 

[H20ENG]

Eameres,
Then wouldnt the tank always be topping off, leading to an overfill?

The solenoids would not be running kalk, as they are ahead of the reactor. You are correct that they have a minute amount of metal in them. I have never heard that they have caused a problem, but it is good to know.

 

[eameres]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8227635#post8227635 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by H20ENG
Eameres,
Then wouldnt the tank always be topping off, leading to an overfill?

You'd still need to have the master condition that you'd only call for water, running the pump, when the float switch was down.