BEST Kalk Stirrer?
- Thread starter Fliger
- Start date
arconom
Premium Member
Ok here are some pictures. If you see my APF600 in the back I turned the air very low I used Aquamend to mount frags. This causes the skimmer to go crazy.
Ok down to business.
I just added Kalk
Hey it was a last minute thing to take pictures.
You will see a line where the water meets the Max it can go before it has to exit the reactor.
Ok down to business.
I just added Kalk
Hey it was a last minute thing to take pictures.You will see a line where the water meets the Max it can go before it has to exit the reactor.
Ron Hammer
New member
Save some $$$ w/diy
Save some $$$ w/diy
Save some money and make your own. I use an acylic container purchased at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with a piece of circular glass in the bottom. A magnetic spinner (purchased at local hobby store) sits on top of the glass plate driven by a rotating magnet under the container. The magnet is glued to the top of an old floppy disc drive removed from an old junker computer. The floppy drive rotates about 300 rpm which works great. I have a R.O. unit driven by an auto-topoff sensor that flows through the reactor to replenish evaporated water.
The magnetic stirrer comes on about every 6 hours for a few minutes. I put about 5-6 tablespoons of pickling lime in the reactor every week.
Total cost was about $15 and it works great.
Save some $$$ w/diy
Save some money and make your own. I use an acylic container purchased at Bed, Bath, and Beyond with a piece of circular glass in the bottom. A magnetic spinner (purchased at local hobby store) sits on top of the glass plate driven by a rotating magnet under the container. The magnet is glued to the top of an old floppy disc drive removed from an old junker computer. The floppy drive rotates about 300 rpm which works great. I have a R.O. unit driven by an auto-topoff sensor that flows through the reactor to replenish evaporated water.
The magnetic stirrer comes on about every 6 hours for a few minutes. I put about 5-6 tablespoons of pickling lime in the reactor every week.
Total cost was about $15 and it works great.
PsychoKnight
New member
Re: Save some $$$ w/diy
Re: Save some $$$ w/diy
A floppy drive? . . . with all the electronic parts, lead/mercury, oxidizing metals, motors?
I was thinking to use a propeller from a model airplane epoxied to the magnetic bar.
Floppy drive? Why? Sorry, I'm clueless.
Re: Save some $$$ w/diy
A floppy drive? . . . with all the electronic parts, lead/mercury, oxidizing metals, motors?
I was thinking to use a propeller from a model airplane epoxied to the magnetic bar.
Floppy drive? Why? Sorry, I'm clueless.
AggieBrandon
New member
I think the container sits above the floppy drive and the magnet spins on the outside of the container causing the magnet inside the contain to spin thus stirring the kalk powder.
B
B
Ron Hammer
New member
B is correct - the guts to the floppy drive are underneath a piece of 3/16 acrylic sheet and are never exposed to any moisture. What you'll find in building your own stirrer is that RPM is important. You want the stirrer to turn fast enough to mix efficiently but not fast enough to throw the stirrer to the side of the container. 300 RPM (the speed most of the old floppy drives ran) is just about ideal. You can pick up an old floppy drive for next to nothing and buy a magnetic stirrer (mine is encapsulated in plastic so is perfect for stirring liquids. Its your choice - you can spend several hundred dollars or make your own for less than $20.
manderx
New member
as long as you don't agitiate the surface frequently, a crusty film forms that shields the solution from CO2. every time i've stuck my pH probe in it's always been ~12.4.
only problem i've had with mine (100% user error) was once the output tube got submerged from messing with other hoses in the sump and not noticing, and a critical vent hole in the top of the drain elbow in the reactor body was clogged with a clump of kalk from the last time i spooned some in. so an airbubble in the elbow kept it from draining into the sump and it overflowed about a quart or two of kalk onto my floor before i noticed.
only problem i've had with mine (100% user error) was once the output tube got submerged from messing with other hoses in the sump and not noticing, and a critical vent hole in the top of the drain elbow in the reactor body was clogged with a clump of kalk from the last time i spooned some in. so an airbubble in the elbow kept it from draining into the sump and it overflowed about a quart or two of kalk onto my floor before i noticed.
alrha
Premium Member
with the others there is no need to rely on this crust. also there is the ability to pump upwards if needed.
I have the PM and it started to rattle (after 2.5 yrs) so i was looking into perhaps the deltec, but i dont really see it as an upgrade, so i'll just try to run vinegar in my PM and see if that helps. I'm just not convinced on the Deltec.
manderx
New member
yeah, i wouldn't see it as an upgrade over most of the others. more of a 'it's different' thing where each has their plusses and minuses and you should pick the one that suits you best for it's features, not it's sticker. i like not having to close valves and deal with tumbscrews to refill. i also like not having to bother with yet another timer, since it stirrs 24/7. having to position it overlooking my sump isn't a big deal for me, probably where it would be otherwise even if it didn't need to. other people might see it the other way, and not mind thumbscrews for the ability to put it anywhere.
