Ca reactor & kalk dosing

[Burly]

I made a DIY Kalk reactor and I have run a Ca reactor and hope to run them both to smooth out pH variation. I seek advice or critique on the appropriateness of my logic and programming. I was thinking it might be a good idea to switch between Kalkwasser and RO water for auto topoff, based on the tank pH.

My Ca reactor pumps run continuously, and my Apex controls the CO2 solenoid for pH = 6.5 only during daylight. (does it make any sense to control the recirc and effluent pumps too?)

My Kalk reactor stirs from 12:00 to 12:30 daily.

For my Kalkwasser reactor topoff:

Fallback OFF
If Outlet SumpAddH2O = ON Then ON
If Outlet SumpAddH2O = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet 34Dart = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet SumpHigh = ON Then OFF
If FeedA 002 Then OFF
If Time 11:45 to 16:30 Then OFF (keeping off if kalk stirred)
If pH > 08.10 Then OFF
Min Time 000:30 Then ON
Defer 000:30 Then ON


For regular RO water topoff:

Fallback OFF
If Outlet SumpAddH2O = ON Then ON
If Outlet SumpAddH2O = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet 34Dart = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet SumpHigh = ON Then OFF
If FeedA 002 Then OFF
If pH < 08.10 Then OFF
Min Time 000:30 Then ON
Defer 001:00 Then ON

If the pH = 8.1 then I guess both topoffs would be on but because of the shorter defer time, the kalk topoff would do it.

Would I be better off just dosing kalk intermittently at night based on a pH threshold only?

Maybe I should just use the Kalk for topoff all the time?
Maybe this belongs in the reef chemistry forum.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[swearint]

Since you are also running a CaRx, you may not need much Kalk to maintain Alkalinity. So you might be better off determining how much Kalk you will need and running it for a specific duration and then running RO water to top off.

Aside from that, the code looks good for what you specified. Just be aware that with the Min Time command, you will get at least 30 seconds of run time whenever either of Kalk or RO starts.

In the case where pH = 8.1, both will attempt to run, with Kalk starting first and pushing pH up. This would still permit the RO water to come on 30 seconds later. Then after the pH exceeds 8.1 the Kalk will shut off, assuming it has been running longer than the 30 sec Min Time. The RO won't shut off until one of the sump conditions is true and it has been longer than its 30 sec Min Time.

Todd

 

[Burly]

Thanks Todd.

After trolling more of RC, I think I'll run the Ca reactor 24/7, and use Kalk for topoff (in small oscillating aliquots) at night as long as pH isn't too high:

Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/000:05/004:55 Then ON
If Outlet SumpAddH2O = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet 34Dart = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet SumpHigh = ON Then OFF
If FeedA 002 Then OFF
If Time 11:00 to 22:00 Then OFF
If pH > 08.40 Then OFF

If for some reason pH get to 8.4 I'll trigger the RO topoff thus:

Fallback OFF
If Outlet SumpAddH2O = ON Then ON
If Outlet SumpAddH2O = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet 34Dart = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet SumpHigh = ON Then OFF
If FeedA 002 Then OFF
If pH < 08.40 Then OFF
Min Time 000:15 Then ON
Defer 001:00 Then ON

 

[swearint]

Sounds good. Thanks for the new word (aliquots).

Todd