DIY Kalk Dripper

[Agu]

Not to be contrary but that's not correct. The dripper sitting on eggcrate has been changed because I didn't want to drip kalk on my mantis. The airline valve now sits on the eggcrate and there's about a one inch difference in height from the input/output and the dripper still delivers kalk until the container is below the intake tube.

Agu

 

[YakovSmirnoff]

Okay.. replaced the airlines with new and also extended the bottom of the exit tube to about 4 inches. It will empty the entire contents to the very bottom

Still have a little issue though. Are any of the able to get a consistent drip rate? I'm trying to time out the drip to maintain my water level. But as the level of the water drops, the drip rate keeps slowing down until it only drips once every 20 seconds or so.

I'm guessing it's some kind of physics thing with water pressure and all.. is this inevitable? Is it not possible to get a consistent drip rate for the entire contents of the bottle?

 

[Agu]

The objective of this DIY is to help people start dripping kalk in a safe and cheap manner. I use it for topoff also but there's no way it'll maintain a consistent level day to day as too many things change in the tanks environment that can effect evaporation rates. Same with drip rate, it's not that crucial as long as it isn't too fast.

The tank with a sump has marks in the sump, when water level hits the low line I start the drip with plain water if I've already dripped kalk that day. Might only do half a container and still set up a kalk drip for the next morning.

Agu

 

[mgchan]

This is a great DIY idea. I've made the following additions which works for me.

I don't have a shelf above my tank to allow it to drip by gravity, plus I didn't want my tank to look like it was on "IVs." My solution was the addition of an air pump, which allowed me to put the bottle inside the stand below the tank. Everything I used, I already had.

I used a three-way gang valve (#1) and attached it to a Tetra Deep Water air pump. From there, I connected the air input of the Kalk Dripper to one of the valves. I then connected the output of the Kalk Dripper to a another three-way gang valve (#2) that I hung over the top of tank. I added a length of tubing to one of the valves on the three-way gang value (#2) at top of the tank, and extended it into the tank but hanging over the water.

The valves are chrome three-way gang valves that is mounted into a plastic hanger. The gang valves have a pressure relief valve on one end. It's a screw with a black grommet. Do not over tighten the pressure valve on the gang valve closest to the pump (#1). On the gang valve (#2) at the top of the tank, finger tighten the pressure relief valve and add a length of tubing to cover the pressure relief valve. Extend the tubing into the tank to allow excess Kalk to drip into the tank. What happens is if you have too much air pressure going into the bottle, when you adjust valve #2 for dripping, some Kalk may drip out of the pressure relief valve.

To adjust everything, open the valve (#2) at the top. Before starting the air pump close valve #1. Of course the bottle should be filled with Kalk. Switch on or plug in the air pump. Slowly open valve #1 until Kalk starts flowing in a steady stream into your tank. Adjust valve #2 until you get the desired drip rate.

Since I'm using a three-way gang valve (#1) from the air pump, I plan to add a drip bottle for calcium chloride and another one for baking soda.

If needed, I will try to post pics of this.

One more thing I forgot to mention, the bottle I used has a rubber gasket lining the inside of the cap. So if you drilled the hole just right, the plastic tubing will be a snug fit and the gasket will seal the opening around the tube. It works but being a bit paranoid, I opted to add some silicone sealant around the tubes.

 

[mgchan]

Correction change:

To adjust everything, open the valve (#2) at the top. Before starting the air pump close valve #1. Of course the bottle should be filled with Kalk. Switch on or plug in the air pump. Slowly open valve #1 until Kalk starts flowing in a steady stream into your tank. Adjust valve #2 until you get the desired drip rate.

to:

To adjust everything, open the valve (#2) at the top. Before starting the air pump close valve #1. Of course the bottle should be filled with Kalk. Switch on or plug in the air pump. Slowly open valve #1 until Kalk starts flowing in into your tank. Adjust valve #1 until you get close to the desired drip rate. This may take some time to do. When it's as close as you can get, then adjust valve #2 until you get the desired drip rate.

 

[YakovSmirnoff]

That's a great mod. I have a question though.

Is Valve #1 necessary? Couldn't you control all the pressure with just one valve at the exit points (#2)?

 

[mgchan]

No. Valve #1 controls the amount of air going into the bottle. Too much air pressure going back into the pump can ruin it plus alot of pressure in the bottle causes the Kalk to come shooting out like a super soaker! Also valve #2 leaks if there's too much pressure coming from the bottle.

I also found if you get valve #1 close to your settings, you really don't need valve #2. So, your answer might be correct but in reverse.

It's definitely a cheaper solution than using a peristaltic pump. With a three-way or four-way gang valve (#1) you can add additional bottles.

 

[Pisces from SA]

I was under the impression you could not let the kalk mixture be exposed to air? If it was there was some form of negative chemical reaction that occured leaving the Kalk mix useless.

Am I correct or is this something I have mis-interpruted?

 

[mgchan]

You are correct, if you mix it with an airstone then you're adding carbon dioxide and oxygen.

In this case we're adding a steady positive air pressure to the air space above the mixture which forces the mixture up through the tube. I may be wrong but I don't believe the air pressure is strong enough to introduce additional carbon dioxide and oxygen into the Kalk mix. That's why you adjust valve #1 to get close to the drip rate.

 

[mgchan]

Okay.. replaced the airlines with new and also extended the bottom of the exit tube to about 4 inches. It will empty the entire contents to the very bottom

Still have a little issue though. Are any of the able to get a consistent drip rate? I'm trying to time out the drip to maintain my water level. But as the level of the water drops, the drip rate keeps slowing down until it only drips once every 20 seconds or so.

I'm guessing it's some kind of physics thing with water pressure and all.. is this inevitable? Is it not possible to get a consistent drip rate for the entire contents of the bottle?

I wanted to point out that the addition of the air pump produces consistant drip rates.

 

[Snarkys]

is there something better to use than airline valves for the drip ?

one guy said this worked

Keep the drip line out of the water and clean it's tip regularly. If you can install the glass part of a dropper at the end of the line it will help to ease the adjustments.

anyone tried this ?

 

[tankslave]

you could put a screw clamp on the airline, or just get a dosing (peristaltic) pump and put it on a timer to dose at night, thus offsetting the daily pH fluctuations....

 

[Snarkys]

installed a new water valve i got a hydroponics shop and put the eye dropper at the end of the hose and this works much much better.

ill post pics later