DIY Kalk Reactor

[crumbletop]

I'm planning on getting a Tunze Osmolator within the next week or two, and plumbing in a DIY kalk reactor so that all the topoff will be saturated limewater. Does anyone in the club use a setup like that? How well does it work, and how much maintenance is it? I'm aiming at keeping my pH relatively stable (gradual addition of stuff, vs my semi-bolus additions). My pH generally runs a little low. My calcium stays somewhat stable around 380-420. I currently use limewater for my topoff but add it once/day (or once every two days if I'm lazy). With the limewater my pH runs between about 8.0 and 8.2.

Jack

 

[fishdoc11]

If you run a kalk reactor with the Osmolator it needs to be fairly small like the "calcium dispenser" that Tunze sells. The larger better kalk reactors produce too much pressure for the little Tunze pump to fight and the pump will burn up prematurely. With a standard type kalk reactor it's best to use a peristaltic dosing pump.
Chris

 

[bkv1997]

I'm using the medium MRC Nilsen reactor and andy recommended the osmolator as the feed pump for me.

Not that that helps clear anything up for you.

 

[crumbletop]

Well, I know the c_stowers here has made a DIY kalk reactor that he uses with that pump. It may be that I need to put the top off water container higher than the entry for the kalk reactor so all in all the pump will not really have to overcome gravity. I'm not sure if this would create a siphon condition, though, so I'm not sure if that would help. I'd like not to unduly strain the pump...

Jack

 

[c_stowers]

I think my design does put a little extra strain on the pump. It tends to make a little bit more than normal noise every once in a while. However, it has been running for about 6 months no problem. I don't believe the pumps are very expensive to replace either.

 

[fishdoc11]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7567662#post7567662 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bkv1997
I'm using the medium MRC Nilsen reactor and andy recommended the osmolator as the feed pump for me.

Not that that helps clear anything up for you.

Very interesting...George(Geo) and rvitco in the Tunze forum both told me using the osmolator with a neilson reactor was not a good idea when I researched it a while back.

Chris