how much kalk can be safely added to 5074 dispenser

[upsetter]

How much kalk can you safely put in the 5074 calcium dispenser? When I put the recommended dosage for my 58gal in it seems to lose its strength in a couple of days even if I shake it up each day. I think some people put cupfulls of kalk in their reactors that have magnetic stirrers (or powerheads) as oppossed to the 6 teaspoons Tunze suggests for a well stocked sps tank. Thought maybe if I put 2 or 3" of kalk in it it might maintain a stronger level, but wasn't sure if that was o.k.
Thanks--John

 

[Herbie]

I overload mine.........I put a few inches in it at a time. About 2-3" with no problems. Kalk can only reach a super saturated state so its impossible to "over-mix" the solution (unless you use vinegar).
I guess if you put in to much kalk, there may be some clogging issues with the water/mix jet. You can always run the osmo at 12v instead of 9v for a stronger water flow. At 3" of kalk the osmo pump has no problem "mixing" up the slurry.
I love mine.............so simple! This reminds me I have to add some kalk to mine!
Later..........Herbie

 

[upsetter]

My thoughts exactly--just wanted a second opinion. Thanks Herbie!! How do you run the osmo at 12v & do you? Sorry, clueless about electrical issues.

 

[Herbie]

There is a switch on the tranformer. I think its labled. Switches between 12v and 9 volts.......if I remember correctly. The standard setting is 9v, but the pump runs faster/stronger on the 12v setting. The pump sounds noticably higher pitched. Roger V. said it was o.k. to run it at 12v, but it may shorten the metering pumps life a little. Those pumps are only about $15. bucks, so I figured, what the heck.........at least the kalk would be mixed a bit stronger! Its on 12v for mine.
I *think* I remember Roger V. saying that they changed the new Osmo transformers........Non-switchable ???? But I am not 100% about that one.
Later..........Herbie

 

[upsetter]

Thanks alot!

 

[smatter]

Monitor your pH carefully if you overload it as you will be dosing a milky solution.

 

[rvitko]

As smatter said, just be careful. It will also tend to clog the tubing and this could be another problem, in general kalk is not a good one stop calcium additive, it usually needs to be supplemented with a calcium reactor or a 2 part product.

 

[upsetter]

thanks guys--I'm continually monitoring ph w/a pinpoint. That's mostly why I'm using the kalk is to counteract the ph dip from my schuran ca reactor. I'll watch for clogging. Hey Roger- if the transitor on my 5074 doesn't have a switch is my metering pump running at the 9v speed or the 12v? Just curious. Thanks again.

 

[rvitko]

It is 9V, we changed power supplys to a non switchable one. The reason was it allowed us to get a power supply with all the safety marks and they are smaller and lighter which reduces the shipping weight/cost. The pump lasts longer on 9V.

 

[upsetter]

Thanks & keep up the GREAT work!

 

[nomoretanks]

Maybe its something about how we've hooked them up? Is there something we're missing?

I just added 5074s to my tanks and I'm seeing this same thing (big initial spike and then nothing).

Ok, so we've confirmed that except pH issues and potential blockage of the tubing its "safe" to overfill the dispenser. I monitor the pH so I'm not worried it. Replacing the tubing if it clogs is minor also, so I'm ok with overfilling.

However is it part of the design of this product that it will dose the recommended amount all in just a few days? For example for my 20 with a couple big maze brains and lots of halmedia it suggests 2 tsp a week. In just a day and a half its all gone and pH doesn't change with top-offs at all. If that is how it works then isn't this really always dosing a supersaturate slurry (even using recommended dosages) - just dealing with the pH by limiting it to 2 days out of 7 and then dealing with cloging by dosing pure water 5 days to dissolve any blockages?

 

[rvitko]

It doses so little there should be no pH change which is really the goal. The only reason you would see a spike when it is just refilled is the tank is running low so more top off is added or a slurry is added because there is more powder or it has not settled.

 

[nomoretanks]

That is why I wanted to post/tag along to make sure I wasn't doing something wrong.

The second time I filled the 20l tank I waited over 45 minutes before replugging the osmolator and it still jumped ~.12. For the next few top-offs it jumped a bit (under .1). Then it moved to just a few hundredths. Now three days later it doesn't even move .01. On the 120 it isn't as obvious, but it does still flux a bit when topping-off.

I also don't see the cloud (mg precip?) now, but the first day's top-offs showed it well. If I capture some top-off and test the Alk/pH what are resonable values if it isn't empty?

Is there some "bad" way I could have hooked up the hoses that would yield similar behavior? I'm tempted to experiment with letting it dose a slurry, but if I'm doing something wrong I want to test it out the right way before deviating from the normal usage.

 

[rvitko]

If you had it off for sometime then the initial amount pumped in to top off would be much greater to compensate for evaporation. Kalk solution has a pH of 11+ I really think you are doing everything fine and the system is working normally. At first you are getting a slight slurry and then just a saturated solution.

 

[blix70]

I *think* I remember Roger V. saying that they changed the new Osmo transformers........Non-switchable ???? But I am not 100% about that one.
Later..........Herbie [/B][/QUOTE]

that is correct, there is no switch on my transformer and i just received it in december.

 

[larrycivic]

i have 4 questions

1. my osmalator transformer is the older model that is switchable. i have noticed that my pump will work for a day and then it will not work the next day. i checked the voltage out of the transformer and on 9v it is pumping out 12v, and at 12 v it is pumping out 18v. here comes the question.......would this over power the pump and make it quit working?

2. would this over powering hurt the control unit?

3. roger can i order the new transformer?

4. do you have to empty some of the water to add new kalk? or can you do something else to relieve the pressure? do you have to shake it all the time?

 

[smatter]

The pressure isn't an issue with mine, only a little water escapes into the reservoir when I open it to refill. I never shake mine, I just draw some water out, add the kalk through a paper funnel, and then I stick a turkey baster in there and give it a few squirts to mix it up. From then until the next refill I don't touch it, it stirs itself everytime it adds water to the tank.

 

[rvitko]

At 18V it will trip a safety on the controller and shut it down. Anything over 15V will do this.

If you set it to 9V you should be fine, the pump should then run at max power.

You can order a new one but honestly, the output depends on input, so at 115V input we get out 9 and 12 but if the input is say 125V we get much more, here our input voltage is generally 122 and I usually measure 11 and 14V output. The new one is just set at 9V and the output is actually about 10V at out 122V input. I don't think you need one.

I just dip my finger in it to displace a bit of water and then use a paper funnel as smatter described.

 

[horstman2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8935268#post8935268 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rvitko
At 18V it will trip a safety on the controller and shut it down. Anything over 15V will do this.

If you set it to 9V you should be fine, the pump should then run at max power.

You can order a new one but honestly, the output depends on input, so at 115V input we get out 9 and 12 but if the input is say 125V we get much more, here our input voltage is generally 122 and I usually measure 11 and 14V output. The new one is just set at 9V and the output is actually about 10V at out 122V input. I don't think you need one.

I just dip my finger in it to displace a bit of water and then use a paper funnel as smatter described.

WOW pay double if not triple of other systems and told the above. BULL^%$%^ I would
demand a new one. I am quickly being steered away from this product. People don't mind paying for extra for German products when they are worth it i.e. BMW, Benz etc. I am shocked by this....

 

[rvitko]

I have yet to see a system with 2 safety systems and a pump that runs on low voltage and costs less. Sorry you are having to wait on one but nothing I said is false, it is standard unregulated transformer, if the input voltage goes up, the output voltage goes up. If it was really an issue to larrycivic, I would take care of it, he would just need to return the transformer, but I have no idea how old it is from his post or if it still is under warranty. We sell thousands of these a year, you found a couple people having minor issues, issues that were repairable and they got instant help on. The Osmolator is by far the most reliable top off system I have ever seen. I frankly don't see the point of your posts other than sour grapes that you can't get one now and are trying to rationalize a second best.