How Much Kalk To Dose With A Dosing Pump

Kaiden

No Comment
Premium Member
How much does everyone dose using a Kalk Reactor and a dosing pump? How do you tell how much to dose.

We have always used the top off method, BUT that is NOT going to work anymore. Our skimmer over skimmed and ran the tank into the ground.

We want to use a dosing pump! Please help..
 
Thanks guys, that is what I had in mind! How do you tell how much evaporation top off is needed? Is there a method?

Thanks..
 
you let it sit for a day and measure how much you have to add to get it back to 'full'

the time of the year plays a bit of a roll there, when the AC is on the humidity levels are lower so you evaporate more then in the winter when the tank tends to keep the relative humidity in the area of the tank higher.

kc
 
Dragon,

Thanks you are always a big help!

This sounds like a hard thing to work out on an SPS system if you want every thing the same all the time. Am I wrong?

I guess if you are off by a little you will notice and then you just up the dose.

I am done with the auto top off Kalk method, that is HORRIBLE!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9858653#post9858653 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kaidenjohn
Our skimmer over skimmed and ran the tank into the ground.

Hi Kaidenjohn,

I’m trying to fill in the blanks as to what happened: Because switching to a dosing pump to replace evaporated water might pose another problem.

I assume your skimmer is not sitting in your sump?

Did your skimmer go extremely wet and pull out a lot of water that was then replaced by your top-off/kalk? If so, and you switch to a dosing pump to replace evaporated water, and if the skimmer does that again, (depending on your set-up) will you run the risk of running your sump dry?
 
Rick You are right on!

The skimmer pulled to much out and the auto top off ran and ran and ran making everything white!

It has been a problem in the past so with that said I am either going to off my Kalk reactors or figure out a new way to use them.

Question, is there a way to prevent the skimmer from freaking out? Maybe a float valve in the collection bucket?

Any help would be great.
 
My sump is divided into three sections. The last section with my return pump is where the evaporation shows. So if I leave for work and the level in that section is even with the baffles and then I get home and it's an inch under the baffle, that is how much I have evaporated. I just try to set my doser to keep the level in that section even. If I notice it high or low, I can always adjust the dripper accordingly.
 
Kaidenjohn,

Is it possible to put the skimmer in your sump? Even if you had to get a bigger sump?

I have mine in-sump just to eliminate that potential problem. As you are aware, when the skimmer “goes nuts” it pulls out a lot of water and the top-off replenishes it. If you have an unlimited kalkwasser source, well, you know the result. Even if your top-off was just pure freshwater, it would dilute your salinity to possibly dangerous levels.

If you skimmer sits in your sump (without an external collection cup), when the skimmer goes nuts; yes, the collection cup will overflow, but it will overflow back into the sump. Since that water will go back into the sump, your water level will remain stable (You haven’t lost any water.). Yes, all that gunk will dilute and go back into the sump and display tank, but, so what? If it pulled it out once, it will pull it out again after you empty the collection cup and the skimmer settles down. I don’t believe that cupful of gunk will cause any problems compared to diluting your salinity or spiking your calcium, alkalinity, and pH.

Doing it in-sump also eliminates the soaked carpet possibility due to the collection cup or its collection container overflowing.

However, back to your main problem:
Skimmers usually have a reason that they “go nuts.” Something was on your hands, a certain additive, or certain epoxies. I had an additive that I used years ago that did the same thing. I can’t remember what it was. Along-the-way I learned that I didn’t need the additive and stopped using it. That solved my problem with my skimmer.

In my experience, the skimmer will start to overskim almost immediately after I add whatever causes it. Try doing things one-at-a-time for awhile and see if you can narrow down what item/practice is the cause.

Hope this helps.
 
Last edited:
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9861216#post9861216 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kaidenjohn
Dragon,

Thanks you are always a big help!

This sounds like a hard thing to work out on an SPS system if you want every thing the same all the time. Am I wrong? ............

i use a calcium reactor, allot less hassle and isn't dependent on evaporation.


kc
 
At least put the skimmer output container above the sump so if the output goes nuts worst case it just overflows into the sump. That's the easiest.

Typically skimmer going nuts there is a reason for it. Only time mine ever goes nuts is after using expoxy putty to attach corals/aquascpaping. Knowing this I dial the skimmer way down for a few days but worst case my cup is in the sump.

When using gate valves though I have noticed if you have them dialed in to run the skimmer wet that if you turn off or the power goes out, the skimmer will overflow becuase the output can't exit the skimmer fast enough at startup.....

As for your Kalkwasser issue, with the proper redundancy and planning in place it shouldn't have occurred. I put the blame solely on you for your lack of planning in your Kalkwasser topoff implementation. With Kalkwasser, your should either have time based in addition to level based so if water level is abnormally low ( for what ever reason ) the top off is only capable of adding x amount per day AND/OR use in conjuction with a PH controller so if PH goes X high it will turn off the topoff as well.
Better yet, all 3. Level based for normal, time based & ph based for redundancy.
 
Last edited:
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9861826#post9861826 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dragon_slayer
i use a calcium reactor, allot less hassle and isn't dependent on evaporation.


kc


Dragon - I do have a Ca Reactor, Just bought it in fact. I did PM a week or so back about getting it set up.

Rick - As for the skimmer, no I don't have an internal skimmer and I don't have room under tha stand for a bigger sump. I have just added a new sump since this problem with a small section were the return pump and the skimmer feed pump goes. If there was a problem, the only chamber that would drain would be the pump section of the sump. The collection bucket is big enough to hold that one section. So if this ever happens all I will only need to do is fill up that one section with about 10 to 15 gallons of fresh salt water, which is on hands at all times.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9861936#post9861936 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by David Grigor
As for your Kalkwasser issue, with the proper redundancy and planning in place it shouldn't have occurred. I put the blame solely on you for your lack of planning in your Kalkwasser topoff implementation. With Kalkwasser, your should either have time based in addition to level based so if water level is abnormally low ( for what ever reason ) the top off is only capable of adding x amount per day AND/OR use in conjuction with a PH controller so if PH goes X high it will turn off the topoff as well.
Better yet, all 3. Level based for normal, time based & ph based for redundancy.

David, Quick question did I ever say it was not my fault? Also did I say that I need to be told that it was. If you are not going to help with the question than don't reply.

The question was - What is the best method for adding Kalk with a dosing pump?

The questions was not hey rip me a new A$% Hole for over dosing my system. Or can anyone tell me again that I screwed up my system. I have already beat myself up over this thank you.

Please don't post things like this! RC does not need anyone putting blame or thinking they are the Master Reef Aquarius. This site was built to help one another. I think sometimes people get off track.

If you don't have anything nice to say than don't say it at all.

People have been dosing Kalk with an auto top off for years. I think in conjunction with the external skimmer and a little poor planning is what caused me to get myself into this mess. It's called live and learn. I only lost a few items in this mess thank god. I will fix this problem with the Kalk or I will just use my calcium reactor. Remember I was only asking about a good way to tell how much to add with a dosing pump, that's all.
 
Last edited:
if you PM'd me then as always i included a link to the setup instructions I've got available for download here on RC, with those you shouldn't have a problem setting up the reactor and eliminating the necessity for the Kalk dosing.

kc
 
Dragon,

I have the Ca Reactor hooked up and it's working. I have two PM Kalk Reactors, I just did not want one of them to go to waste that's all.

I did print out the instructions. They are amazing.
 
that being the case I'd find my daily evaporation rate and set the Kalk reactor to replace a bit short of that amount then use some other means of top off to keep a constant level, i use and like the SpectraPure LLC myself.

kc
 
Back
Top