KA reactor

[ralphie16]

the kalk reactor tunze sells.....does it produce saturated limewater? the reason i ask is because many of these reactors i have seen in action do not produce fully saturated limewater. so if this is the case with this reactor as well, i might be better served dosing from a reservoir of limewater.

i hope roger will respond but would also appreciate others chime in at how well this product works and whether they recommend it.

 

[rvitko]

I believe it does produce a saturated solution. I am kind of surprised, from what I have seen most of the other units produce a supersaturated solution or slurry. Kalk does not dissolve in water very well, it reacts with any present CO2 to form poorly soluble calcium carbonate. The main advantage the dispenser offers over mixing in the reservoir is it is sealed so the solubility is not so affected by reaction with CO2. In a bucket the contact at the surface with CO2 continuously weakens the solution.

 

[ralphie16]

If that bucket were to have a cover on it then that would be the same, no? The other point you did not cover is whether you can have the pump sitting in a lime solution at all? it seems to me i might be better served with a pump that is external and draws from a sealed bucket versus the one that came with my osmolator. I wonder how it would do if I suspended it inside the limewater container, avoiding touching the bottom. That might work out. What do you think Roger?

I would hate to shell out anouther $55 just to get the socket extension Tunze sells so I can get a $8 pump, ya know. You think this pump woul work decently well enough if suspended inside the container with half saturated lime water?

 

[rvitko]

It will work OK, the lid isn't quite the same as there is air space and you can see yourself the film that forms on the surface of kalk, wher it hits the air. This does seal it to some extent but it isn't perfect. Basically, mix it dilute, keep the pump out of the powder. I would use 1/2tsp per gallon.