kalk doser/ auto top-off

[MrChico]

I am going to create an auto top-off using:

15 gal. drum
digital timer that will turn on for 1 minute at a time
aqua lifter
surgical tubing

The timer will be turned on for 1 minute every hour (I will need to tweek when I have a better idea exactly how much.)

the aqua-lifter pumps 3.5 gph and I lose about a gallon a day to evaporation if my math is correct I should be good to go.

In adition to this I was going to add kalkawasser to the FW in the 15 gal. drum.

The water will be added to the sump not the main tank.

Has anybody done this already?
Is there flaw in my thinking that I am not aware of?

 

[JR719]

When you add Kalk, do it slow. Dripping is best. You don't want to throw your parameters out too fast. If you are only going 1 minute to the hour, sounds like you may get too much fluctuation in the Ph. I am curious though about the results.

 

[MrChico]

really, that may be too much?

I didn't know, these are the comments I am looking for.

 

[JR719]

I know with my 55 when I drip too fast my Ph will shoot up very rapidly (not good). I usually get a couple of drops a second thru the night to keep the Ph up. Thru the day I don't use it because my Ph is fairly high. If you were to let it drain thru the tubing for a minute on "free flow" I would hate to see what your Ph would do.

 

[nazzy_19]

Yes, do not dose kalk. Kalk has a pH @about 12. That will throw your pH out of wreck in a hurry if you dose.

 

[sjm817]

Use a float switch. Evaporation replacement a little at a time throughout the day.

 

[lossman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6489400#post6489400 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nazzy_19
Yes, do not dose kalk. Kalk has a pH @about 12. That will throw your pH out of wreck in a hurry if you dose.

Odd that you say that. We've been dosing kalk with our auto top off for some time now and have no problems with our pH.

 

[cateyes]

sorry, i'm confused......if you don't "dose" it how do you get it (kalk) in the tank???

 

[rammee]

you nead a flot swich i would not trust a timer if the timer sticks on youve got problems i think aqua medic sells the pump andthe float swich togather it woks greate

 

[supertech3]

IMO your calculation is incorrect you would be adding about 7.5 ounces of liquid in one minute and with dosing kalc like jr719 said you want to drip it slowly to keep from having a ph spike.

 

[DrBDC]

I have mine on a cole parmer peristaltic pump. You can get one on eBay for 25-100 bucks). I just have it set to go real slow so it has a constant 24/7 drip. If I find the water level is rising, I slow it a little more or if the water level is dropping I speed it up a little. I don't have float switches or timers or anything. Now I do evaporate 4 g/day so it makes that a little easier. If I had less evap, I would maybe have it on a timer for nights(when the pH drops) and some varied times throughout the day. But always at a dip speed. I tried a float switch method but when the float switch triggered a little windshield washer pump, I found that it was too fast and my pH would jump every time it kicked in.

 

[radone]

You need to dose your kalk, when or how doesn't really matter, mine is set up using my top-off I built from here.
I dose 24-7 but my pH is realitivly low so it's not a problem. Some people set it up to only dose at night when your pH is lowest.
I use an AquaMedic SP3000 and have nothing bad to say about it. My top-off tank is about 40ft away it pushes it no problem.
If your only evaping 1gal a day I would probably dose all of it between 12:00AM and 4:00AM just set an auto top-off on a timer to do this.
BTW make sure to have a high level switch to stop all dosing if the timer should stick on(not very likely) if you use good quality electronics.

Good luck