kalk in top off water
- Thread starter toothman
- Start date
Well am jumping on this thread and I'll tell you how I do mine. Not sure if its working all that great yet because I just started it 2 weeks ago.
I have a float switch in my sump that is connected to my RODI. When the RODI turns on it sends the water to a 2 quart jug(with a lid on it) in my sump that has about 8 table spoons of kalk in it and a very small 80g per hour pump inside to keep it stirred up. I poked a small hole at the top of the jug so the kalk water will overflow into the sump. I've had to refill the kalk in it 2 times in 2 weeks.
I am wondering if this method is O.k. I think kalk it supposed to be used within 24 hours or so or looses its strength.
I have a float switch in my sump that is connected to my RODI. When the RODI turns on it sends the water to a 2 quart jug(with a lid on it) in my sump that has about 8 table spoons of kalk in it and a very small 80g per hour pump inside to keep it stirred up. I poked a small hole at the top of the jug so the kalk water will overflow into the sump. I've had to refill the kalk in it 2 times in 2 weeks.
I am wondering if this method is O.k. I think kalk it supposed to be used within 24 hours or so or looses its strength.
Hal
New member
srb5046th: You've basically created a DIY kalk reactor with that setup. Same thing as Geo's, although probably not quite as pretty (or expensive). The only difference I see is that your stirring pump is always on, so that you have the possibility of dosing undissolved kalk. Put your pump on a timer to come on for a few minutes every day, and then you'll only get saturated limewater from the top of the reservoir flowing into your tank.
finneganswake
In Memoriam
I've been using the Anthony Calfo method of kalk dosing. I believe he makes a good point that the amount of kalk you dose should be based on your calcium needs, not the rate of evaporation in your tank. So what I do is the following--
In the morning, before the lights go on, I dose 10ml of B-Ionic alkalinity buffer and 2.5 ml of B-Ionic calcium additive.
In the evening, after the lights go off, I add 8 spoonfuls (the salifert testkit spoons, not the people spoons--they're very tiny) of kalk powder directly to around 2 cups of cold RO/DI water, swish it around with a spoon for 10 seconds, and dump it all into the sump.
This has kept my calcium levels at 430 and my alkalinity at 7.5 fairly consistently--I make adjustments as necessary.
Basically, I came to 8 spoonfuls by incrementally dosing until I came to a dose that raised the pH just under .2 units. This didn't completely satisfy my need for calcium, which is why I add a small amount of the B-Ionic calcium additive.
This way, I get the benefits of kalk (more stability in pH, better protein skimming, lower phosphates) without gambling that my topoff demands are equal to my calcium demands.
In the morning, before the lights go on, I dose 10ml of B-Ionic alkalinity buffer and 2.5 ml of B-Ionic calcium additive.
In the evening, after the lights go off, I add 8 spoonfuls (the salifert testkit spoons, not the people spoons--they're very tiny) of kalk powder directly to around 2 cups of cold RO/DI water, swish it around with a spoon for 10 seconds, and dump it all into the sump.
This has kept my calcium levels at 430 and my alkalinity at 7.5 fairly consistently--I make adjustments as necessary.
Basically, I came to 8 spoonfuls by incrementally dosing until I came to a dose that raised the pH just under .2 units. This didn't completely satisfy my need for calcium, which is why I add a small amount of the B-Ionic calcium additive.
This way, I get the benefits of kalk (more stability in pH, better protein skimming, lower phosphates) without gambling that my topoff demands are equal to my calcium demands.
I have to say everytime I jump on this site I learn something new. I have a ca reactor and my ph is low in the winter time with the windows all close it lowers the ph more then the summer when I have all the windows open. Is it never ending I have purchased a CA reactor have an auto top off system with RO/DI a Chiller and thought I had everything I needed now I need a Kalk doser to maintain my ph which in the highest part of the day is reading 8.0 and just recently calibrated the ph monitor which I also forgot to mention I bought as well. This should probably be another post which I may do but where does it end where we have everything we need to keep the tank at optimal conditions. I guess I should be dosing with Kalk to raise my ph, I was a little confused what the difference between Kalk and Ca dosing. Sorry to hijack the post but I alway learn valuable information by doing so and hopefully everone else does too. Thanks for all the info and responses in advance. Mike
toothman
Premium Member
So does this make sense:
When mixing my 40 gal sump with new ro water add a couple of table spoons of kalk and stir it around with my hand.
Just make sure the pump that tops off the tank is not really powerful.
I think it would be considered powerful but I am not sure what to think, with the float the pump only seems to go on about 30 to 60 secs at a time I think this would be about 1/2 gal.
This should be ok?
Does the total tank volume make a big difference?
When mixing my 40 gal sump with new ro water add a couple of table spoons of kalk and stir it around with my hand.
Just make sure the pump that tops off the tank is not really powerful.
I think it would be considered powerful but I am not sure what to think, with the float the pump only seems to go on about 30 to 60 secs at a time I think this would be about 1/2 gal.
This should be ok?
Does the total tank volume make a big difference?
Does kalk water leave a lot of deposits? I've set up a simple gravity float valve for my top off, and I was thinking of using this as a way to dose Ca. Will I have to keep my eye on the float valve to make sure it's sealing at the correct water level? Sounds like most everyone else is using a float-switch and a pump for their top off...
I don't think this would work on a powerhead, I'm running an airline that would probably be too small for a powerhead.
As for keeping up w/ eavap - I failed to mention that I have a a double float switch on the sump that activates the Aqualifter.
I use the blue Lee's, it's what my local pet store carries. The adjustable valves are on the left of the Lee's.
