Kalk overdose prevention for Top-off systems?

HighlandReefer

HighlandReefer

Team RC
What would be the safest way to run your top-off system to prevent kalk overdose? Concerned about precipitation also.

I currently have a float switch, which has stuck on me once & I have been using a regular small pump in a 5 gallon bucket reservoir. The small pump is now dieing on me. I am not particularly happy with my current system.
 
Use the float switch with a pump that, even when dosing 24/7, adds just a bit more than you need each day. So a dosing pump that can be controlled to a specific rate is best. So if the switch sticks on, the pump will deliver just a little bit more than normal.

Keep the reservoir at or below tank level, so no forward siphoning can take place.

I think that makes it pretty overdose proof, but does not prevent nondosing. To prevent that, I also two pumps:

1. A slow 24/7 dosing pump that is somewhat slower than needed.

2. A float controlled dosing pump to make up the remainder.
 
Do you put your dosing pumps in one large reservoir? What type of dosing pumps do you use? I would never have thought of this setup. :)
 
My float switch controls a powerhead in my 44g brute for kalk. A relay does the switching from the low voltage on the float to the 110 on the powerhead. I put the 110 powerline on a cheap digital timer I got a home depot or some place. I have it run for 1 min 14 times a day.

I limit the flow from the power head with a ball valve. I set it so if it runs full out for the 14 mins, it would does just over what I go through in an average day.

I haven't had an issue since I setup this system and it was cheap to get going.
 
You can also tie it into a pH controller to shut off if the pH goes too high. Although one of the popular controllers won't work that way (can't remember which brand right now).
 
I agree that a dual float or a pH controller would be an extra measure of comfort, especially if you use a pump that is inherently faster than a dosing pump. :)

Do you put your dosing pumps in one large reservoir? What type of dosing pumps do you use?

Yes. Three x 44 gallon Brute cans connected with bulkheads so it can run while I'm on vacation for up to 3 weeks or more.

I use Reef Fillers. They are very loud, but in a basement, that is OK. In fact, I can tell if they are working without entering the room they are in. :D

Peristaltic pumps of various brands are also good choices, and quieter.
 
I have been looking into the dosing pumps. My total evaporation is somewhere between 1.0 - 1.5 gallons per day. Is there a pump without requiring a timer or controller that will deliver in this range?
 
Automated Aquarium Systems have a Peristaltic pump, which is variable flow and delivers 1.7 - 7.7 ml. per minute. I believe this would fit my needs. The price is $75.00. They also have a controller for $50.00 more. Any problems with their pumps or controller?

The Reef Filler Pumps appear to be the best quality, but my wife may shoot me if they are too noisy, even in the basement. :)
 
I have heard that there are problems with the tubing of the peristaltic pumps clogging with the kalk solution over time and the tubing has to be replaced frequently. Do you have the same problems with the Reef Filler pumps?
 
I never replace any tubing, bit I do occasionally (once a year or less) run acid through it to clean it out. If I somehow send a lot of lime mud into it, it can get into the pump chamber and cause it to stop pumping properly, but that is a no dose rather than overdose situation.
 
I use the spectrapure liquid level controller hooked to a small pump in my fresh water resevoir. The resevoir is plumbed through my kalk reactor and controlled by a ball valve on the output. The spectrapure level controller is hooked to my AC JR.
The controller stops topoff if PH hits 8.43 and turns topoff back on when Ph drops to 8.37 or less.
 
Time based along with PH control ( PH control only for redundancy to turn off if PH gets too high. Under normal circumstances it never reaches that point which is set at 8.65 on my system ).

Dosing pump preferred but anything that will pump slowly and consistantly can work and a good timer that can do 1 minute increments ( I use an Aquacontroller ).

I never use just water level based top off for Kalk. I want to ensure that no matter what the water level is in the system, I only dose X amount per day. Sometimes with level based you can have a small leak somewhere and never notice becasue water level stays the same until it builds up enough that you feel it on the floor.
 
I feed in 1 gallon increments, only at night to keep Ph up and have a high PH shut off. It may be an over kill but I did not want to ATO lime water in the event of a low water level in the tank caused by something other then evaporation.

Basically a pump turns on to fill a small reservoir at a prescribed time of night. The reservoir will then slowly gravity drain through my Ka reactor to the sump. Excess water to this reservoir is overflowed back to my RO/DI holding tank. I have a solenoid valve installed to stop the gravity drain in the event of a high Ph reading.

feeding at night helps the PH swing , but will over fill my sump. During the day my ATO wont turn on until evaporation lowers the level back to normal and below the trip point.
 
I like the idea of using a dual switch. I have quite a bit of noise already with a large pump, furnace, etc, running in my basement, so I like the Reef Filler pump do to the quality and less maintenance.

The best price I found for the Reef Filler Model 1000-1 which Delivers 0.0 to 3 gpd is $180.00 at Premium Aquatics.

I am still checking out the dual float switches.

Randy, how often has your Reef Filler malfunctioned & stopped dosing? I don't quite understand how having a second pump on a float switch would not overfill the system? :confused:
 
Randy, how often has your Reef Filler malfunctioned & stopped dosing? I don't quite understand how having a second pump on a float switch would not overfill the system?

Multiple questions. :D

The slow pump is always slower than evaporation. By itself the tank system would get more and more saline. The second pump, that is on the float switch, only turns on when the tank level is low, so a fraction of the time. It keeps the tank "topped off".

I've had a couple of total Reef Filler failures in the 13 years I've been using them. That is, they died. Others I know have had poorer experiences with reliability. I'm not sure why.

More often, I've gotten solids into the pumping mechanism, usually by allowing it to suck the mud off the bottom of the reservoir. That stops them till you shake it loose or clean it out.
 
Thanks for the clarification.

I just ordered one from Champion, Premium Aquatics no longer sells them. My current pump has lost two fins off the propeller and is about to die. :D
 
Randy, I have a question regarding the Reef Filler pump I just received. The directions do not explain what the numbers mean on the adjustment dial. I assume they are in ml./ minute & are they fairly accurate?
 
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