Kalk Reactor Impellar Problems

[ReefWaters]

I have a PM Kalk reactor. I love the thing but I keep blowing through impellers for the Maxi Jet 400. I am having to replace them every few months or so. I know I'm probably loading it with too much kalk but its very hard to judge.

Anyway, does anyone have any suggestions?

Has anyone made any mods to theirs to fix this problem? What about a different pump?

 

[mc-cro]

I have the same problem. I did 2 things to slow down the failure rate, but I am still only getting about 6-8months from a impeller.

first, reduce the amount of kalk your putting in.
If you get too much, its like liquid sandpaper, try and reduce the dosing
I am currently using about 8-10tsp once a week. (instead of dumping until it looked right) and secondly, it dropped the timer on the stirrer down to about 5min every 6hrs instead of 15mins.

 

[Fishbulb2]

I have the same problem. I gave up. I am now investing in a nice stir plat and magnetic bar. Those maxi jets can't handle it.

FB

 

[Acroholic]

I have had my PM kalkreactor running continuously for over 10 months (stirs 10 minutes every 4 hours for the past 10 months) and my original pump and impeller are in perfect condition. I have an extra maxijet 400 sitting around for when I have to switch out, but "knock wood" never needed to.
I keep the reccomended 2"-3" of kalk powder in at all times..
What kalk powder are you guys using..maybe thats the problem?
I am using the SeaChem Reef Kalkwasser powder.

 

[ReefWaters]

Id have to look but I'm pretty sure I'm using Seachem Kalkwaser. Ill check when I get home. But I do know that I have been known to dump a full cup or more in at once. I know that's part of the problem.

I was thinking about trying to replace the Maxi Jet with an Ehiem or a Mag pump. I think the smallest Mag will be WAY too big though. Aren't the impellers on the Ehiems a good bit more robust than most?

Also, while we're at it. How do most of you go about physically getting the Kalk powder in the reactor? The hole is fairly small IMO. Actually, moving to adding just a tbsp or two every week would be easier. I just have a tendency to get it everywhere and its very caustic. Any other suggestions though?

I'm not ready to switch to a stir bar. But if I remember correctly when researching reactors, the stir bars have their problems too.

 

[Acroholic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8935305#post8935305 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefWaters
Also, while we're at it. How do most of you go about physically getting the Kalk powder in the reactor? The hole is fairly small IMO. Actually, moving to adding just a tbsp or two every week would be easier. I just have a tendency to get it everywhere and its very caustic. Any other suggestions though?

I add my Kalk powder as per instructions. I put the desired amount of powder into a measuring cup and put just enough RO/DI water in to make a slurry. Mix it up real good then I just pour the slurry in the reactor through a small plastic funnel. This makes it so much easier...maybe thats why your impeller is wearing out..sucking in the unmixed powder through the pump. I can see this messing up your impeller. I swear, I just checked my impeller again this morning and it looks like brand new.
HTH
Brian

 

[mc-cro]

I do the same thing, I make a slurry and dump it in through a funnel. I am not sure that is the problem. for the record, I have used both Kents and Mrs Wages pickling lime. get the same problem...

you guys that have no wear on the impellers, where is your pump? I have a GEO reactor with the pump in the very bottom. the intake is about halfway up the reactor tube, and when the pump shuts off, the kalk settles to the bottom and into the pump impeller.

when the pump starts back up, the impeller is full of settled kalk paste, and I think this is what is causing the wear......

 

[klasiksb]

I've got the GEO as well and I get around 6-9 months per impeller. Mixing 5 min. every 6 hours. $3 for a new impeller, no big deal.

 

[Acroholic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8938497#post8938497 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mc-cro
I do the same thing, I make a slurry and dump it in through a funnel. I am not sure that is the problem. for the record, I have used both Kents and Mrs Wages pickling lime. get the same problem...

you guys that have no wear on the impellers, where is your pump? I have a GEO reactor with the pump in the very bottom. the intake is about halfway up the reactor tube, and when the pump shuts off, the kalk settles to the bottom and into the pump impeller.

when the pump starts back up, the impeller is full of settled kalk paste, and I think this is what is causing the wear......

I have the PM Kalkreactor like ReefWaters has. It has a great/simple design..because the pump sits midway up the reactor and it pulls water from the side and the output goes down to the bottom where the kalk powder is, this is how the PM stirs the kalk...so the pump never directly draws in kalk slurry or powder. This is why if kalk levels are kept at the required 2"-3" the pump never recieves any excessive wear. And a complete Maxi-Jet 400 only costs $12.95 to replace anyways if needed.

 

[mc-cro]

it does pull in some kalk, just as the Geo does. you can tell because when it kicks on to stir, the thicker mixture only goes up to the intake where it is all pulled in.

but you are right, very little kalk powder can sit in the pump in that design. In the geo, the whole intake tube from midway all the to the bottom, plus the bottom backfills back into the pump as well, and it is the absolute lowest point in the system. So it all makes sense now, all the poweder definatly sits in the very bottom, in the pump, and basically grinds the shaft down like sandpaper.

 

[mc-cro]

I just looked, Geo's new desing is the same as the PM-guess he realized the flaw already

 

[Acroholic]

yes, it definately has to pull some kalk through it to work, but what I am saying is by the time it reaches the pump, it is a harmlessly diluted slurry mixture.

 

[Acroholic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8938695#post8938695 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mc-cro
I just looked, Geo's new desing is the same as the PM-guess he realized the flaw already

I just saw that too.....

 

[ReefWaters]

That's pretty funny that the PM and the GEO designs are EXACTLY the same! :lol:

Okay, good stuff so far. Got some questions/comments though.

Yes, I would definitely agree that putting too much Kalk powder is the problem. And putting it in without mixing is probably bad too. How much liquid "slurry" would you say you are adding at a time when you add more powder? I only have room for about 3 or 4 tablespoons before the chamber starts overflowing. I usually have to remove some Kalkwasser liquid from the chamber with a turkey baster to be able to get anything else in there. Does anyone else have this problem?

A new MJ 400 impeller costs me $9 + S&H. No one keeps them in stock where I live. Sooooo, No, its not breaking the bank to replace them but it is a PITA and a little more costly than I would like.

I do like to load the reactor pretty heavily though. If no one has any more suggestions on how to help prevent this, I may try finding a pump with a beefier impeller.

 

[jkapit]

I have the PM kalk reactor and it went through it's first impeller in around 6 months. I used to run it every other hour for about 2minutes.

I now run it every 12 hours for 5 minutes and the impeller has lasted over a year.

 

[mc-cro]

my reactor has a valve before the pump to drain out as much
water as needed when adding more slurry.