Kalk Reactor

[hurleycr]

Why would this not work?

Take your RO/DI to the Kalk Reactor. Then from the Kalk Reactor, to a float switch in the return area of your sump.

If the RO/DI has an automatic off like the airwaterice models, I can't see why this wouldn't work. Someone educate me please. I'm wanting to add a Kalk reactor but don't have room for a water resevoir. Any suggestions?

 

[Freed]

I believe this is how alot of people do it. Should work fine as long as the waste water flow from the RO/DI shuts off when the float switch in the sump shuts off. If not, you will have massive amounts of water bypassing the RO/DI system and just running down the drain.

 

[hurleycr]

I read once that you must use a water holding area, and then pump to the kalk reactor then to switch. Something like the kalk reactor couldn't have pressure on it. That it would cause leaks.

 

[sjm817]

If something went wrong, you would have an unlimited supply of topoff water flooding your setup.

 

[joeyf]

You would use a float VALVE, not a float switch. The valve shuts off flow mechanically, a float switch acticvates an electric pump to turn on and off. But my best advice is...

DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!!!

Not only does kalk have a Ph of about 11, thus making the Ph of the system extremely high when it flushes the system, but as sjm817 said, you will have an unlimited supply of fresh water to lower your SG to nill.

A possible solution is to have the RO/DI feed into a 5g bucket, and using a float valve, regulate the water level in the bucket from the RO/DI. Then, get a float switch (better yet, a dual stage float switch setup) and have that hooked up to a dosing pump of some kind that feeds the reactor. I highly reccomend using perilistic dosing pumps on kalk reactors, simply because they drip slowly enough that your system is not shocked. Tunze Osmolators work also, but I would only reccomend them for tanks of 100g+ due to the fact that they pump quite a bit faster.

 

[Yam]

It WILL work. I have been doing this for over 5 years. No float valve. I have two float switches, one 1/2" higher then the other for emergency. The key is to have a needle valve on the ro/di line prior to entering the reactor (to prevent pressure in the reactor). When this is adjusted properly (slow drip into the system), even if the float switch were stuck on mysteriously, it would take a long time before the water level in the sump will even trip the 2nd float switch.

My ro/di system is shared for drinking purposes (ro) and the tank (ro/di). You need the "drinking water" storage tank for this type of setup to prevent the water from switching on and off rapidly through the ro/di system. This holds about 4 to 5 gallons.

Both float switches control the same solenoid valve.

Supply water --> RO/DI --> "storage tank" --> solenoid valve --> needle valve --> kalk reactor --> sump.

Link to the type of storage tank I'm referring to. http://www.airwaterice.com/product/ADDSTORAGE

 

[hurleycr]

yes I have the drinking water system as well.

I have been running my RO/DI straight to the sump with a float valve for over three years with no issues. The only thing i'm doing is added the kalk reactor between the RO/DI and the sump. I have a valve installed after the RO/DI and the Kalk reactor. My plan is to set the valve after the reactor to slowly drip out from the "switch valve" instead of full pressure. This way it takes longer to make up for the evaporation in the sump. This shouldn't shock the system.

I'm fully aware of the "possible" implications of the switch valve getting stuck, but I really don't see how it can. There isn't anything to make it stick, nor has it done so for the life of the system.

Does a kalk reactor have to have air inside of it?

 

[Freed]

You don't want any air inside it. CO2 in the air will react with kalk and make it precipitate which is not what you want.

 

[hurleycr]

thats what i thought looking at other Kalk Designs. I didn't think so. I found on here somewhere that it was better for the air to be inside the chamber for some reason or another.

Is the effluent from the reactor clear when it come out. With that small of an amount it shouldn't cloud the water right?

 

[Freed]

The effluent will most likely be at least a bit cloudy.

 

[Yam]

The effluent should be clear. You would only want your effluent cloudy (higher concentration of Ca) if you have a high calcium demand. Otherwise, your pH may swing too much depending on the volume of water.

Also keep in mind that during the photoperiod, your pH and evaporation rate is higher. With the lights on, your pH may be too high (higher pH with lights on + higher pH due to dripping kalk). Ideally you would only topoff your sump during the dark period to stabilize your pH. YMMV.

 

[hurleycr]

i'm also running a calcium reactor so my ph is always low. at this point it is really low. that is why i'm adding the reactor. during the day it top around 8.2 that is the high point. usually its around 8.0, at night it is getting as low as 7.75

 

[Yam]

You already have the perfect setup for a kalkreactor. IMO, in addition to your float valve, I would get a solenoid and float switch.

About $60 for both through mcmaster-carr.

 

[hurleycr]

Well, I had everything up and running. It was working perfectly, untill I noticed a time little drip from a thumbscrew. So naturally I was going to wrench just beyond hand tight. While doing so I dropped my wrench on top of my Ehiem pump that i'm using to stir the kalk with. The wrench broke through the plastic guard and into the pump cap which broke. So with water flying everywhere, at the days end I'm back to square one and waiting on replacement parts on Tuesday. Put other than that it worked quite well. We will see by next week if its going to work like I plan.

thx for all the feedback....those pumps are so quite but dang they break EeeEEZzzZ

 

[hurleycr]

OK rebuilding pump and will update tommrow.

 

[Yam]

Look forward to hearing it.