Kalk stirrer question

[bighead]

I am considering a kalk stirrer for my system
Rite now I use a 10 gal tank covered hooked to my ATO with a toms airlift pump
Would this be the correct way for me ton use the stirrer fill my 10 gal tank with fresh RO water put 20 tsp of kalk in reactor let it stir when tank is empty do the same
My main question is how do you know when yo add more kalk powder to the stirrer

 

[jgraz]

With a stirrer or reactor you usually add more kalk then you can dissolve into the water. Then as water is replaced with unsaturated water it will stir and re-saturate.
Essentially it would be like adding a gallon bucket of kalk to your 10g tank ATO tank and filling with water. The water will only saturate so much, the rest will just settle to the bottom. Then the next time you fill your reservoir, more kalk will dissolve. Over and over till its gone. A stirrer will just keep you from mixing it.

 

[bighead]

How do you know when to add more kalk powder

 

[jgraz]

How do you know when to add more kalk powder

Good question

Now something that I thought of to add to what I've already said. In a stirrer is enclosed and you will not get a reaction to the air like you do with an open container. I'm sure you've seen that layer that forms on top of the ATO tank. That will usually end up on the bottom. With that there you will not be able to see when you are out of Kalk. In a stirrer you will not get this. So you should be able to physically see when the kalk is completely used up.

I'm sure there is far more technical terms for all this, so hopefully I'm clear in my description.

 

[Sk8r]

The downside is a kalk reactor is spendy, and the stirrers are fragile. I tried one. Paid a lot for it. Stirrers kept breaking down. It was such a headache that I didn't even try to sell it. I couldn't in conscience say that the thing ever worked. I went very happily back to my ATO reservoir---you need one anyway, and you don't need to measure. Just dump in twice what you need, stir it once, period, once, and let it settle. Next time you add fresh water will kick it up, which is all the stirring it ever needs, and when you think the stuff lying on the bottom is probably gunk from the top film, then hose it out and start afresh.

 

[bighead]

Sk8r u might b rite sounds like a pain and I'm all ready doing what a stirrer does here's like the same question I use 6tsp per 5 gals of water when I get a build up on the bottom I can just add ro water to the unused powder to kinda deactivate it

 

[Sk8r]

The deal is---you can't overdose, once the kalk water has settled for a few hours. ONLY 2 tsp per gallon CAN dissolve, the rest settles; and when you pour in, say, four gallons more water, 8 teaspoons of what's on the bottom dissolves, and that's all. The rest lies there until still more water arrives. There are impurities, and the calcium-top-film that forms will never dissolve---all that just kind of collects, which is why you have to hose the container out after a few months, but it's about as close to a free ride as you can get with dosing, a case of 'it just happens'. Always let the kalk settle to clear water before you turn the ATO pump back on and don't let the ATO top off until that settling has happened. If it should, well, no big deal, but you'll get white dust in your tank. Even that will go away in a few days.