Kalkwasser Reactors...specifically kalk stirrers

[sjm817]

You should never stir it after you initially mix it. RHF uses two 44G Brutes plumbed together and doesn't mix after the initial. I do the same with a single 44G. It last ~ 3 weeks in the Summer, 2 weeks in the Winter.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rhf/feature/index.php

 

[tmz]

Why not stir it after you mix it?

 

[SanFranTodd]

LOVE my GEO

http://www.geosreef.com/kalk_01.html

 

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11860643#post11860643 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tmz
Why not stir it after you mix it?

Because it will add CO2 to the water, and also break the crust that forms on the surface that seals the water below from air exposure. Since a saturated mixture does not significantly lose potency over time, what benefit would there be to mix it again?

 

[bebereef]

What i need to know is how much kalk you put in your 44 gal.?
Is it like 1 or 2 TSP/gal?
Thank's for helping!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11860133#post11860133 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sjm817
You should never stir it after you initially mix it. RHF uses two 44G Brutes plumbed together and doesn't mix after the initial. I do the same with a single 44G. It last ~ 3 weeks in the Summer, 2 weeks in the Winter.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rhf/feature/index.php

 

[Sk8r]

The full saturation level is 2 level measuring tsp per gallon.

I just dump a pound of kalk powder into my 32 g Brute reservoir now and again and add fresh ro/di whenever it looks low. Very low maintenance, after struggling for 3 months with a balky stirrer in a commercial reactor. I'm very happy with the system I have going---very forgiving, doesn't slip hoses, break down, or spill raw kalk into my sump. It's just my topoff system with kalk added. Because no more dissolves than that 2 tsp, the rest just waits for more fresh water. So far no residue that I've seen, but I'll know when I wash out in a month or so.

 

[bebereef]

Thank's for the fast answer. I must use a 5 gal. jug for that pupose because of space issue. What is the maximum kalk
powder should i then use?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11861824#post11861824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sk8r
The full saturation level is 2 level measuring tsp per gallon.

I just dump a pound of kalk powder into my 32 g Brute reservoir now and again and add fresh ro/di whenever it looks low. Very low maintenance, after struggling for 3 months with a balky stirrer in a commercial reactor. I'm very happy with the system I have going---very forgiving, doesn't slip hoses, break down, or spill raw kalk into my sump. It's just my topoff system with kalk added. Because no more dissolves than that 2 tsp, the rest just waits for more fresh water. So far no residue that I've seen, but I'll know when I wash out in a month or so.

 

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11861794#post11861794 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bebereef
What i need to know is how much kalk you put in your 44 gal.?
Is it like 1 or 2 TSP/gal?
Thank's for helping!

In my current tank, 1 tsp/G since the ca/alk demand isn't that high. My previous tank had a higher demand so I used a full 2 tsp/G. 2 tsp/G is maximum saturation, but not every tank needs that much. High demand tanks can not typically be adequately supplemented by limewater alone and will need additional supplementation by a different method such as ca reactor or a two part solution.

 

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11861595#post11861595 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sjm817
Because it will add CO2 to the water, and also break the crust that forms on the surface that seals the water below from air exposure. Since a saturated mixture does not significantly lose potency over time, what benefit would there be to mix it again?

I agree with that.
There may be occasiion to remix if you are adding water and lime to the resevoir(garbage can) before it is completely empty. While remixing will introduce a bit of CO2 which will cause a little precipitation,restirring what's on the bottom will not harm anything as long as you wait a few hours after mixing to dose it.The impurities will go back to the bottom.

 

[sjm817]

Yes, if you refill, then that is a different story. I try to use the whole 44G topoff before I refill. I leave what is left on the bottom for maybe 6 months or so, then clean it out.

 

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11862366#post11862366 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sjm817
Yes, if you refill, then that is a different story. I try to use the whole 44G topoff before I refill. I leave what is left on the bottom for maybe 6 months or so, then clean it out.

Same here.

 

[dp0350]

I was really thinking about dropping $250+ for a good kalk stirrer until I read more into this thread. I have room for a 20g brute trash can ill just put a bulk head a couple inches above the bottom and hook it up to my ATO. I was worried about keeping saturation and CO2 but it seems they aren't an issue. Will the water become stagnant will no movement? With the can idea I can also fine tune the Kalk levels if I find I need to add less to keep the pH down. If space permits I see no cons to this setup.

 

[sjm817]

I have a fitting in the lid and a down tube, but that would also work. There does not, and should not be any water movement in the settled container.

People seem to overthink using limewater. Its really as simple as an ATO that you mix lime into. That's it.

 

[FishTruck]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11860716#post11860716 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SanFranTodd
LOVE my GEO

http://www.geosreef.com/kalk_01.html

I have the precision marine, which is fine... but there is no drain valve like the GEO. So, I have to carry it over to the sink and dump water out to make room for more Kalk.

I have seen my pH go up to 9.4in my tank with periods of neglect, so watch out!

Also...

Look for one with a drain valve! My next one will be a GEO, or, this one http://www.reefspecialty.com/produc...d=236&osCsid=e84fc6a5274beb7002f0807a00c135a9 the digikalk from coralvue.

Ryan.

 

[tmz]

I run mine from a still resevoir(33gal can) with a dosing pump.By using the pump with a timer it allows me to dose at night in an amount of my choice usually matching my diaily top off. I also run a calcium reactor 24/7. The low ph from th calcium reactor effluent(6.7) and the high from the limewater(12.4) balance out nicely and help maintain stable ph.

As I recall the conductivity tests done by Randy Holmes Farley showed minimal saturation loss in fully saturated water with extra lime on lthe bottom of the resevoir.. I think it works this way because the dosing itself moves enough water to let it dissolve extra lime for any lost to precipitation resulting from interaction from interaction with CO2 in the air.
I do not know if saturation loss would be this minimal in less than fully saturated limewater. When I need to adjust to lessen the dose I lessen the total volume of fully saturated water dosed and supplement top of with ro/di to make up any difference.

 

[sjm817]

If you look at the RHF article chart I linked to, it was a less than fully saturated mix. It still doesn't significantly degrade over time.

A solution that is less than saturated with lime will have a conductivity less than 10.3 mS/cm. I use such a solution to dose my aquarium, where I do not need to replace all evaporated water with saturated limewater. Depending on the time of year, and hence on the evaporation rate, I increase or decrease the amount of lime added to maintain appropriate levels. This March and April (2003), I monitored the conductivity in the limewater that I dosed. Figure 2 shows the change in conductivity of the water in the 44-gallon trashcan that I use for dosing. Over the three weeks of the test, the conductivity did not significantly drop from the initial value of 3.8 mS/cm. Over the years, I have repeated this experiment a number of times at different initial conductivities, and have always obtained the same result: no significant degradation.

 

[westhaven reef]

I have the Deltec and I really like it. It is quite and easy to refill. I use a LiterMeter with it. Buy the Deltec.

 

[dp0350]

Has anyone had problems with their ATO pump pumping Kalkwasser? I just ordered a Tunze ATO and I don't want to have any problems with placing the pump in the Kalk trash can. ( A couple inches above the bottom)

 

[bebereef]

Can't you just use a MJ-1200 wich is much cheeper?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11878376#post11878376 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dp0350
Has anyone had problems with their ATO pump pumping Kalkwasser? I just ordered a Tunze ATO and I don't want to have any problems with placing the pump in the Kalk trash can. ( A couple inches above the bottom)

 

[sjm817]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11878376#post11878376 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dp0350
Has anyone had problems with their ATO pump pumping Kalkwasser? I just ordered a Tunze ATO and I don't want to have any problems with placing the pump in the Kalk trash can. ( A couple inches above the bottom)

Aqualifters are great for this. They sit outside of the topoff container.