Looking for a better Kalk program

[djkms]

Hi guys,

Just picked up a Geo Kalk stirrer and pretty stoked about it. PH has been 7.85-8.05 so I figured it was time to do something about it. I run a CA reactor as well. So far here is my program. I run the stirrer in conjunction with my Tunze Osmolator. The biggest thing with my programming is I want to prevent the stirrer from dumping too much water/kalk into the display so I set it to only go on every 2 hours for a max of 5 minutes at a time. Problem is though the PH spikes up then gradually decreases over 2 hours. Will this go away after the stirrer has been run for a few days or do I need to adjust my programming? Any help appreciated, thanks!

TopOff
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 02:00 to 02:05 Then ON
If Time 04:00 to 04:05 Then ON
If Time 05:54 to 05:59 Then ON
If Time 08:00 to 08:05 Then ON
If Time 10:00 to 10:05 Then ON
If Time 11:54 to 11:59 Then ON
If Time 14:00 to 14:05 Then ON
If Time 16:00 to 16:05 Then ON
If Time 17:54 to 17:59 Then ON
If Time 20:00 to 20:05 Then ON
If Time 22:00 to 22:05 Then ON
If Time 23:54 to 23:59 Then ON
If PH > 08.40 Then OFF

Kalkstir
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 00:00 to 00:10 Then ON
If Time 06:00 to 06:10 Then ON
If Time 12:00 to 12:10 Then ON
If Time 18:00 to 18:10 Then ON
If pH > 08.40 Then OFF

 

[djkms]

hmm after some thought I would prefer to have more stable PH and trust the Tunze and my tank not to leak. Does this look better:

TopOff
Fallback ON
Set ON
If Time 00:00 to 01:10 Then OFF
If Time 06:00 to 07:10 Then OFF
If Time 12:00 to 13:10 Then OFF
If Time 18:00 to 19:10 Then OFF
If pH > 08.35 Then OFF

Kalkstir
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 00:01 to 00:10 Then ON
If Time 06:01 to 06:10 Then ON
If Time 12:01 to 12:10 Then ON
If Time 18:01 to 18:10 Then ON
If pH > 08.35 Then OFF

 

[aquamanic]

I let mine fill when it needs regardless of time. I do have a high pH shutoff like you do (I shut off at 8.3 instead of 8.35, that's the only difference).

Some people only fill at night but I prefer to let it run 7x24 other than the high pH shutoff. I think you get more, smaller doses that way because evaporation doesn't get way ahead of you.

 

[djkms]

Well that was fun. Stirring for 10 minutes and only letting it settle for 1 hour is no bueno. Me and a buddy were sitting there watching TV when I noticed the tank clouding up and fast. I had the effluent from the kalk in the DT (advise I was given so pumps didnt clog as easy) and it was all the way on the other side of the tank, away from the overflow (ph probe in sump). So needless to say the whole tank clouded up before the solution had a chance to hit the probe (shutting off the ATO due to high PH). Of course in a panic I raced to the computer to shut off the ATO outlet. PH shot from 8.02 to 8.94 in a matter of minutes. Surprisingly nothing seemed effected other than the fish swimming in the back wondering why their water looked like milk.

Well the program now stirs for 1 minute 2 times a day and settles for 2 hours, ph shutoff is 8.20 and effluent is closer to the overflow

 

[aquamanic]

I defined a feed cycle A with a duration of 240 minutes. When I refill water and Kalk in my ATO I activate it. Then in my ATO pump program I added:

If FeedA 000 Then OFF

That gives it 4 hours to settle regardles of time of day, float position, etc.