osmolator for kalk top-off

[Fliger]

Hi Roger, looking at the osmolator. From what I can gather, if I don't buy the calcium feature I can put the Tunze pump in a resevoir with kalk, but it will shorten the pump life, correct? If so, since the water return will be more than a drip - can I put a micro ball valve to create a drip? Or will that create back pressure & ruin the pump?

If I did buy the calcium adding feature, does it work as well as a kalk reactor? It doesn't look like it stirs the water.

Thanks,

David

 

[blgreef]

wait and see what Roger comes back with But is use the osmolator to drive a KALK reactor and as such have restricted the pump, and you can hear the pump is working harder then normal, and as you point out putting it in a KALk resev will also shorten the pumps life. But since the pump is not costly why not just keep a spare.

One other thing to be aware of is the 10 minute timer and if dripping kalk into the tank you may find the 10 minute auto cut off to be a probelm.

I have put my unit on a timer that turns it off for 1 miunte every 6 hours to reset the unit just incase the timer has stopped the unit.

 

[Fliger]

Hi blgreef, so your osmolator drives a kalk reactor? The Tunze "reactor" or a different brand - which one.

How quickly does the water enter your sump? On a drip?

Thanks,

David

 

[moonpod]

Went through this one earlier--the tunze calcium dispensor is not as effecient as a kalk reactor as it has no stirring element. I ended up getting the MRC kalk reactor and using the osmolator to "drive the water through".

 

[Fliger]

Moonpod, are you pretty happy with this set-up? Do you have a ca reactor also?

And how quickly does your saturated water return to your sump?

 

[rvitko]

I would not put a valve to regulate the flow- especially with kalk I believe this would become restricted quickly. Also- the 10min time out will create a problem with such a low flow. If you are going to mix it in a reservoir it should be 1tsp per gallon and propped up above any slurry- the warranty is still void on the pump but this will lengthen the life. The calcium dispenser does mix through a tangential injetcion- it is a low powered kalk reactor for all practical purposes. The concept was for small aquaria and pH stabilization in general kalkwasser is not practical as a stand alone calcium supplement.

 

[moonpod]

Moonpod, are you pretty happy with this set-up? Do you have a ca reactor also?

And how quickly does your saturated water return to your sump?

I'm happy, but my tank is not a calcium devouring machine. Other than the coralline and a few clams and I guess the alveopora, nothing else really needs the calcium. Certainly, I don't have/keep an ideal "SPS" setup by any means. Saturated water returns to my sump at the rate that it evaporates essentially. When my sump water level drops, the IR eye on the osmolator reacts and turns the pump on--water goes from the resevoir into the reactor and displaces effluent into the sump. So....what's the rate? I dunno, maybe a gallon a day or so. Not too high really. I suppose I could place fans over the sump and tank to drive the evaporation and get more effluent into the tank....

 

[Fliger]

Thanks Roger. If I use 1 tsp/gallon in the resevoir that would be fine for me anyway. Do you think that if I use the Tunze pump at the lowest setting (52 gph?), a lighter mixture of kalk pouring into my sump will spike my ph? It's a 150G tank with a 40G sump that evaps about 2G per day.

Thanks. Looking to order pretty quickly.

 

[blgreef]

i use a ratz reactor, basicaly a selaed unit with a power head to mix the kalk, I restric the pump on the fresh water side before the kalk reactor.


rate is about 3 to 4 drops per second, and the 10 minute cut of generates problems so I have two pumps connected to the osmo unit, one dirves the KALK reactor and the second just add fresh water unrestricted, the pumps are on a timer and only one runs at any one time, and the osmo is on a timer to reset it now and again.

the kalk reactor is run most of the day but i will reset the osmo and then kick in the pump for normal water just to ensure that the level in the tank can be maintained. withoput the second pump you can not add water and KALK quick enough to prevent the 10 minute shut off kicking in.

 

[rvitko]

The OSmolator is so sensitive that it rarely is going to pump more than 1cup at a time even on a eset up this large. I think you will generally be safe. When properly set up the sump will drop no more than .5mm.

 

[Fliger]

Thanks Roger. So if I evap 2G per day, at one cup at a time it would be ~32 cups/24 hours. You don't think a cup of low saturated kalk every 45 minutes would affect a system of about 180 gallons? I'm still pretty new to this kalk stuff. Thanks.

 

[rvitko]

No- won't affect it much. Just please understand that kalk is not a stand alone calcium supplement and you will need to use another product or a calcium reactor. Kalk is useful to stabilize pH and raise KH as well as precipitate phosphate- it adds some calcium.

 

[blgreef]

The OSmolator is so sensitive that it rarely is going to pump more than 1cup at a time even on a eset up this large. I think you will generally be safe. When properly set up the sump will drop no more than .5mm.

in normal use yes, but i have a cuke that will sometimes visit the over flow, and i switch in a second skimmer once a week. Both these events make the level in the sump drop and when running the osmo through a kalk reactor at a slow rate the 10 min cut off will kick in.


but in normal use the unit is great at keeping the level correct

 

[rvitko]

Jeez blgreef- in rereading my post my mistakes and misspellings were painful. I am sorry but I have been unusually busy and typing really fast. Please forgive me- it is not a chronic literacy problem, just the result of typing too fast.

 

[Fliger]

Too much beer.

I'll call Kingsley when I get the 150 set-up. I'm having a difficult time trying to figure out lighting. I'd hate to get rid of my 150 Nova. Maybe I'll run a 150 & a 250 Nova. I wonder if the imbalance would be dramatic.

Thank you for all your help, my decision is made up to go with the osmolator.

 

[Fliger]

Actually I have a couple old acrylic counter current skimmers. I was thinking I might try a DIY project & run the osmolator to the skimmer that has some kalk powder in it. Basically a DIY low powered kalk reactor.

I'll bet if Tunze decided to make something like this it would fly off the shelves, like the rest of your stuff.

 

[rvitko]

The 150w Novas do a good job. I am actually a huge Giesemann fan and I use a 230+ System on my 120 reef with good results- 250w is only necesarry when you pass 24" deep.

 

[Fliger]

Sorry for the OT Roger, but my tank is 28" tall and I will run a 6" DSB. Do you mean 24" minus the sand bed? Since mine will be 22" do you think the 150W would be ok? Will be keeping SOME sps but mostly softies & several clams.

Thanks