osmolator pump dosing kalk

[upsetter]

I know these little pumps are not made for handling kalk--but at $15 a piece I was wondering if you had any idea how long it might last if I kept the pump a few inches above the kalk slurry--& just used my top-off reservoir to add kalk as well. I'm thinking I already know what you're going to say--don't do it--just a thought though.
Thanks! Love the osmolator btw

 

[rvitko]

They can last anywhere from 3months to about a year when used this way. The key is to keep the solution dilute and the pump out of the slurry.

 

[upsetter]

Thanks--another question. If I were to diy a kalk reactor with like a large glass bottle or something--would the diameter of the tube just need to match the Tunze tubing that came with the Osmolator & also---could the Tunze pump handle the pressure of pumping from the reservoir into the reactor and up to the top of my overflow (about 4' or 5' I guess from the ground to my overflow)? I know you use your's with a My Reef or Geo reactor right? Do you just have the reactor on the ground or would it be better to send the kalk into the sump--pressure wise--ideally like to have it into overflow? Thanks for the quick response!

 

[rvitko]

I personally use the 5074 Calcium Dispenser which is essentially a bottle but it is installed in the reservoir and injects the water tangentally to stir the powder. I know it works with the MRC reactors, I would assume it would for the Geo as well.

 

[upsetter]

The 5074 is pretty much what I was picturing for my diy except I was just going to swirl it by hand, shake the container a little each morn during routine tank check. Might just buy the 5074 though now that I see it Two more questions please. How do you clean out the used slurry? Just dump and rinse... And where do you send your output tube from the reactor--sump or overflow? Still wondering if the pump can push up to an overflow without stressing it.

 

[rvitko]

It pumps straight up to my tank, it typically doses such a small amount that it isn't an issue. I clean out the slurry every couple months. For the most part the reaction is occuring in the absence of air so the only loss should be from the Co2 dissolved in the water. Every couple months I empty it and soak it in vinegar and water overnight.

 

[Herbie]

I mounted my 5074 to the inside of the tank stand for easier access and to better moniter the kalk usage. Is that bad? I know the directions say you should mount it in the bucket, but I feel confident its not going to leak. I "zip-tied" all the hose connections so they wouldnt pop off. I also have the output from the 5074 routed directly into the tank.........well kind of. I hooked it up the the "small" port on my in-tank 9005/Reefpack 500 (not the air input!), so it pumps the top-off water into the skimmer body, but above the waterline of the tank. Basically its going right into the tank.
As far as mixing the kalk, water will only disolve a supersaturated mixture of kalk. It is virtually impossible to overdose with kalk unless you add to much to the tank at once. I find that there is no reason to clean or empty out a kalk reservoir very often. Only once every few months to clean out the unsoluble "junk". It is not critical how much kalk is dumped into the 5074 because it will supersaturate anyway.........just moniter that there is enough kalk to "mix'. The 5074 does a great job of mixing the water with the kalk, by means of the injector pointed towards the bottom of the container. The clear saturated kalk/water is pumped out the top of the container into the tank/sump. Its simple, non mechanical,cheap and it works great. For around 90 bucks.....its not worth it to DIY one.
Later.........Herbie

 

[rvitko]

The problem is kalk is very caustic and hardens the hoses and plastic fittings could even crack in time. The positioning in the reservoir is really the smartest way to do it for long term safety.

The heavy duty mixers actually make a slurry so it is indeed stronger than what the 5074 makes which is just saturated, technically speaking to supersaturate a solution you would need to generally boil the water and then add the kalk and due to the higher temperature and degassed CO2 it would hold more than normal (supersaturated) and when it cools off it would continue to hold but it would just take one single crystal of kalk or even a spec of dust to cause the supersaturated solution to precipitate. In general I believe in adding kalk but it isn't a good calcium supplement IMO, I like it for pH and Co2 control and raising alkalinity and use it with a Calcium Reactor so I am not very concerned that it mix a very strong solution.