Questions about the Calcium dispenser

[IPT]

I just got the Osmolater and just learned about the calcium dispenser. I have a few questions about it.

Would this replace the need for me to pre mix Kalk and siphon the clear water I would usually put in the the resevoir?

How do you know when to add more Kalk (is it just when it is all disolved)?

seems almost like a Kalk mixer without the mixing - how does it work (will it allow the "solids" to go into my tank? Will that increase the chance of precipitating Ca or other elements on my heaters etc?

Thanks

 

[smatter]

You refill it as you refill your reservoir. I add a teaspoon per gallon of water. I fill my reservoir every Sunday with four gallons and I add four teaspoons of kalk to the reactor. The kalk is mixed at the bottom of the reactor and the sediment stays down there while the clear kalkwasser exits through the opening in the top. Every couple of months I pull out the reactor and rinse out the sediment. It is very easy to use and I have been pleased with it.

 

[IPT]

I'm confused... so the where does the kalk actually get mixed and how is it different than just mixing Kalk directly into the resevoir and letting it settle (keeping the pump on some eggcrate away from the sedimint)? Seems almost the same as me making 5 gallons of kalk topoff water water and then just putting into the resevior for the Tunze to dispense... maybe I'm missing something?

 

[rvitko]

When you place kalk in an open reservoir with a large surface area it reacts with atmospheric CO2 to form insoluble calcium carbonate (surface film you see on a kalk solution). When it is mixed in a sealed reactor it avoids this problem. It also prevents damage to the pump caused by the exposure to the alkaline solution, even if the powder doesn't enter the pump, the high pH deteriorates the seals.

 

[IPT]

thanks