Remote Calcium Reactor?

[Gisho]

Need some help.

I have 270, 150, and 100 gallon tanks. I do not have a dedicated equipment room. I have to fit everything under the tanks in the stands.

I don't have space left under any of them for a calcium reactor and I'm getting tired of dripping Kalkwasser.

My questions are two-fold:

1. can I set up a calcium reactor remotely, i.e. in the garage,
which is about 25-30 feet away from the tanks?

2. can the three tanks "share" a large calcium reactor?

Thanks in advance for any help/insight you can offer!

Gisho

 

[AcroSteve]

There is no real reason you could not put the reactors in the garage. Sharing of the reactor will be very difficult.

You will still need to address the top off issue. Even if you do not use kalk.

I would suggest that you put a large container(29 gal trash can) in the garage for kalk. You could then pump the topoff back to the tanks from there.

 

[Gisho]

Thanks for the help Steve. Being unfamiliar with the plumbing schematics of a calc reactor, let me ask a couple basic questions:
The pump that comes with the reactor (I am looking at the MarineDepot Korallin setups that come with the eheim pump) is used only to circulate the water within the reactor itself, correct?

Then, what pump supplies and returns the water to and from the reactor? What type of flow rate do you need? Assuming that I would need to run the calc supply and return through the attic, what type of pump (brand and gph) would you recommend?

Thanks again for any help folks.

 

[AcroSteve]

I do not run a kalk reactor, nor was I suggesting it for you.

I mix my kalk in 29 gallon batches, as this is the size of my container.

I have a timer on a pump that doses a set amount of kalk daily to match my evaporation. You could do a similar thing with a different pump for each tank, or one pump and some automated valves.

Personally, I use a peristalic pump, which is similar to a Litermiter.

 

[Gisho]

Ah, I see. Thanks Steve. So you top off daily with Kalkwasser replacing all the water lost due to evaporation. Does this method maintain your calcium levels, or do you also dose calcium or use a two-part solution?

I have always heard that one is supposed to drip your kalkwasser at night (which is what I do) to maintain pH and not change the pH too quickly. Does adding the top off kalkwasser all at once cause any problems with altering pH too quickly?

Thanks for your input Steve.

 

[AcroSteve]

I have a pump that adds about 5 gallons total at about 1/2 gallon per minute. I do this at night to help combat the PH swing. You cannot add it all at once.

And Kalk takes care of the majority of my CA and ALK, but I do have a CA reactor I run also.

Lots of people use float switches, but there are just too many oportunities for problems with them for me.

 

[mrcrab]

1/2 gallon per minute? Do you mean per hour?

 

[AcroSteve]

Oops, yes, per hour. Nice and slow.

 

[AcroSteve]

If you go this route and choose just one pump, this thread has a part# of some solonoids that could be used.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=925914

 

[Gisho]

Thanks again Steve for taking the time to help.

I think we had a small misunderstanding earlier. When I said "calc reactor" in the third post, I was referring to a CA reactor, not a Kalk reactor. I believe that you thought I was referring to a Kalk reactor. Forgive my terminology. I should say "CA" and not "Calc" to refer to calcium. I do not plan on running a Kalk reactor.

I will follow your recommendation of topping off with Kalk though, and have already bought the plumbing supplies to run pvc lines through the attic from the garage (where I will be mixing up my kalkwasser in my existing 40 gallon trash cans) to the the tanks.

Two final questions about this part Steve, how do you mix the batch up in the trash can and how do you not suck up the top or bottom layer of Kalk? I was thinking of suspending
the pump a couple inches off the floor of the trash can?

Now, as far as setting up the CA reactor(s) remotely in the garage, which I think I want to attempt, can you please help answer these questions I had earlier?:

"The pump that comes with the reactor (I am looking at the MarineDepot Korallin setups that come with the eheim pump) is used only to circulate the water within the reactor itself, correct?

Then, what pump supplies and returns the water to and from the reactor? What type of flow rate do you need? Assuming that I would need to run the CA supply and return through the attic, what type of pump (brand and gph) would you recommend?"

Thanks again for all your help and sorry for all the questions.

 

[AcroSteve]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8115876#post8115876 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gisho
I was thinking of suspending
the pump a couple inches off the floor of the trash can?

You got it!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8115876#post8115876 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gisho
"The pump that comes with the reactor (I am looking at the MarineDepot Korallin setups that come with the eheim pump) is used only to circulate the water within the reactor itself, correct?

Yes, that is correct.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8115876#post8115876 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gisho
Then, what pump supplies and returns the water to and from the reactor? What type of flow rate do you need? Assuming that I would need to run the CA supply and return through the attic, what type of pump (brand and gph) would you recommend?"

I supply my CA reactor via a tee in my return plumbing. As far as flow rate, a very fast drip to a small stream is adequate.

Again, I would recomend a peristalic type pump. They can handle a little bit of head pressure are fairly quiet and can also "suck" from a container 3 or 4 feet bolow the location of the pump with the addition of a foot valve.
These are just one example.

 

[Gisho]

Steve,
I think I've got it now. Thanks again for all your help.

So how do you stir your kalkwasser in that big trash can and how long do you let it sit before dispensing? A day?

As far as the CA reactor, how do I get the effluent get back to the tank, especially considering that the line has to go up through the attic? Will the effluent automatically be pumped out of the reactor as the supply water is coming into the reactor?

Thanks again in advance!

I just spent two sweaty hours in the attic plumbing the pvc to each tank...ugh!

I'm close!

 

[radone]

Gisho
I do the same with Kalk but I dose mine all day long since my pH normally runs low. I use a mag7 to mix with but I'm using a 30gallon barrel. A Maxijet will work also. I mix for about an hour then setle down for about 4 then start dosing. You will find the method that best works for you.
I can keep up with my tanks demand by dosing kalk and Randy's two-part recipe but then again I don't have all those colored sticks either.
The dosing pump Steve linked is what I use and love it, slow and steady and quiet I'm pumping about 30ft with suction suspended off the bottom of the barrel about an 1 1/2".
Don't think Kalk will boost your Calcium levels as it is mainly used in boosting Alkalinity if I'm correct thus the reason I use the two-part. And Steve uses the Calcium Reactor if I am not mistaken.

Good Luck

 

[Gisho]

Thanks much Steve and Radone for all your advice! I think I've finally go my head around this.

I have plumbed my tanks for kalkwasser top-off. I will try this method first, and see how my CA and Alk hold up. If need be, down the road I'll look into setting up a CA reactor in the garage as well.

Thanks again!