Roger here is the pic of the kalk dispenser loop

[benf]

From the pic...u can see all i did was bring the hose up from the bottom and lay it over where the top hose is and down to the pump....should i have done a 360 loop instead of a 180?

 

[rvitko]

No, that looks correct. Is the canister cracked maybe or the gasket for the lid missing perhaps? The other end of the hose does not touch the waters surface, correct?

 

[benf]

the gasket is there and there doesnt seem to be a crack, cause when i shake the kalk after putting some in, i dont get any leaks. Thats why the only other thing i could think of was to loop it into a 360 instead of 180, of course that would increase head pressure...thats why i held off. And if i had the valve backwards, the top off wouldnt work...correct?

What else can i try....if it stays this way ... then the dispenser was a waiste of money! I could have just used the water tank itself as a kalk dispenser.

 

[rvitko]

Try putting the other check valve in the line going up to the tank.

 

[benf]

you mean the line to my main(display tank)?

 

[rvitko]

Yes, if that works you can eliminate the other. What I think is happening is that the check valve is not cloosing, this might change the pressure on the valve enough to get it to close. The other solution is just use a duck bill check valve available at any aquarium shop. The ones from Tetra work. The drawback is the kalk will harden the rubber over time, that is why we quit using this type.

 

[benf]

ok, thanks...will try tonight and report back

 

[benf]

Roger, i looked all over and couldnt find the original valve...i think i might have trashed it. To make matters worst, when i tried to remove the one you sent me to relocate it the black piece came off and now it wont stay together.

I am going to go to a LFS tomorrow and look for a ck valve...Is this the one i want? http://www.tetra-fish.com/catalog/product.aspx?id=318

 

[goatman]

Benf, are you getting kalk all over the bottom of the top-off reservoir?

 

[benf]

its actually going all over the water storage tank..see how cloudy the tank water is and the sides of the glass are white...the kalk is back flowing thru the pump into the water supply.

 

[goatman]

I just installed the dispenser three weeks ago, and mine does the same thing. I have already tried doing what you have done in the picture, but to no success.

 

[benf]

if it keeps up, i see no reason to use it...could easily put the kalk in the tank and have the same outcome!! I hope a different brand of valve does the trick

 

[goatman]

taggin' along for an answer!

 

[benf]

I am curious though...all the valves i see at LFS say for air and not water...is it the same valve? I looked thru my stuff and had one made by Aquatic Gardens and it too says air... i tried it anyway and it did work but the water going into the main tank now is more like a trickle...it cut the pressure down greatly. Roger is that what i should expect using these type of valves?

 

[rvitko]

Yes, it is the same valve. I have been using a 5074 for about 18 months now on my tank, I have the older duckbill check valve and it still works fine. It is identical to the Tetra one you linked to and I get no great reduction in flow. Unfortunately they just don't make check valves for water in such a small size. We switched to the spring unit because it created less restriction and the material doesn't harden and fail over time. I can only guess the last batch of these check valves must be flawed, I will try to contact the factory next week for an answer as well as trying one myself. I would be curious though if zip tying the line up a bit higher wouldn't solve this as the check valve is really not the main back flow preventer it is looping the line up. On mine the line is looped up about 1" above the actual vessel, the line is tied to the other line.

 

[benf]

I just picked up a Tetra valve today and will give it a shot and let you know...thanks Roger!

 

[rvitko]

Give me until this weekend to try some things and I will get back to you

 

[benf]

ok...just to let you know, the Tetra valve does flow better than the one i had...will let you know if it stops the kalk back flow.

 

[TheUndertaker]

Im having the same problem was going to try this but wasnt sure if it would work any ideas

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=KL3115

 

[goatman]

So is the reason for kalk in the storage tank because of the check valve?