Capt_Cully
Active member
How do you stir/mix it and let it settle? (A pump or manually?)
How often do you clean it out?
How big is your vat?
How often do you clean it out?
How big is your vat?
Those that use Kalk for top off
- Thread starter Capt_Cully
- Start date
blanden.adam
Team RC
1) Manually with a length of PVC pipe
2) When the buildup on bottom starts approaching my pump intake
3) 5 gal reef crystals bucket
2) When the buildup on bottom starts approaching my pump intake
3) 5 gal reef crystals bucket
Capt_Cully
Active member
What pump you using?
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I mix up a fresh 30 gallon rubbermaid trash bucket of kalk when it's depleted (about every two weeks). I add RO water while running a Mag7. Mix it up really good. It settles to clear in an hour or two. Dosed with a Litremeter III
Capt_Cully
Active member
Mines a bit complicated, but its fed directly by the RO unit with a float valve. Water goes to tank twice a day for 1 minute. So I'd have to have a pump on a timer that'd have to run once a day to get the new RO mixed into suspension. How long would my topoff or mixing pumps live under those conditions??? Not very long I'd wager.
Don't really have the room for a 3rd vat and my DIY kalk reactor is just too small at this point to compete with my consumption.
Don't really have the room for a 3rd vat and my DIY kalk reactor is just too small at this point to compete with my consumption.
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
I used to do this. You can get better results by NOT doing this. ESPECIALLY do NOT pour the precip at the bottom into your reef aquarium!
Capt_Cully
Active member
Obviously I would keep the pump well off the bottom to prevent this. But I'm at a loss. These damn BRS pumps are so suspect I'd like to minimize their use. Maybe I can wing something else.
Capt_Cully
Active member
Or maybe dust off the old Ca Reactor....
downbeach
New member
How about a drip? Buy or make one of these:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3675+3677&pcatid=3677
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3675+3677&pcatid=3677
Capt_Cully
Active member
Yeah, used to run a DIY one of those. Unreliable. High maintenance. I need higher volumes and looking to avoid lugging buckets if I can. Looking for people's approaches to draw from without greatly altering my current set up.
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
I'm gravity-dripping through this: http://www.aqua-medic.com/product/kalkwasser-stirrer-ks-1000/
I would still like to find a John Guest gate valve for better flow control, but its working better than the float valve I used to use.
I would still like to find a John Guest gate valve for better flow control, but its working better than the float valve I used to use.
Henry Colf
New member
I use a 5 gal food grade bucket. I have it set to drip about 3-4 drops per minute. It drips 24/7 and last about a week. I also use 2 tsp of kalk per gallon of water. This is usually sufficient for me but sometimes my skimmer will freak out and I add some pre mixed salt water to the sump.
blanden.adam
Team RC
I use a MJ400 attached to airline tubing with a plastic valve on the end to control flow to a slow drip. I also have modded one of the intake screens (siliconed the bottom half) to only allow the pump to take in water from above so as to not draw up any of the precipitate on the bottom.
Oh, and it's controlled by a pair of float switches (1 main, 1 backup) wired into a 12V relay that switches the 120V AC to the pump. The impellar will wear out with time, but those are cheap and readily replaceable.
Capt_Cully
Active member
Two tablespoons per gallon for me.
cardiffgiant
Active member
I mix mine for a few seconds with a mag7
I clean the vat every few months
I use a 30gal brute
I top off with the BRS hunk of crap, a jbj ato, and a timer. It always lasts 2 weeks, but the last round seems to have only lasted 1 week. I tested my Sg, CA, and Kh and everything seems normal. Strange.
I clean the vat every few months
I use a 30gal brute
I top off with the BRS hunk of crap, a jbj ato, and a timer. It always lasts 2 weeks, but the last round seems to have only lasted 1 week. I tested my Sg, CA, and Kh and everything seems normal. Strange.
