Expertise Needed: Kalkwasser Drip System

[apache73]

Hello Guys and Gals,

I am brainstorming a limewater drip system for my 45 gallon cube.

I plan on using some form of reservoir, delivered via a dosing pump to my sump. I have an ACJR to control whatever pump to deliver the limewater.

I need ideas on getting the reservoir plumbed and contents delivered. How do I get the solution from the reservoir into the sump without creating a vacuum but at the same time minimizing the solution's exposure to fresh air?

What is a good delivery pump/system that is reliable and would play nice with my ACJR controller as well as be resilient to the caustic effects of limewater?

Thanks for the help!

G

[ctripi]

check this thread in our local forum

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1385479

[apache73]

Thanks for the link. However, this project isn't really geared to auto topoff. The biggest hurdle I envision is getting a reservoir that is airtight but at the same time workable around the vacuum issue. Does such a container exist commercially?

Thanks,

G

[kgross]

You can't do what you are asking. If it is is air tight, you will create a vacuum. But the air tight is not a big deal in a reservoir. Unless you are stirring up the kalk it will form a film over the top that will keep the co2 out of the rest of the kalk. If you are mixing it in the reservoir you will have more problems, but that is why most people do not mix in the top off reservoirs

Kim

[stugray]

Here's a wacky idea:

Get some empty IV bags from a medical supply ( can you even buy em empty? ).

Mix your kalk in the IV bag & put it in an air tight jar with the tube routed outside. Use an air pump to pressurize the jar on whatever schedule you like using a timer. As the pressure rises in the jar, it will push out the kalk. When the pump shuts off, the kalk will keep coming out until a slight vacuum forms in the jar, then it will stop.

Stu

[eznet2u]

Just use tubing...put a "T" at the top of the tubing, inside the container, with one outlet smaller than the tubing. This is allow the tubing to suck air when the pump turns off and will break the siphon.

Works great in my tank. I combined the ATO and Kalk, 2 for the price of 1.

[apache73]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12546614#post12546614 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by eznet2u
Just use tubing...put a "T" at the top of the tubing, inside the container, with one outlet smaller than the tubing. This is allow the tubing to suck air when the pump turns off and will break the siphon.

Works great in my tank. I combined the ATO and Kalk, 2 for the price of 1.

eznet2u,

Do you have a diagram or a picture of your feature that you speak of?

Thanks,

G

[shikhyung]

love to see it too.
shin

[sjm817]

The Kalk container does not need to be air tight.

[eznet2u]

This is the only description I have...
Taking a picture of it would require taking apart most of the room.

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/9961/topoffhl9.jpg

The outlet on the T's are 3/8"X3/8"X1/4". The 1/4" outlet is diverted back into the container.
The container is a 15g poly barrel. As long as the "T" remains out of the water, there is no way it can siphon.

[Pbrown3701]

eznet - you are answering a different issue. What you have described above is to prevent siphon from forming and draining the entire ATO reservoir.

This issue here is they have a sealed reservoir and are trying to pump water out. As water is pumped out, if no air is allowed in, then a vacuum will form inside the reservoir.

If you don't want to use this with your ATO - the only way to get it to work is with a non-ridgid container (like the IV bag mentioned above). Why don't you want it to work with your ATO? It's much easier that way...

[apache73]

In my original post I mentioned that I wanted to minimize (knowing full well that I can't eliminate a vacumm) the kalkwasser exposure to fresh air. Still looking to go forward with this plan. Any suggestions on constructing a system that will do this.

Thanks,

G