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View Full Version : Auto fill kalkwasser chamber?


mikeweber3
07/04/2016, 09:29 AM
I have a 240 display with 180 sump/refugium. I float fill my sump with RO Di. I don't know my evap rate but it's probably around 2 G/Day. All I have been doing to keep my Alk up is dropping one Formula 28 block in every 4 days or so. I'm running about 8.0 PH 7 DKh. I just have soft corals but would like to add others. I like self managing automatic systems. I use the Apex for many functions now.

Question. Could I put a 10 gallon container under my (garage) sump, put a mechanical float in it, overdose it with Kalkwasser, drop a small pump in it to keep it saturated and use a peristaltic pump to feed about 1/2 of my evaporation needs into my sump. I could monitor my ph and kill the peristaltic pump above 8.2.

Any advice, questions or even criticisms will be welcomed

Thanks

Mike

reelfreak
07/04/2016, 09:38 AM
I am planning a similar thing myself , my current setup uses kalk in my 29 gal reservoir auto topped off by rodi with float. One thing I did for a redundant fail safe with my apex is add an electric solenoid valve that apex turns on for 30 min a day to allow the refill. It eliminates the possibility of the float failure allowing reservoir to overflow.

Like you I am figuring out my best method to deliver exactly the same amount of kalk daily regardless of evaporate rate....although my current setup works just fine, looking to further control the system since I also dose 2 part.

mikeweber3
07/04/2016, 10:15 AM
If I put a gross overdose of Kalkwasser in the dosing tank and stir it for 5 minutes each hour will it keep the tank at saturation for several weeks as the float keeps adding fresh RODI water?

Potatohead
07/04/2016, 10:24 AM
If I put a gross overdose of Kalkwasser in the dosing tank and stir it for 5 minutes each hour will it keep the tank at saturation for several weeks as the float keeps adding fresh RODI water?

You can't oversaturate kalk. Only two teaspoons will actually dissolve into water per gallon. You can get some more to dissolve by adding some vinegar to the mix, but not many people do it. You also do not want to keep stirring kalk, as each time you do you are introducing more co2 and weakening the solution. You want to stir it initially, let it settle, and use the solution left over. You also need to keep the reservoir covered to keep co2 out. Lastly you do not want to add more than about .2% of your tank volume of fully saturated kalk solution at any given time, otherwise your pH will raise too much.

The only other way to do it is with a kalk reactor, which can stir more often because the reactor is totally sealed.

reelfreak
07/04/2016, 10:26 AM
Kalkwasser needs to settle out longer than that actually. Maybe a daily stirring at the most? During that time you could have pumping to sump off to allow settling.

I highly recommend looking at an electric solenoid to add redundancy. Mine came from ebay for $10, i added john guest fittings for quick connection.

reelfreak
07/04/2016, 10:30 AM
My routine is every7-10 days adding more kalk and stirring it pretty good. I allow the top off to happen without stirring any additional until next added kalkwasser. I watch ph and add more when it seems overall ph has come down a little on apex graph

mikeweber3
07/04/2016, 11:14 AM
Thanks for responding.

I'm not wanting to over saturate it. I'm just wanting to add enough Kalkwasser to keep the solution at saturation as new water is continually added

Reeffreek, I like the idea of stopping dosing for 1 hour per day after auto stirring for 5 min once per day instead of once per hour. I don't think I need solenoid, as I already have one feeding MY RODI. Several things including wet switch kill it.
I will only try to do 1/2 of my evap with Kalkwasser water.

More ideas?..

Will the extra Kalkwasser clump and become useless?

Potatohead
07/04/2016, 11:22 AM
Thanks for responding.

I'm not wanting to over saturate it. I'm just wanting to add enough Kalkwasser to keep the solution at saturation as new water is continually added

Reeffreek, I like the idea of stopping dosing for 1 hour per day after auto stirring for 5 min once per day instead of once per hour. I don't think I need solenoid, as I already have one feeding MY RODI. Several things including wet switch kill it.
I will only try to do 1/2 of my evap with Kalkwasser water.

More ideas?..

Will the extra Kalkwasser clump and become useless?

It sounds like you just want to build a kalkwasser reactor on a grand scale. It's probably easier just to buy a big one?

reelfreak
07/04/2016, 12:16 PM
My thoughts are leaning toward a large kalkwasser reactor for my system...have you considered the possibility of keeping the container rodi and letting ato feed from it and also feeding kalkwasser reactor from it on a schedule?

Im looking for a reactor that can keep enough for a 4 week period right now.

Glad you started this thread because I was going to very soon

mikeweber3
07/04/2016, 12:34 PM
Reel,

I had never heard of a Kalkwasser reactor. Could I leave my mechanical float with plain RODI to keep my tank at proper level and then put the Kalkwasser reactor parallel to it?
I could put a solenoid and a very small orfice on the Kalkwasser reactor inlet line. I could have Apex open solenoid for x minutes per hour with a high PH cut off limit at 8.2 as a safety. I would tweet the on time to make certain I am not feeding more than lowest possible evap rate.

Thanks
Mike

mikeweber3
07/04/2016, 12:37 PM
Reel,

I had never heard of a Kalkwasser reactor. Could I leave my mechanical float with plain RODI to keep my tank at proper level and then put the Kalkwasser reactor parallel to it?
I could put a solenoid and a very small orfice on the Kalkwasser reactor inlet line. I could have Apex open solenoid for x minutes per hour with a high PH cut off limit at 8.2 as a safety. I would tweek the on time to make certain I am not feeding more than lowest possible evap rate.

Thanks
Mike

reelfreak
07/04/2016, 02:24 PM
Im eyeballing the avast diy kalk stirrer

http://www.avastmarine.com/products/kalk-stirrer-kit

I would likely use an aqua lifter pump and have apex run it on a schedule that will provide less than evaporated rate and tunze ato keep sump level correct

Tarawa
07/04/2016, 05:31 PM
I make fully saturated kalk in two 5g buckets and use an apex dos to feed the aquarium. when one near empty, I'll swap them and make new kalk in the empty bucket. Plenty of time to settle, and risk of over dosing is really low.