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Lime water on the cheap.
1. Get a five gallon bucket, an old salt bucket is fine, and cut a 1 inch hole in the lid for the plug. About 1 inch from the top of the bucket drill two more holes staggered high and low so 1/4 in flex tubing is snug. The input is high, and the output is low. This way the water flows in the high and gravity feeds into the sump out the low hole after it has been mixed.
2. Then cut a piece of 1.25 to 1.5 inch pvc tube that will jam in the bucket about 1/3 from the bottom. Drill a 3/4 inch hole through the center of the 1.25 to 1.5 inch pvc so that a 1/2 pvc tube will fit snuggly through it. This will make an upside down lower case “t” with the 1/2 pvc suspended about 1 inch from the bottom.
3. Find a pump where the output will fit into the 1/2 PVC on the top, and cut the 1/2 inch to length so that the pump remains in the water during operation.
The reservoir is large enough to last for 2 weeks with a steady output of 800ppm Ca settled, 1200ppm Ca stirring. Or with vinegar in the top off water 1200ppm settled and 1600ppm stirring. All this is dependant on pump size and lime solids added. I watch my tank’s alkalinity, when it hit 9KH I add a few more tablespoons of lime and I am good for a few more weeks.
This “t” setup creates a turbulent flow in the bucket and mimics the proven designs of the sealed reactors like the one shown. Laminar flow (circular) should be avoided as when you just place the pump at the bottom of the bucket. This will suspend too many lime solids causing pH issues unless you use a really small pump.
Some say this will create some waste as it does not prevent CO2 from getting it the system. As a result some fine particles of Calcium Carbonate will be created and mixed in and delivered into the tank after about the first week which adds even more calcium just in a different form. This is not a bad thing, since there are a few products on the market that actually charge you for that.
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