Aqua lifter to feed Kalk Reactor?

[alazo1]

Just wondering if anyone has used this pump for a kalk reactor. If this is not a good pump for it which do you recommend. I take it I can drip with the AL by adjusting height right?. I'll be trying to replace all evaporated water with kalk and anything more then a drip would probably not work due to elevated ph.

thanks,
Albert

[lilchris]

I used it for about 2 days. It works. I can't remeber why I took it off. I think it was back feeding lime water into my RO/DI reservoir. I use a Aqua medic pump now. I like it, the only thing that I don't like about it is that the only way to control the drip rate is w/ a timer. Other than that it is a great little pump for the money. I hooked everything up w/the Kalk reactor and the timer, fully automated now. All I have done in the last 3 weeks of dripping Kalk is add kalk to the reactor once. You will have to play w/ it at first to get it the way you want. I spent many nights 12, 2 in the morning staring at the pump kalk reactor to make sure everything was working. But now I let run, and my PH is at a constant 7.9-8.0 at night lights out, 8.1-8.2 mid day hour after halides come on. 8.4 dKH/3.02meq/l ALK. w/ addition of Randy's 2 part.

[sheepdawg]

I've been using a aqualifter to feed my reeftek kalk reactor for about 6 months and haven't had any issues. I use a auto topoff switch to activate the pump. I can control the rate that it drips from the valve on my reactor.

[alazo1]

Thanks for the info.
Sheepdawg, have you had any problems with the kalk going to your fresh water tank as lilchris has?. I was thinking of using one of the John Quest check valves for this.

Albert

[alazo1]

Lilchris, sounds like with your new pump you don't need a check valve, is that right?.

thanks,
Albert

[lilchris]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10420167#post10420167 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alazo1
Lilchris, sounds like with your new pump you don't need a check valve, is that right?.

thanks,
Albert
I have 2 check valves. The reason is so that that the fresh water in the line will not drain all the way back into the reservoir. The first one is for the lime to drain all the way back into the reactor, there is some still in the lines. If not it would take a while to pump the water into the sump.

[lilchris]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10418486#post10418486 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sheepdawg
I've been using a aqualifter to feed my reeftek kalk reactor for about 6 months and haven't had any issues. I use a auto top off switch to activate the pump. I can control the rate that it drips from the valve on my reactor.
I have the exact set-up. How do you like your ReefTek? I haven't had any issues yet with it. I did the exact same thing w/ the aqua lifter and it would back drain into the reservoir. I put a check valve in line and the aqua lifter would not pump through it. I also had to open the valve completely on the reactor to get the vacuum pump to work and then I had set the drip rate. I drip at night and I am in the bed when it starts so that wouldn't work for me.

[sheepdawg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10420772#post10420772 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lilchris
I have the exact set-up. How do you like your ReefTek? I haven't had any issues yet with it. I did the exact same thing w/ the aqua lifter and it would back drain into the reservoir. I put a check valve in line and the aqua lifter would not pump through it. I also had to open the valve completely on the reactor to get the vacuum pump to work and then I had set the drip rate. I drip at night and I am in the bed when it starts so that wouldn't work for me.

Wow, yeah we have very similar equipment. I like the reeftek, only problem is getting that rubber seal to seal properly after refilling the kalk. Does yours seal fit perfectly in the groove because mine doesn't. I'm surprised your system was back draining. I don't have that problem with mine, I have a 5gal jug as the top off water. It basically pumps water from the jug into the valve on the reactor than kalk comes back out from the fitting on the center of the cover. I assume you had yours connected the same way. I can adjust the valve to whatever drip speed without any issues. Sometimes there is air in the tubing so it'll take a few seconds to start but never had an issue with that. I have mine dripping all day for topoff, and it keeps my ph at iaround 8.3, can't complain. Only problem is reactor can't keep up the ALK/CAL demand from my large clam and sps so I still have to dose two part.

[sheepdawg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10420159#post10420159 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by alazo1
Thanks for the info.
Sheepdawg, have you had any problems with the kalk going to your fresh water tank as lilchris has?. I was thinking of using one of the John Quest check valves for this.

Albert

I haven't had any back flow issues whatsoever, i have no checkvalves on the system. I placed the pump on top of the reactor and the water supply is a 5 gal jug right next to it beside the stand on the floor. Maybe I have everything positioned perfectly so that the gravity doesn't play a role with siphoning. I got lucky I guess..

[lilchris]

I have only taken the top off twice. Both times I haven't had any issues w/ the seal. I think what I was doing wrong was I had the Aqua lifter up higher than the reservoir and when the timer shuts off it back drained. Also if you constantly shut the pump off then it will probably be noticeable. Mine would run at night and in shut off during the day. Then the next day I have to open all valves and start it up.