DIY kalk reactor idea. - Page 6

mstewart · #**126** 12/01/2006, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Roland Jacques
...
I think the depth & flow rate is going to to be the key to proper Interface of water and kalk. To get max saturation.

Agreed.

Roland Jacques · #**127** 12/01/2006, 07:12 PM

I want to get a meter on this thing also. i think ill start by adding 8"-12" of kalk at about 3 GPD. maybe 4" should be min

i guess this is a reason to buy a conductivity meter.

rdmpe · #**128** 12/01/2006, 09:46 PM

Hey mstewart, thanks for pointing me to those articles. Very good stuff. I have a pinpoint conductivity monitor that should be able to measure the lime concentration. It normally sits in my sump so I can see my salinity at a glance. But it will be easy enough to place it in the kalk solution when I need to measure that...

underpar · #**129** 12/02/2006, 01:07 AM

For JustOneMoreTank...

Hi,

Thanks so much for your efforts in providing the guidance for such a simple device. I will be setting up a reef system in the next several months and am now trying to learn what I can, eliminate that which is not useful and focus on the components that seem to be doable for me. Your DIY Kalk Reactor seems to be just the ticket!!!

Questions...

I like the idea of a clear chamber in order to moniter what is happening inside. I also like the size of the 20". Is the added cost (cheapest I can find is $55) for this canister worth it?

Does a kalk reactor eliminate the need for a calcium reactor? If not, how are they different?

Thanks again for your help, Fred

Roland Jacques · #**130** 12/02/2006, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rdmpe
Hey mstewart, thanks for pointing me to those articles. Very good stuff. I have a pinpoint conductivity monitor that should be able to measure the lime concentration. It normally sits in my sump so I can see my salinity at a glance. But it will be easy enough to place it in the kalk solution when I need to measure that...

Cool, look forward to reading what your getting. I wonder if a test with a TDS meter would be more helpfull. apples to apples and all.

please included your depth of kalk and flow rate when you take your readings.

underpar, id spend the extra $20 for the taller clear one. less replenishing, ...

rdmpe · #**131** 12/02/2006, 08:16 AM

For those of you adding kalk directly from your RO/DI system - isn't it a bad idea to have a slow continuous draw from an ro/di system? My understanding is that a slow draw like that has a negative impact on the RO membrane performance. Is that a concern for any of you?

underpar · #**132** 12/02/2006, 11:28 AM

Thanks Roland!

96p993 · #**133** 12/02/2006, 11:33 AM

As someone mentioned earlier in this thread why not just use this for the chamber?

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=KM9331

It isnt as tall but is wider then the filter canisters, and seems to be ready to go out of the box (other then a couple reducer fittings)....any downsides??

Roland Jacques · #**134** 12/02/2006, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 96p993
As someone mentioned earlier in this thread why not just use this for the chamber?

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=KM9331

It isnt as tall but is wider then the filter canisters, and seems to be ready to go out of the box (other then a couple reducer fittings)....any downsides??

like mentions earlyer, it is not pressure rated, and if you hooked that up to a RO feed it would shatter. gravity/pump i say try it.

The RO feed for top off is "not ideal" because when RO/DI start and stop the release a little bit of impuritys (Personally i have not worried about it). ill ask D Rat to chime in on this question, I dont think it is hard on your RO system, membrane, DI... rdmpe, id like to no more opinions on this also

JustOneMoreTank · #**135** 12/02/2006, 05:02 PM

Hey underpar
Glad you found the Kalk reactor idea useful. It is a really easy project to make and very useful for your tank.
The Kalk reactor is different from a Calcium Reactor. The Kalk reactor is much simpler and does not require CO2, a tank, regulator, and pH probes that the Calcium reactor needs to have to run on your tank.
The clear housing is really nice but not completely necessary. You can search Ebay under Water Filter and find clear housings for much cheaper than what you said you are finding them for. It is worth it to me and fun to see what is going on inside the unit.
I would really like to build a larger unit soon just so I dont have to fill it or mess with it except one a month. Not sure what container I will be using yet. Maybe an Office Water Cooler container??? Like a 5g jug??? Dont worry I will post pictures if I decide to try and do it.

A Kalk reactor works well if you want to add both Calcium and Alkalinity to the tank in equal amounts. One issue (both good and bad) is that it will raise the pH of your tank. Some people have problems keeping the pH up so this is a big help for them.
You can only add to the tank about the same amount of water that is lost to evaporation with a Kalk reactor so this is limiting. You are just reallly replacing the lost H2O from evap plus extra Ca. If you add to much Kalk water you will lower the salinity in your tank. Watch that.
A Calcium reactor is better for high Calcium demand tanks (tanks with lots of SPS or Clams). Tanks that run Ca Reactors a lot sometimes have problems with low pH due to the effluent leaving the reactor (due to the CO2). Thus using both Kalk and Calcium reactors together works really well for these situations.

For more info on Kalk and Ca reactors look here:

http://www.myreefcreations.com/caabout.htm
http://www.myreefcreations.com/aboutnilsen.htm
http://www.barraquatic.com/cal.php
http://www.barraquatic.com/kalk.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-0...ture/index.php
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/nftt/index.php
Of course www.reefkeeping.com has lots of DIY articles and general information that is really good on the Calcium and Kalk reactor topics.
Good luck and Have Fun.

96p993 · #**136** 12/02/2006, 05:03 PM

I use a float switch and an aqualifter for my auto topoff....The aqualifter take water from a jug then into the tank. I was going to the aqualifter to get the water to the kalk then force feed it into my sump...would that work??

rdmpe · #**137** 12/02/2006, 05:22 PM

Did you guys know that lime is also sold for use in water treatment systems? I just bought a 50 lb bag of Calcium Hydroxide, suitable for drinking water treatment, for $3.99 at ACE hardware...

BenjieC · #**138** 12/02/2006, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rdmpe
Did you guys know that lime is also sold for use in water treatment systems? I just bought a 50 lb bag of Calcium Hydroxide, suitable for drinking water treatment, for $3.99 at ACE hardware...

What's the name of the brand?

rdmpe · #**139** 12/02/2006, 07:58 PM

Here's a picture:

underpar · #**140** 12/02/2006, 10:10 PM

Thanks JustOneMoreTank for the reply.

If I understand you correctly, I may not need a calcium reactor. I had planned on using the "Snailman" DIY version. Perhaps I should wait until my system is up and running to determine if there is a need?

Thanks again, Fred

PS: your PM mailbox is full!

JustOneMoreTank · #**141** 12/02/2006, 11:57 PM

OK I made some room. Sorry bout that.

Sure you can always add the Ca reactor as your coral/Ca needs increase.

JRaquatics · #**142** 12/03/2006, 09:51 PM

I am wondering how can you tell what the concetration of the lime coming out would be. Right now I am having trouble keeping my alk and calcium level were I want them to be. I dose a premix in my ATO and drip a super kalk dose at night. By using this DIY kalk reactor how do you control the amount you need for your tanks demands? How to you work around different times of the year were you get different evaporation rates?

Malifluous · #**143** 12/11/2006, 05:22 AM

I am planning on building a DIY kalk reactor with out the constant flow from the RO/GI. I dont have a sink any where near my tank so I can not connect my reactor to water supply. This creates a problem cos now i can not seal the unit completely. I must create a vebt to allow air inside the reactor to prevent a vaccum from being created inside the reactor. I plan on using tom aqualifter to feed the Lime water into the tank. .

s o, the inside of the reactor wil be exposed to a small amount of air ( CO2) each time it pumps lime water out. Does anyone see this as a seerious problem>??

BenjieC · #**144** 12/11/2006, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JRaquatics
I am wondering how can you tell what the concetration of the lime coming out would be. Right now I am having trouble keeping my alk and calcium level were I want them to be. I dose a premix in my ATO and drip a super kalk dose at night. By using this DIY kalk reactor how do you control the amount you need for your tanks demands? How to you work around different times of the year were you get different evaporation rates?

I use a dosing pump, but they can be a little pricey. I picked up a used one for $100. They usually start for twice that. Just keep an eye out for a used one.

BenjieC · #**145** 12/11/2006, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Malifluous
I am planning on building a DIY kalk reactor with out the constant flow from the RO/GI. I dont have a sink any where near my tank so I can not connect my reactor to water supply. This creates a problem cos now i can not seal the unit completely. I must create a vebt to allow air inside the reactor to prevent a vaccum from being created inside the reactor. I plan on using tom aqualifter to feed the Lime water into the tank. .

s o, the inside of the reactor wil be exposed to a small amount of air ( CO2) each time it pumps lime water out. Does anyone see this as a seerious problem>??

You will get more precipitation than you would normally. I'd try it outside of the tank for a couple weeks to see if it gets clogged. by the CaCO3 precip.

Afishianado · #**146** 12/11/2006, 12:26 PM

I currently use a Kent float valve to control a gravity fed ATO. I think I will run that line through one of these. Anyone using this purely on a gravity fed system? Seems like everyone is using some kind of pump. I just don't want to add equipment , expense, and complication that I don't need. Is the gravity feed enough to prevent chanelling? It is really slow.

FWIW gravity fed ATO can not be beat, there is nothing more reliable than gravity.

Malifluous · #**147** 12/11/2006, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BenjieC
You will get more precipitation than you would normally. I'd try it outside of the tank for a couple weeks to see if it gets clogged. by the CaCO3 precip.

I agree that ai wil get more precip on the water surface of the reactor but once a nice thick film of precip is formed it should seal the rest off from additional exposure to CO2. But when the mixeer turns on , it will destroy the skin of precip on the surface each time. WHat abou having a flat piece of styrofoam that would float on the surface of the water at inside the reactor at all times there by eliminating the air/ water interface? Seems like a good idea to me............

jman77 · #**148** 12/11/2006, 08:20 PM

"Did you guys know that lime is also sold for use in water treatment systems? I just bought a 50 lb bag of Calcium Hydroxide, suitable for drinking water treatment, for $3.99 at ACE hardware "

I did ... my water works at a water plant and told me that they use it there... but i never knew u could get it at ACE.....

All i have to say is .... NICCEEEE

rdmpe · #**149** 12/11/2006, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by JRaquatics
I am wondering how can you tell what the concetration of the lime coming out would be. Right now I am having trouble keeping my alk and calcium level were I want them to be. I dose a premix in my ATO and drip a super kalk dose at night. By using this DIY kalk reactor how do you control the amount you need for your tanks demands? How to you work around different times of the year were you get different evaporation rates?

From what I've read, the best way to measure the limewater strength is with a conductivity meter such as the pinpoint salinity monitor. Full strength limewater should read about 10.3 mS/cm. You can also test the alkalinity if the limewater is clear. But that is a less reliable method.

Kalk reactor is going to dose pretty much full strength limewater. If you want to dose a lower strength, you probably will have to mix it to the needed strength in a resevoir and dose out of that rather than through a reactor.

I think that a lot of people find that they can dose full strength kalk to meet their evap and still not have any problem with CA and ALK getting too high. But every tank is different.

rdmpe · #**150** 12/11/2006, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Malifluous
I am planning on building a DIY kalk reactor with out the constant flow from the RO/GI. I dont have a sink any where near my tank so I can not connect my reactor to water supply. This creates a problem cos now i can not seal the unit completely. I must create a vebt to allow air inside the reactor to prevent a vaccum from being created inside the reactor. I plan on using tom aqualifter to feed the Lime water into the tank. .

s o, the inside of the reactor wil be exposed to a small amount of air ( CO2) each time it pumps lime water out. Does anyone see this as a seerious problem>??

It sounds like you are talking about a resevoir full of limewater rather than a reactor. This is what I'm currently dosing with. I'm just using a 5g bucket and pumping limewater out of it with an aqualifter. The bucket has a lid on it with a 1/8" vent hole in it to avoid creating a suction inside. If you put plenty of powder in it and stir it well when you add the water, there is no need to stir it later. The small amount of air entering due to pumping out water will not hurt the strength as long as there is extra lime powder at the bottom. Randy Holmes-Farley did a lot of measuring of this situation and showed that over the course of a month there was no measurable reduction in strength as he pumped limewater out of his resevoir. Here are some good articles to read
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php