DIY kalk reactor idea. - Page 8

rdmpe · #**176** 12/21/2006, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RV8tor
I have always been reluctant to dose kalk in my evaporation water because I evaporate about 5 gallons a day because of lack of knowledge on my part. Currently my RO/DI water goes to a 45 gallon reservoir for my evaporation that has a float valve and then is gravity fed to my sump to replenish the evaporation. I also use this water for mixing my salt for water changes (in another container of course). When I do water changes I typically use up 32 gallon of the reservoir water to mix my salt with, I love the idea of this but I still have a few questions.

Is it OK to dose Kalk in this much evaporation water?

Assuming I just mix the Kalk with an additional RO/DI canister to go into my 45 gallon reservoir? Can I use kalk water for mixing salt for my water changes.

Sorry for the elementary questions, thanks for the help.

You couldn't mix new salt water with the kalk water. I'm not sure what would happen but I imagine it would not be good. You'd probably just get a lot of precipitate and way too high PH... This question needs to go to the chemestry forum for a real answer.

Also, I think if you run your makup water through the kalk reactor before it goes to your resevoir, it will loose some strength as it absorbs co2 from the air while sitting in the resevoir. If the container is fairly tight though then that might not be too big of a problem. Again though, ask in the chem forum for a better answer.

Whether or not running all of your topoff water through the kalk reactor would be ok - that depends on your system volume and demand. Probably better to start with a small pump like an aqualifter and pump in a fixed amount per day and monitor the results. Then you can do controlled increases and see how it goes, working your way up to the total topoff amount...

I sure wish my canister filters were clear. Mine aren't though, so I can't see what's going on inside...

RV8tor · #**177** 12/21/2006, 11:23 PM

Thanks CD and RD for the response I think I will start small and go from there.

pimp2daizzo · #**178** 12/23/2006, 09:27 PM

looks good i think im going to make one soon

pimp2daizzo · #**179** 12/23/2006, 09:27 PM

looks good i think im going to make one soon

pimp2daizzo · #**180** 12/23/2006, 09:28 PM

looks good i think im going to make one soon

Roland Jacques · #**181** 12/23/2006, 09:33 PM

So you are going to make 3

msuzuki126 · #**182** 12/23/2006, 10:40 PM

I'll take one.

Gem Tang Rider · #**183** 12/24/2006, 01:48 AM

Trying to save space. I built this large kalkwasser reactor to fit in my 44gal brute RO/DI water reservoir.

rdmpe · #**184** 12/24/2006, 07:40 AM

That's a great idea!

petey · #**185** 02/08/2007, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sammy33
Seems that this Kalkwasser reactor works quite well. Thanks to all contributors of this thread.

I have mine controlled by a JBJ ATO with a float switch. The feed pump is an Aqua Lifter. The feed pump supplies fresh RO/DI water to the reactor from the 5g bucket. The inline valve allows control of the flow or drip rate. I have the Kalk dripping in to my "sumpfugium" at about 1 drip a second to make up for evaporation.

I am testing my calcium and alkalinity daily and have noticed an improvement just in the last couple days. Calcium was 380 ppm and today up to 400 ppm. Alk was 7 dKH and today is up to 9 dKH.

I have a bypass valve that I can use to change the Kalk to pure RO/DI topoff ratio. If the calcium continues to go up say past 425 ppm I can add some pure RO water to the topoff and reduce the Kalk to compensate. My calcium demand is not excessive (yet ).

I have added a timer to the ATO/Kalk reactor to turn on the system at night after the lights go out. The Kalkwasser additions have tended to raise the pH a bit so I have started dosing about an hour after the lights go out. The pH tends to fall a bit at night so the Kalkwasser has less of an impact on pH and actually helps to stabilize pH overnight.

Sammy what size tube and what fittings did you use on the inside of the canister for the downtube? I Picked up the same canister and a 1 to 3/4 inch bushing and some 3/4 inch pvc, glued it down with some cement but it just will not stick to the canister.

sammy33 · #**186** 02/08/2007, 09:21 AM

I used the Pex Pipe (hot water pipe) that fits inside the port in the top of the filter housing. It is quite snug so no glue was needed. Here is the parts list and a best estimate on the prices.

GE Smartwater Household Filter GXWH20F $30.00

1/2 Pex Pipe $2.00

(2) 3/4 x 1/2 Reducing Bushing MIP $1.30

(2) 1/2 MIP x 1/4 Speed Fitting $5.00

1/4 Inline Valve $6.50

10' 1/4 OD Vinyl tubing $2.00

ATO Parts
JBJ ATO $85.00

Aqua Lifter Pump $10.00

5G Bucket (Free - extra salt bucket will do)

Timer $7.00

Total: $148.80

petey · #**187** 02/08/2007, 09:43 AM

Thanks sammy, PEX is the flexible vinyl like tubing like the ice-maker tubing?

Gem Tang Rider · #**188** 02/08/2007, 10:01 AM

Here's one my latest kalkwasser reactors. It uses a maxijet 600 pump. Fits inside of an old 200gal Instant Ocean Salt Bucket. That way the reactor & top off water supply are in one container.

rdmpe · #**189** 02/10/2007, 10:58 AM

I have an old dual canister water filter that I want to do this with. I'm thinking I'll just leave the second canister empty and it will serve as a settle - out chamber for any residual powder. BUT the biggest drawback is that my canisters are not clear. I will not be able to see into them. Should I just scrap the idea, buy new clear housings off ebay? Just wondering about the opinion of those already using the water filter canister setup...

GuySmilie · #**190** 08/18/2007, 11:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by prugs

Here's one my latest kalkwasser reactors. It uses a maxijet 600 pump. Fits inside of an old 200gal Instant Ocean Salt Bucket. That way the reactor & top off water supply are in one container.

Prugs, you pictures have disappeared.
Are they somewhere I can take a peek?

Gem Tang Rider · #**191** 08/18/2007, 11:27 PM

Here is a side shot of the kalkreactor that fit in the 200gal instant ocean salt bucket.

GuySmilie · #**192** 08/18/2007, 11:48 PM

Thanks man!

Mac Inger · #**193** 08/21/2007, 01:12 PM

The only thing i dont understand is how can you keep up with the water evaporation by dripping only a few drops a second ? My tank evaporates about 4 gallons a day.
Also if i drip it that slowly (i, like Sammy have a JBJ Ato that has a maximum timeout of 15 minutes) i will not be able to fill the sump to level. I couldnt even keep up with an aqualifter so i had to put a pump that is slightly bigger in the RO/DI reservoir.

???

manderx · #**194** 08/21/2007, 02:29 PM

Quote:

i, like Sammy have a JBJ Ato that has a maximum timeout of 15 minutes

that's exactly why i use a litermeter. it also lets me put it on a timer to only dose at night.

Mac Inger · #**195** 08/21/2007, 02:32 PM

Manderx,...but that way you have to adjust the Litermeter based on weather so to speak, on evap. ?

manderx · #**196** 08/21/2007, 03:15 PM

it's not that big a deal. any daily changes aren't even noticeable and even out over time. it takes a long time for the change in evaporation to add up for most sumps (might be an issue if you have a *tiny* return chamber in your sump). so i only have to fiddle with it once a month if that much. and you can get a 'topoff module' that lets you tell the litermeter to dose just a little more than you think it needs, then when it hits the float it turns it off. so it's the best of a 'float based' and the best of a 'fixed amount' in one unit.

but it costs 300 bucks....

Mac Inger · #**197** 08/21/2007, 03:30 PM

Well if you add the prices of a kalk stirrer and a top off system youre pretty much there. hmm

Nanz · #**198** 08/24/2007, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JustOneMoreTank
Here are the holes that I drilled to allow the water out in different directions at the bottom of the thin PVC at the the bottom. This will force the fresh incoming water to perculate thru the kalk powder waiting at the bottom. Drill about 5 or so small holes so the water can get out pretty easy.

Here is a picture showing some of the pieces.

This is Brilliant!

I have a DIY Kalkreactor and the top leaks unless you put about a roll of teflon tape on it everytime I open it. I have been looking for a better solution without having to buy something similar to what I have.

I found an old DI canister and decided to modify it using your plans but I cannot find the reducer bushing you use to attach the CPVC tube to. My Di unit is a a coralife DI unit from Foster and Smith..

Please help if you can

Bkndsdl · #**199** 09/17/2007, 06:44 PM

I have a question: I guess you just put kalk in your container, and adjust your drip rate for the calcium level you want? I would assume the more kalk you have in your reactor, the more concentrated the solution coming out. That would mean you would want less drips per time period if you had alot of kalk, and more drips per time period if you had less kalk, right?

sammy33 · #**200** 09/17/2007, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mac Inger
The only thing i dont understand is how can you keep up with the water evaporation by dripping only a few drops a second ? My tank evaporates about 4 gallons a day.
Also if i drip it that slowly (i, like Sammy have a JBJ Ato that has a maximum timeout of 15 minutes) i will not be able to fill the sump to level. I couldnt even keep up with an aqualifter so i had to put a pump that is slightly bigger in the RO/DI reservoir.

???

I forgot to add that I am using a timer to control my ATO. I have it set to come on at about midnight around lights out. The timer then turns on/off every 15 minutes for the next 12 hours and then off for 12 hours when lights are on. This allows me to stabilize pH at night and overcomes the timeout limit on the ATO by resetting it every 30 minutes.