Looking for advice on DIY Kalk reactor

[stevenp]

I'm thinking about making a Kalk reactor from a 3 gallon glass carboy. The picture below shows two holes drilled in the glass for a recircuating pump that I could put on a timer to stir a couple times a day.

The inlet on the top, from the top off reservoir, would be fed with a powerhead or aqualifter, which would force the kalk from the output line since it's airtight. I would put this on an automatic top off controlled by a float switch.

Does it look like I'm on the right track?

Steve

 

[rjdudek]

any thought on how to stop the top off when stir is in process? If you don't let it settle before top off you can cause some problems.

 

[stevenp]

any thought on how to stop the top off when stir is in process? If you don't let it settle before top off you can cause some problems.

I was going to put the stir pump on a timer to only allow it to stir twice a day. The top off pump will be on a timer as well, and will have 'black out' times during the stir, with a couple hours grace on each end.

Steve

 

[stevenp]

Or what about this? The Kalk vessel would be a 5.5g aquarium with a powerhead on a timer set to stir at designated times. The float switch would trigger a pump in a vessel of RO/DI water to top off. The RO water would then flow into the 5.5g, resulting in the Kalk overflowing into the sump.

Steve

 

[stevenp]

I see a problem with the last picture... I'm drawing Kalk from the surface which will result in all the surface scum going into my system. I could correct that by adding a 90 facing downward on the feed line to the sump:

Steve

 

[lizzardking]

that is exactly what im setting up this weekend
10g res. for rodi
2g food container w/ plastic screw cap on a shelf up high
im planning on having the top-off stirr the kalk by forcing it down a 1/2'' pvc pipe that runs open to the bottom of the tub.
my top off only adds 1/2 a cup at a time or less so im hoping as of now and will be testing this weekend to ensure that no slurry will make its way to the sump

 

[grundig5]

I'm really interested in building something like this as well. Would you mind sharing pictures/thoughts after building? Thanks

 

[stevenp]

I'm really interested in building something like this as well. Would you mind sharing pictures/thoughts after building? Thanks

Will do

I just checked and I think I have all the parts to make the rig in the last picture, which I think will work well... but this is my first Kalk reactor so time will tell

I noticed a possible problem with the carboy design... since it's a closed system and relies on PSI, if the top were to pop off the carboy the pump would keep pumping water resulting in a flood.

Steve

 

[grundig5]

I've been reading everything I can find on kalk reactors...and basically it seems to come down to the risk of the float switch sticking on and dumping all top off into the tank. I know you can wire an extra float switch to turn off the pump, but if that one fails...screwed? I guess its unlikely. What are your thoughts on that?

 

[stevenp]

I'm planning on installing two float switches; one that will sit in the sump and sense when the sump level is low, resulting in a call for top-off.

The second will be mounted inverted a few inches above the normal water line of the sump, meaning it will always be in an 'on' position unless the sump level rises enough to trip it, resulting in an 'off' position therefore cutting power to the MJ900.

The float switches I'm looking at are $15 each, available at Grainger, and are rated for .2 Amps @ 120VAC.

I've been running one of these float switches on my nano as a top-off for about 3 years with no problems, so I'm pretty confident in them <<crossing fingers>>.

Steve

 

[JohnK]

you can run straight RO top off on the top off switch, and run the kalk on a timer so that the kalk covers most of the evaporation, and the RO makes up the difference. that way if the switch sticks you get diluted, but no kalk overdose.

 

[grundig5]

The float switches I'm looking at are $15 each, available at Grainger, and are rated for .2 Amps @ 120VAC.

Steve

Are you using Grainger pn 2A554?

If I get your idea correctly...just need an RO container with pump, mixing vessel of some sort with pump on timer, 2 float switches, and various piping/fittings?

 

[JohnK]

Don't know if anyone would find this useful, but it's a drawing of a simple PVC design that I built.

 

[JohnK]

here it is in action. I used clear PVC for the body, but you don't need to.

 

[stevenp]

Well I'm halfway there. Today I fashioned an acrylic bracket to mount the float switches. They seem to be working well. I'll let them run as top-off only with RO for a few days to test their reliability before setting up a Kalk reactor.

Grundig,
Yes, that's the same part number I'm using.

Jake,
Where can you buy clear PVC? I can think of a million uses for that!

Steve

 

[JohnK]

Oh, you did mean me, I'm John not jake or jimmy

I got the clear PVC from www.usplastics.com. FWIW, as you can see in the pic I posted "clear PVC" is actually blue tinted, I don't know why, but you can still see through it.

It's quite expensive compared to white PVC. You could also consider extruded acrylic from the same source, fairly cheap, use weld-on #16 to bond. Just remember to order the right OD size - ie 4" PVC is 4.5" OD or something like that.

 

[grundig5]

sorry this is a really dumb question...why do some use both a kalk reactor and a calcium reactor? I'm guessing just a big tank with high cal/alk demands?

 

[JohnK]

They can work well together.

Kalk improves skimmer perf, raises PH, and supplements both Ca and Alk, favoring Ca, but helping with Alk indirectly.

Ca reactor supplements both, slightly favors Alk (IME), supplements trace elements (debatably?, depends on the media used?), and CAN lower PH.

Put them together and (if dailed in right) you'll have a steady high normal PH, Ca and Alk maintained in balance, better skimmer performance, and some trace element maintence.

*note - if you overdo it with either or both you may end up with excessive precipitation / accumulation of calcerous material / fouling in your pump housings, plumbing, exct.... *

Plus If your an addicted DIY'er like myself, you'll end up making both sooner or later anyway ..

Edit; There are no dumb questions, just rude answers sometimes

 

[stevenp]

Oh, you did mean me, I'm John not jake or jimmy

Sorry, there's too may names that begin with "J"

Grundig,
I'm having a problem with maintaining CA, even with my CA reactor, which is why I'm going the path of Kalk. I've heard other benefits as well, such as it increases the amount of organics your skimmer can remove.

Steve

 

[grundig5]

Thanks for the answers...I have a few more questions.
Steven, what sort of pump are you using with the float switch? Dosing pump or a regular powerhead?
Also, wouldnt the mixing vessel need to be airtight to maintain the kalk's potency?