DIY Kalkwasser
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5154
Printed Date: April 20 2024 at 12:29am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: DIY Kalkwasser
Posted By: danhenrie
Subject: DIY Kalkwasser
Date Posted: January 27 2005 at 5:31pm
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Question on the DIY reactor presentation on the presentation tab where can I get a dosing pump for the inlet? do I need a dosing pump or can I get away with something else? where do I put the outlet? do I need Acrylic for the main body? (because its bloody expensive) or can I get away with abs $2 for a 2 foot length. ------------- All I do is fly planes and look at this stupid website. Admit you have a problem |
Replies:
Posted By: Shane H
Date Posted: January 27 2005 at 5:46pm
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Take a look on e-bay for dosing pumps (peristaltic pump). You could try something else, but dosing pumps are probably the most convenient and practical. The outlet should be placed above the level at which the kalkwasser is mixed. This insures you do not dose the slurry, but rather the clear water above. Although, if you dose slowly enough I don't think it would matter. You can use pvc or abs. Its just convenient to be able to see the solution to insure it is mixing. If I were to do it again, I would use 4" white pvc (instead of clear pvc) BTW - I have a dosing pump that I would sell. It needs a tube set, but that is pretty cheap. PM me if you're interested. |
Posted By: BrokeCurmudgeon
Date Posted: January 27 2005 at 6:50pm
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Shane, could you or Suzy or anyone else elaborate on choosing a peristaltic pump. I searched Ebay and I see them priced anywhere between $.99 to >$200. I would like one for dosing Kalkwasser but I am confused as to what kind or whatever of a pump I should look at. Thanks in advance! Fred ------------- Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. - Dante Riverton, Utah |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 28 2005 at 1:33am
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You know Fred, Adam doesn't call me "super frugal" for nothing. If it were me with the setup you have, I would simply set a gallon milk jug on top of the tank at night. The gallon jug would have a pin hole in the bottom for the clear kalkwasser to drip out. Perhaps you could use this idea and save a few bucks. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: BrokeCurmudgeon
Date Posted: January 28 2005 at 10:18am
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Mark, I am already dosing my tanks with the drip method. However, I am building a auto top off for the ViaAqua and I want to use a kalk reactor so that I can leave the tank for a longer period than 12 hours. I can trust the un-addicted to feed everyday but it worries me when it comes to adding chalk water. My wife says we need to be able to go out of state for a few days, which we haven't since thirteen months ago. She says "Retirement is more than looking at your tank every hour on the hour!" The investment in that little 21 gallon tank is approaching $3,000. I must be crazy! A rhetorical question might be: "The wife or the tanks???" Fred update: After thinking more about the subject and to quote Henny Youngman, "Take my wife, please!" ------------- Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. - Dante Riverton, Utah |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 28 2005 at 11:14am
Ahhh, I see.  Here again, my super frugality comes to the rescue  Take a large container, one that holds enough pure top-off water for the number of days you will be gone and set it up to drip for the duration. It needs to be tried and calibrated for a week before you leave, but it works. I've done it and Adam watched my place while I was away. He didn't have to add water, just check to make sure it was working properly. Just make sure the setup is simple and that the drip can't stop or a hose could fall out of a bucket or the tank, etc. In fact, mentioning Adam watching my place, I used to watch his tanks too, when he lived nearby. This is one of the best reasons for getting to know other hobbyists. Get to know and trust someone that lives nearby and swap favors by babysitting each others tanks during away missions.  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: BrokeCurmudgeon
Date Posted: January 28 2005 at 5:34pm
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Thanks again for your suggestions, Mark but I am still trying to decide on what type/kind of peristaltic pump to use. Are there different capacities or timing options? I don't have a clue so if there is anyone who can enlighten me, please do. Thanks Fred ------------- Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. - Dante Riverton, Utah |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: January 28 2005 at 5:57pm
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If you search for Spectrapure Litermeter you should be able to check out what is available in the hobby. There were five peristaltic dosing pumps from the U of U hospital surplus a while back for $30 each. The point of a dosing pump is to deliver small amounts at constant pressure. The longer the timer runs the pump the more liquid is delivered and for your situation that's a pretty small amount of liquid. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: rstruhs
Date Posted: January 30 2005 at 10:46pm
Mark, how can I find out about the surplus sales, etc.? I would like to pick up a pump too! How do you know all this stuff? ------------- Rodney, Sandra, Jeffery, and Laura Struhs South Jordan, Utah 98th South & 40th West. (801) 282-2744 75 gallon reef 55 gallon reef 55 gallon FOWLR 20 gallon FOWLR |
Posted By: Shane H
Date Posted: January 30 2005 at 11:08pm
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Fred, I'm using this pump: http://www.innovativeaquatics.com/product_images/nautilis.jpg - Dosing Pump At the time I bought mine the float switch option was not available. I picked it up on e-bay (from Innovative Aquatics) for about $85 plus shipping. I would recommend this pump for use with a kalkwasser top off system. It is one of those set it and forget it items. |
Posted By: BrokeCurmudgeon
Date Posted: February 05 2005 at 6:01pm
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Other questions concerning Kalk Wasser and dosing: In a Kalk Reactor, does the ALK always stay the same? Is the clear Wasser the same ALK as the lime slurry? How does one know what to expect the ALK to be on the output of the DYI kalk reactor? I want to dose the kalk Wasser directly into my RO/DI reservoir but I do not want to have varying ALK levels as it is metered into the reservoir. Thanks! Fred ------------- Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. - Dante Riverton, Utah |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: February 05 2005 at 6:11pm
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I want to dose the kalk Wasser directly into my RO/DI reservoir What does this mean? Are you metering the kalk into your makeup water or are you metering it into the tank? ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: BrokeCurmudgeon
Date Posted: February 05 2005 at 8:28pm
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Jon, currently I meter kalk wasser, via the drip method, directly into my sump. I want to meter the kalk wasser into the makeup water reservoir, but I do not want to over dose or add too muck kalk wasser into the makeup water. ------------- Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. - Dante Riverton, Utah |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: February 05 2005 at 11:13pm
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If you want to add kalkwasser to your make-up reservoir then just add it dry to your make-up water. You can make it any strength you want from nothing to about 2 tsps per gallon. Start off with something like 1/8 tsp per gallon and watch your alk and pH. If your tank's pH is ok but the alk drops with time, then increase it by 1/8 tsp per gallon. Keep doing this until either your pH gets too high or you reach the point that your alk stays constant. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: BrokeCurmudgeon
Date Posted: February 06 2005 at 11:36am
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Maybe I should further explain. I have a 4 gallon trash can under the display tank (21 gallon ViaAqua) that is the top off reservoir. It feeds the main tank controlled by a float switch located in the hob sump. I currently drip kalk wasser via gravity to maintain the ALK and CA. I want to build a small kalk wasser reactor that will fit inside of the top off reservoir. The reactor would take input water from the 4 gallon top off reservoir. The output would then be used for makeup water to the main tank again controlled by a float switch in the sump. My worry is that the lime slurry in the kalk reactor would vary in ALK levels. Especially if the kalk reactor stirs up the lime slurry too much. Thus my original questions: "In a Kalk Reactor, does the ALK always stay the same? Is the clear Wasser the same ALK as the lime slurry? How does one know what to expect the ALK to be on the output of the DYI kalk reactor?" I hope that this explains my concerns and worries. Any comments (except "You must be crazy!") or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Fred ------------- Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. - Dante Riverton, Utah |
Posted By: jfinch
Date Posted: February 06 2005 at 12:46pm
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In a Kalk Reactor, does the ALK always stay the same? Yes, they are designed to dose a saturated solution. Is the clear Wasser the same ALK as the lime slurry? No, clear kalkwasser is water that is saturated with Ca(OH)2. The slurry solution is just the clear kalkwasser with particles of undisolved lime or CaCO3. As such, the slurry is a bit more "potent". How does one know what to expect the ALK to be on the output of the DYI kalk reactor? A saturated lime solution will contain 810 ppm Ca and 41 meq/l alkalinity. But, why go through all this trouble? Why not just drop a little dry kalkwasser power in your 4 gallon top-off container each time you refill it? That way you can use a less then saturated solution if needs be. ------------- Jon https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6y_EzjI_ljbIwf2n5uNzTw" rel="nofollow - What I've been doing... |
Posted By: BrokeCurmudgeon
Date Posted: February 06 2005 at 1:08pm
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Why should I do anything that is logical and simple? Good idea! Thanks Jon! Fred ------------- Abandon hope, all ye who enter here. - Dante Riverton, Utah |