DIY Kalk Reactor and Sump

[chwkreefer]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

Wow yeah that would mix the hell out of it. How do you keep it from putting the cloudy water into your tank though? I figure if a tank is going to have evap it should be mostly during the day right? So what about just having a power head come on for a few minutes at say 5am once a day. Wouldn't that mix it up enough?

Doug

Hey Doug, I assume you have your kalkreactor tied into your system via the float valve . . . so even if some of your newly mixed (cloudy) kalk goes into the sump, it should only be a little and shouldn't be problem.

My kalkreactor dispenses through a kent float valve into my sump. The mixing powerhead is on a timer and stirs for 3 minutes every 4 hrs. So I'm sure at some point there is some freshly stirred kalk going into the system, but it has never been a problem as only a little is dispensed at a time with a float valve.
I find that the Kalk settles out rapidly. The benefit of a tall reaction chamber is that the top third of the reactor tends to clear rather quickly and if the outflow to the sump is at the top ok your reactor, you've minimized the chance of putting the cloudy kalk in the sump.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

Wow yeah that would mix the hell out of it. How do you keep it from putting the cloudy water into your tank though? I figure if a tank is going to have evap it should be mostly during the day right? So what about just having a power head come on for a few minutes at say 5am once a day. Wouldn't that mix it up enough?

Doug

it is minimal. and even such in 1/2 a hour it only at most would add 0.13 of a gal on average so when you put that into 140 gal of water you don't notice it at all. I mix at 6am, noon, 6 pm and midnight for 1 min each. I am building an addition for my reactor that will creat a saturated zone that isn't afected by the stiring but that will probably take mine from 3 foot tall to about 4 foot.

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

Oh okay, well heck that sure makes things a bit easier, I was under the impression that kalk in the tank would be an issue. Now I guess I have to buy some more acrylic tube to make this right. (you guys are expensive to know).

Doug

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

(you guys are expensive to know).

Doug

tell me about it

Steve

[IslandReefer]

Hey Steve,
Any details on the mod. for a saturation zone?

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by IslandReefer

Hey Steve,
Any details on the mod. for a saturation zone?

um.. whats that?

Steve

[IslandReefer]

it is minimal. and even such in 1/2 a hour it only at most would add 0.13 of a gal on average so when you put that into 140 gal of water you don't notice it at all. I mix at 6am, noon, 6 pm and midnight for 1 min each. I am building an addition for my reactor that will creat a saturated zone that isn't afected by the stiring but that will probably take mine from 3 foot tall to about 4 foot.

Steve[/quote]

this mod. for a saturation zone

[StirCrazy]

Ohhhh all i am doing is adding a smaller diamiter tube ontop of my reactor to make it tall enuf that the stiring won't go all the way up. (I am going to make a baffle to help stop it also. this will make it so there is only saturated settled kalk water in this section and the lower section will be the white mixing cloud. do i know exactly how to build it yet??? no I am still trying to decide what is best.

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

Steve, with the new tank I'm noticing a massive amount of evaporation, in the area of 2-3 gallons a day. I don't think I want all that water going through my kalk especially right now when I don't have a really high demand in the tank.

Doug

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by BCOrchidGuy

Steve, with the new tank I'm noticing a massive amount of evaporation, in the area of 2-3 gallons a day. I don't think I want all that water going through my kalk especially right now when I don't have a really high demand in the tank.

Doug

I do about 5 gal per day. you have to remember the 2 or 3 gal per day at a little higher PH and ALK is not going to impact your tank much unless you have next to no Ca demand. I feel a lot of people under estimate the ACa demand of there tank.. the best way would be to not add any supplements for a time period say 3 days or 1 week if you feel the demand is low. measure your Ca at the start then again after the time period and see how much your Ca and your Alk drop.. then you can do the same thing with the kalk reactor running test ever week and see where it stabalizes.

Steve