Need Kalk Top Up System Suggestions

[ron101]

I am at the point where I want to automate my evaporation top up (and maybe even additive dosing). I have done some basic research and it seems that there are a couple ways to do it. First is to get a 'controller' like the one from JBJ or a Tunze Osmolator and use some third party pump or powerhead:
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/details/supplies.php?product_ID=JBJ-AUTOT
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/details/supplies.php?product_ID=tz-osmolator

Could these systems be used with a kalk reservoir? Won't the pump burn out? In what increments do these systems work - would they add too much kalk at once?

The other alternative is to use a dosing system with a periastaltic pump like those from aqua-medic or liter meter
http://oceanaquatics.com/store/product/2374/Aqua-Medic-Triple-Dosing-Pumps/
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~dosing_pumps_top_off_spe ctrapure_litermeter.html

Obviously these are more expensive but would they be better?

Alternatively I could look into a kalk reactor but atm I need to use vinegar to maximize calcium addition and I am not sure if it is viable. Could I just spike the make up reservoir with some vinegar so that it runs through the stirrer? Lastly how reliable are kalk reactors/stirrers?

Thanks in advance.

[mark]

I know there's people fearful of the humidifier style floats for ATO but if one could get over them (and how many people have had their house flooded by their furnace humidifier anyways), could a simple float valve be placed in the sump and connected to a kalk reservoir?

[mr_alberta]

You can use a float valve with Kalk, but be prepared to clean the float valve, at minimum, weekly. The kalk dries and forms a crust which doesn't allow the valve to seal properly (if at all at times).

[Samw]

I have my osmolator feed my top-off water to my kalk reactor and then into the tank. I put a check valve between the reactor and the pump so that when the pump is off, the water from the kalk reactor does not back up into my water reservoir.

If you don't want to use a kalk reactor, you could use a kalk container like the one that Tunze sells in place of the reactor.

[fkshiu]

I use a phosban reactor placed after the tunze osmolator much like how tunze recommends using its calcium dispenser. Works great for what it is.

[untamed]

If you are thinking about adding vinegar to the Kalk in order to get MORE out of Kalk, I suggest it is time to be looking at a Ca Reactor. If you are already max'd out on saturated Kalk, it won't be too long before you are max'd out on super-saturated-vinegar Kalk too.

IMO, Kalk reactors/stirrers are most useful in that they allow you to pump FW in, and get Kalk out. In this way, your osmolator pump doesn't have to pump Kalk so it doesn't get that wear you were concerned about. Any Kalk container will do the same thing, provided that you can get a pressure seal. I don't think the actual mixing aspect of the Kalk reactors is as important.

Remember that evaporation changes day to day. If Kalk is your only Ca/Alk replacement and it goes in based on evaporation, then the amount of kalk you add changes every day...then you will have more trouble keeping Ca/Alk really steady.

[kwirky]

Also what kind of coral are you keeping and you plan on keeping in the future? I heard it's easier to keep up with the calcium demands of a heavily stocked SPS tank with a calcium reactor.

what size is the tank?

I have a JBJ top off that is only used for top off. I maintain my calc/alk through DIY two part. Very cheap and more reliable and controllable than kalk if you get your calcium from littlesilvermax (on the forums here)

here's a good recipe: http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php#5

and a good calculator: http://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html

[Jason McK]

I have my osmolator feed my top-off water to my kalk reactor and then into the tank. I put a check valve between the reactor and the pump so that when the pump is off, the water from the kalk reactor does not back up into my water reservoir.

If you don't want to use a kalk reactor, you could use a kalk container like the one that Tunze sells in place of the reactor.

I use the exact same system and love it

J

[ron101]

Tank is 90 gallon soft and lps coral tank and will stay that way. Compared to what other reefers dose, my tank seems to have high Ca and Alk demands. Magnesium might be low and I have been meaning to measure it but Mg kits have been backordered at J&L for some time (time for a visit to a different store or mail order).

I do use DIY 2-part additives to make up shortfalls. As cost effective as they are I find that for my demands that they skew salinity levels more than I would like.

Given my livestock I shouldn't need to go to a Ca reactor but it is another option but probably the one with the biggest ticket.

[ron101]

I have my osmolator feed my top-off water to my kalk reactor and then into the tank. I put a check valve between the reactor and the pump so that when the pump is off, the water from the kalk reactor does not back up into my water reservoir.

If you don't want to use a kalk reactor, you could use a kalk container like the one that Tunze sells in place of the reactor.

Hey Sam, some questions for you:

- So is all your top up water then kalkwasser?
- Do you have to dose anything else to make up Ca/Alk shortfalls?
- What type of reactor do you have - satisfied?
- Does the osmolator make frequent small top ups or infrequent larger ones?

[kwirky]

I do use DIY 2-part additives to make up shortfalls. As cost effective as they are I find that for my demands that they skew salinity levels more than I would like.

how does 2 part skew your salinity? you mean your specific gravity (density) reading?

[ron101]

how does 2 part skew your salinity? you mean your specific gravity (density) reading?

In the saltwater aquarium context they are more or less equivalent. Two part solutions increase salinity over time due the fact that they are made from calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. So along with the calcium and bicarbonate comes sodium and chloride ions (ie components of salt).

[Samw]

Hey Sam, some questions for you:

- So is all your top up water then kalkwasser?
- Do you have to dose anything else to make up Ca/Alk shortfalls?
- What type of reactor do you have - satisfied?
- Does the osmolator make frequent small top ups or infrequent larger ones?


Hi Ron.

Yes, almost all of my top-off water goes through the kalk reactor. I've tee'd the line from the pump such that a small amount of water bypasses the reactor and goes straight into the tank (This is in case the line from the reactor gets clogged some day from the kalk, then I would still be able to get the tank topped up).

In the last 6 months, I also added Aragamight and Seachem Reef Builder to the tank. I've noticed improvements in my Acros since then.

I have the Ocean Aquatics kalk reactor. Its quite good.

The osmolator kicks in a few times a day for a couple of minutes. I have a small tank. If the tank was larger, the evap would be more and I guess it would kick in more often.

[fkshiu]

In the saltwater aquarium context they are more or less equivalent. Two part solutions increase salinity over time due the fact that they are made from calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate. So along with the calcium and bicarbonate comes sodium and chloride ions (ie components of salt).

Never heard of this one before. Been dosing two-part for years and never noticed anything like that. But I do perform regular water changes.

I only use kalk to help stabilize pH and alk levels. Kalk alone wouldn't be able to keep up with the demands from a 165 gallon system with clams and SPS.

[Skimmerking]

what I don't get is Saw's tank here he has alot of LPS and soft corals in his tank and he has a reactor supplied with kalk and its looking like that he doesnt have alot of problems with his ALk

Saw are you having alot of problems with your alk in the tank. The reason that Im asking is i was pretty much running kalk and RO/DI thur a float switch like you but not thur a reactor when your reactor is at a constant drip right or like 1-2 drips per second. Are you getting alot of high ALk readings. Where I am getting alot from the float switch topping off the sump

Do you have a lot of coraline in the tank?
wheat is your demand for CAL and ALk?

It seems like that my alk is sitting at 9.8-10.4 as of now I need to dose 2 gallons of water with 1/2 pickling lime and drip 1drip every 2 seconds to keep it up and that is every to 2 days that i do this Hi Ron.

Yes, almost all of my top-off water goes through the kalk reactor. I've tee'd the line from the pump such that a small amount of water bypasses the reactor and goes straight into the tank (This is in case the line from the reactor gets clogged some day from the kalk, then I would still be able to get the tank topped up).

In the last 6 months, I also added Aragamight and Seachem Reef Builder to the tank. I've noticed improvements in my Acros since then.

I have the Ocean Aquatics kalk reactor. Its quite good.

The osmolator kicks in a few times a day for a couple of minutes. I have a small tank. If the tank was larger, the evap would be more and I guess it would kick in more often.

[PzReefer]

Tank is 90 gallon soft and lps coral tank and will stay that way. Compared to what other reefers dose, my tank seems to have high Ca and Alk demands. Magnesium might be low and I have been meaning to measure it but Mg kits have been backordered at J&L for some time (time for a visit to a different store or mail order).


J&L now have most Elos test kits, and have plenty of Mg kits there. Salifert kits are becoming scarce of late due to a number of reasons.

[Samw]

Haha, Saw? I don't drip the kalk. It just goes in with the top off water when the pump turns on. I don't check my Alk too often. It had been in the low end I think before I started using the reef supplements (Reef Builder and Aragamight). But I believe it should be fine now though I don't test it. The acros have colored up and started to grow again so I assume they are happy.

what I don't get is Saw's tank here he has alot of LPS and soft corals in his tank and he has a reactor supplied with kalk and its looking like that he doesnt have alot of problems with his ALk

Saw are you having alot of problems with your alk in the tank. The reason that Im asking is i was pretty much running kalk and RO/DI thur a float switch like you but not thur a reactor when your reactor is at a constant drip right or like 1-2 drips per second. Are you getting alot of high ALk readings. Where I am getting alot from the float switch topping off the sump

Do you have a lot of coraline in the tank?
wheat is your demand for CAL and ALk?

It seems like that my alk is sitting at 9.8-10.4 as of now I need to dose 2 gallons of water with 1/2 pickling lime and drip 1drip every 2 seconds to keep it up and that is every to 2 days that i do this