Is Kalk all it’s cracked up to be?

[btkrausen]

Each tank is different. For instance, if you have a large tank with a lot of calcium demands, a kalk reactor may not even be enough for you. However, the beauty of dosing is that you can increase dosing or potency..to a certain extent...and increase your levels if they need to be higher. You can then reduce if they get too high. You'll find the sweet spot fairly quickly.

 

[Curtie44]

Hmmmm, I was wondering how to be sure I had the correct mixture if I was to leave the settled Kalk in the bottom of the Brute. Maybe it would be better to just rinse it out and start with fresh.

 

[btkrausen]

Yeah, kalk is cheap enough. Buy a big thing of it on BFS for $10 and you'll be set. Or, buy some Ms. Wages Pickling Lime from your grocery...its the exact same thing. I chuckle every time I see that in Walmart now.

Remember that a gallon of water can only absorb 2 tsp of kalk, so even if you had a little extra in your container, it shouldn't effect it too much if you are pulling the clear limewater from the top. It'll raise your Alk a little but, but as long as you don't dump a ton in there, it shouldn't effect anything.

 

[Curtie44]

I just exhausted my Co2 tank today so maybe I'll mix up a small container and give it a shot. Then, if I'm happy I'll go for the whole 42 gallons. Thanks for all the replies.

 

[VelasCorals]

GOOD NEWS!

I just tested calc and alk again. The results from yesterday were 420ppm calc and 12dkh for alk. Today, the calcium is still at 420ppm and the alkalinity is still at 12dkh WITHOUT adding any two part! So far, so good. I'll keep testing the rest of this week to see if the reading stay stable then I'll move to bi-weekly and weekly.

I'm so happy this is actually work.. so far!

 

[btkrausen]

Great news, glad its working out for you. Just think of the money you'll save on buying two part

 

[PR_Reefers]

To answer both your questions the outlet is all the way at the top of the reactor. The water from the inlet is forced down the tube to the sprinkler head that stirs at the bottom. The sediment stays at he bottom and the clear mixed kalk water goes out the top of the reactor and into the sump. There no milky mixture that goes into the sump.

thanks...one more question...:squigglemouth: how fast or at what rate does it overflow into the tank? I'm thinking with a maxijet won't the limewater be introduced to the tank at a rate that might cause ph problems?? or how do you regulate it?

 

[VelasCorals]

thanks...one more question...:squigglemouth: how fast or at what rate does it overflow into the tank? I'm thinking with a maxijet won't the limewater be introduced to the tank at a rate that might cause ph problems?? or how do you regulate it?

I thought so too and that is why I installed the ball valve in the intake line to reduce the flow. However, I have the intake valve open to 100% and the kalk just dribbles into the sump. You have to remember though, the way the TLF is designed it goes from 1/2" inlet and reduced to 3/16" with the sprinkler head to mixed the kalk and that reduced the flow significantly.

If you make your own kalk reactor I would say install a ball valve or reduce the inlet tube so you don’t get a huge surge of kalk to your system.

 

[btkrausen]

Thanks for clearing that up forrealb50, those were my few last questions as well. Looks like they did their homework on this thing and did a good job designing it. You'll have to keep up to date on maintenance of the reactor and how it holds up.

 

[VelasCorals]

Thanks for clearing that up forrealb50, those were my few last questions as well. Looks like they did their homework on this thing and did a good job designing it. You'll have to keep up to date on maintenance of the reactor and how it holds up.

Yep, so far so good. I almost feel like this was so easy to do it's too good to be true.

Also, I calculated that I need to add a 1/3 cup of kalk powder each week because my systems has an evap rate of around 7-8 gallons a week.

2 tsp per gallon -> 8 gallons = 16 tsp = 1/3 cup

That's correct right?

 

[btkrausen]

Yeah, 2 tsp is the max that a gallon can absorb, so that would give you the maximum potency in your limewater. Just keep an eye on your levels and adjust as you move on. You may find, like me, that you don't need that much, cause you are needing to replace more water than you need to dose strong limewater. I set my pump to replenish the water first, and then adjust the potency of the kalk afterwards.

 

[korndogg091]

is there a difference between a kalk reactor and a kalk stirrer? or is it the same thing with different names?

 

[VelasCorals]

is there a difference between a kalk reactor and a kalk stirrer? or is it the same thing with different names?

Same thing, different names. The TLF reactor stirs but with a sprinkler head. Some have an electric motor that stirs it up.

 

[btkrausen]

is there a difference between a kalk reactor and a kalk stirrer? or is it the same thing with different names?

Same thing really, just different ways of mixing the kalk. A stirrer usually has a motor on the top, and extents a shaft with some blades at the bottom to mix the kalk.

If its not a stirrer type, it'll use a pump, like a maxijet, to stir. Both, however, are still "reactors", its just a different way of mixing the kalk solution at the bottom.

 

[MarvinsReef]

stickied!

 

[btkrausen]

stickied!

Awesome. You should sticky my writeup that I did as well Its linked on the first page.

Congrats to forrealb50!!

 

[zemuss]

Ok so the RO/DI water gets pumped through the KALK reactor?

Currently I just add the KALK powder to my RO/DI reservoir then when the tank needs a top off the Milky water is pumped into the sump. Am I doing it wrong? I am not quite following the setup here.

 

[btkrausen]

Ok so the RO/DI water gets pumped through the KALK reactor?

Currently I just add the KALK powder to my RO/DI reservoir then when the tank needs a top off the Milky water is pumped into the sump. Am I doing it wrong? I am not quite following the setup here.

Yeah, you don't want the water going into the tank to be cloudy if you can help it. It should be clear.

And you are correct, the RO/DI water gets pumped through the reactor, and then drips into the tank.

 

[fab1971]

Great thread! I've been in the hobby for years and have always heard of adding kalk but thought it was hard and complicated. In addition, I just got into sps this past week so I figured I didn't need it for my tank before. Well I just ordered some kalk mix and will doing it manually (too poor for ato and reactor) :sad:. Anyways, my question is are there differences or advantages among the different types of mixes in the market? I bought the Kent Marine Kalk mix. It's a company I've always trusted. Next time though, I might just get a cheaper generic type.

 

[btkrausen]

Most of them are generally the same, some claim to be pure, and don't. I've been using the BulkReefSupply and its super cheap. The Brightwell Aquatics brand claims to add Strontium and Magnesium in the same mixture, but I haven't tried that out yet. I think it was Marvin or Troy that was using it.