Adding Kalk Reactor to Ca Reactor System..

[sntlewis]

I am getting ready to add a Kalk Reactor to a Ca Reactor System (system just a bit large for 2part - 200+ gallons). Primary this is to control ALK and Ph swings.

Will run through ATO/Peristaltic pump (avast marine).

Is it better to shut the CA reactor down (temporarily) and let Kalk be the main Ca/Alk source and then slowly bring CA reactor back online or...

Add Kalk reactor into system with Ca reactor up and running..

I will monitor tank ph with apex either way..

Several years ago I ran both at the same time and had great results so I want to get back to that. Scary thing was that I just did that arrangement with little more than a ph probe/controller on the Ca reactor..

I'd like to think that I'm smarter, wiser, and more careful now ;Pompus

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you have an ides how large the demand in the tank is in dKH per day?

Assuming it is reasonably high, I'd add the limewater to the current system as is, and dial back the reactor if it is needed (it may not be, if the demand rises enough to offset the limewater additions).

 

[sntlewis]

Not really except by taking CA Reactor completely offline. I have been adding Baking Soda over the last two weeks to raise/help stablize the ALK. Usual doses of Baking soda are 3-5 tsps about every 3-5 days. I was using the reef chemistry calculator which works out to be about 0.4 dkh per day.

It also seemed that I had to dose Baking soda several times before the ALK "balanced" with the Calcium which seemed odd to me since the CA reactor was keeping the CA in the 450 range. So I'm hoping for a double benefit from the ALK reactor: one keeping PH a bit tighter (swings from 7.95 to 8.28) and ALK more stable as well).

 

[sntlewis]

I also estimate that my top water usage is about 1.5 gallons/day. Since I know the top-off amount, if I could find how much ALK would be added since I will be running the ATO water through an avast marine kalk stirrer, I think I would be able to rest a bit more comfortable..

Also I've read where some run the ATO/Kalk system 24/7 (I used to year ago, but maybe I was just lucky that I didn't bomb my system) where others run ATO/Kalk only at night. Obviously with my lighting system and dry house, evaporation is going to vary.

So is that something to worry about, or am I overthinking this whole thing...

 

[sntlewis]

Just checked my average ATO usage per day it is up to 2.5 gallons per day.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You can use this calculator to determine how much alk and calcium saturated limewater adds, but it won't rise quite that much (if at all) as the pH rises and increases demand. The stirrer may also not saturate the limewater:

Reef Chemistry Calculator
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html