Heater in Kalkwasser Reservoir

[Oshanickreef]

Hello everyone,

I'm dosing about 2 gallons of saturated kalk every night and I noticed that my temp in my system was dropping almost a full degree during the kalk dosing hours. I am trying to stabilize this and I have a heater on a controller in my 32 gal brute trash can kalk reservoir. My question is, will this potentially cause any issues with the heater and high ph of the kalk? or will it create potency or solubility issues with the kalk?

I did make sure the heater is on its side and is below my float switch that shuts off my kalk doser when the kalk level is low so I don't run the heater dry and melt my brute trash can... For some reason I still feel like it could be a potential hazard. Anyone have any tips on keeping the kalk solution warm?

Thanks in advance!

Nick

 

[Dburr1014]

Hello everyone,

I'm dosing about 2 gallons of saturated kalk every night and I noticed that my temp in my system was dropping almost a full degree during the kalk dosing hours. I am trying to stabilize this and I have a heater on a controller in my 32 gal brute trash can kalk reservoir. My question is, will this potentially cause any issues with the heater and high ph of the kalk? or will it create potency or solubility issues with the kalk?

I did make sure the heater is on its side and is below my float switch that shuts off my kalk doser when the kalk level is low so I don't run the heater dry and melt my brute trash can... For some reason I still feel like it could be a potential hazard. Anyone have any tips on keeping the kalk solution warm?

Thanks in advance!

Nick

What's the total system volume?
Is it dosing to a sump? How big sump?
I wouldn't heat it. Most likely will crud up no time flat.
If your dosing to a sump and that is where your temp reading is also, small chance your whole system feels that temp swing.

 

[exnisstech]

Personly I don't see a problem with a swing of 1 degree. Mine have to swing 1 degree before the heater is turned on. My temps swing by as much as 3 degrees durring summer months and always have. Do you have something in your tank that is so sensitive that 1 degree in temp swing is a danger to it?

 

[Oshanickreef]

Personly I don't see a problem with a swing of 1 degree. Mine have to swing 1 degree before the heater is turned on. My temps swing by as much as 3 degrees durring summer months and always have. Do you have something in your tank that is so sensitive that 1 degree in temp swing is a danger to it?

I am not sure.. My tank is primarily SPS so I always try to keep things as stable as possible. My corals seem fine but i would love to see more polyp extension and also more of those eye catching colors.

As for your 3 degree temp swing that sounds potentially harmful. I would dial that in a little bit if at all possible.

 

[Dburr1014]

What's the total system volume?
Is it dosing to a sump? How big sump?
I wouldn't heat it. Most likely will crud up no time flat.
If your dosing to a sump and that is where your temp reading is also, small chance your whole system feels that temp swing.

 

[Oshanickreef]

What's the total system volume?
Is it dosing to a sump? How big sump?
I wouldn't heat it. Most likely will crud up no time flat.
If your dosing to a sump and that is where your temp reading is also, small chance your whole system feels that temp swing.

Total system volume is about 140 gallons. my Kalk is dosing into my skimmer which is in the first section of my 30 gallon sump. the temperature probe is in the 4th section (return section) of my sump.. i would think that the temp would level out before hitting the probe but i suppose this could be the reason i see such a drastic change in temp. Tonight i will put the probe in a separate tank and see if the temperature change is as large. thanks for the idea!

 

[exnisstech]

As for your 3 degree temp swing that sounds potentially harmful. I would dial that in a little bit if at all possible.

It's been that way since I started 8 years ago. The only way I could correct it is with chillers and I'm not concerned enough to spend that kind of money. Many people have swings way more than 1 degree throughout the day, especially in summer months.

 

[Oshanickreef]

It's been that way since I started 8 years ago. The only way I could correct it is with chillers and I'm not concerned enough to spend that kind of money. Many people have swings way more than 1 degree throughout the day, especially in summer months.

ya i noticed that i used to have temp swings of 1.5 degrees up to 7 times a day. so 7 separate temp swings every day... since i noticed that i have been trying to reduce the peaks and valleys and level that graph out but it probably wont make too much of a difference ... but also maybe it will!

 

[Dburr1014]

Total system volume is about 140 gallons. my Kalk is dosing into my skimmer which is in the first section of my 30 gallon sump. the temperature probe is in the 4th section (return section) of my sump.. i would think that the temp would level out before hitting the probe but i suppose this could be the reason i see such a drastic change in temp. Tonight i will put the probe in a separate tank and see if the temperature change is as large. thanks for the idea!

I don't think it will be that big.
It may drop in the sump but when it hits the tank, there's a whole bunch more water to mix with.

 

[Midrats]

You don't have a problem. Small temperature swings are inconsequential. Check out how much temperature changes on a real reef.

 

[exnisstech]

ya i noticed that i used to have temp swings of 1.5 degrees up to 7 times a day. so 7 separate temp swings every day... since i noticed that i have been trying to reduce the peaks and valleys and level that graph out but it probably wont make too much of a difference ... but also maybe it will!

Nothing wrong with trying to keep things stable. I just try not to worry about small stuff if it isn't affecting live stock. My Gal already says my hobby has evolved to an obsession so I try to relax a little. That and the only thing that I have automated is ato and kalk dripping into one sump so I really don't know what my temps are doing unless I check the inkbird app which I rarely do as I have high and low alarm levels set.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I think the focus should be adequate heater size for the tank volume.

Although there are concerns going with a higher wattage heaters, but I would address the ability of the current heater(s) to keep the tank temp stable.

Adding a heater inside the kalk container is going to open more issues than just addressing the root of the problem.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

ya i noticed that i used to have temp swings of 1.5 degrees up to 7 times a day. so 7 separate temp swings every day... since i noticed that i have been trying to reduce the peaks and valleys and level that graph out but it probably wont make too much of a difference ... but also maybe it will!

Kalkwasser cannot be a cause of problematic temperature swings, since you must already be dosing it very slowly.

Adding 1% of the tank volume all at once is highly undesirable from a pH spike perspective, and if the kalkwasser is 50 deg F and the tank is 80 deg F, that 1% all at once addition will only drop temp overall by 0.3 deg F.

It is also typically undesirable to heat kalwkasser, since less calcium hydroxide will dissolve as the temperature rises.

 

[Potatohead]

Two gallons into 140g system sounds like a lot

Are you sure the temp swing isn't from the lights being off or anything like that?

 

[Oshanickreef]

I think the focus should be adequate heater size for the tank volume.

Although there are concerns going with a higher wattage heaters, but I would address the ability of the current heater(s) to keep the tank temp stable.

Adding a heater inside the kalk container is going to open more issues than just addressing the root of the problem.

Ya i am thinking i will remove the heater when i get home from work and im going to add a few more hours to my kalk dosing time.

 

[Oshanickreef]

Kalkwasser cannot be a cause of problematic temperature swings, since you must already be dosing it very slowly.

Adding 1% of the tank volume all at once is highly undesirable from a pH spike perspective, and if the kalkwasser is 50 deg F and the tank is 80 deg F, that 1% all at once addition will only drop temp overall by 0.3 deg F.

It is also typically undesirable to heat kalwkasser, since less calcium hydroxide will dissolve as the temperature rises.

good to know. thanks for the tip. i will be taking the heater out. seems like it could potentially cause more issues than it would be fixing.

 

[Oshanickreef]

Two gallons into 140g system sounds like a lot

Are you sure the temp swing isn't from the lights being off or anything like that?

i have 3 radions on my system and they dont get very hot. lots of ventilation too as the lights are not in a sealed canopy or anything like that. I am thinking i might double check my heaters and see if they are still good. i have 2 heaters online now and it seems like there might be potential that one of them isnt working to its full potential. that or i have the heater turned down too much and it isnt able to heat to my tanks settings on the apex.

 

[Captiv8]

Hello everyone,

I'm dosing about 2 gallons of saturated kalk every night and I noticed that my temp in my system was dropping almost a full degree during the kalk dosing hours. I am trying to stabilize this and I have a heater on a controller in my 32 gal brute trash can kalk reservoir. My question is, will this potentially cause any issues with the heater and high ph of the kalk? or will it create potency or solubility issues with the kalk?

I did make sure the heater is on its side and is below my float switch that shuts off my kalk doser when the kalk level is low so I don't run the heater dry and melt my brute trash can... For some reason I still feel like it could be a potential hazard. Anyone have any tips on keeping the kalk solution warm?

Thanks in advance!

Nick

Nick,
Calcium hydroxide solubility decreases with increasing water temperature; this is a matter of a characteristic called retrograde solubility. Heating the kalk sol'n with a heater will cause solubility (and solution strength) to decrease. In case you weren't aware.

Best,
Chris

 

[Oshanickreef]

Nick,
Calcium hydroxide solubility decreases with increasing water temperature; this is a matter of a characteristic called retrograde solubility. Heating the kalk sol'n with a heater will cause solubility (and solution strength) to decrease. In case you weren't aware.

Best,
Chris

thanks for the info. i will def be removing the heater when i get home from work today!