Help me select a Kalkwasser reactor/stirrer

[ReeferCub]

I have a 42 gallon tank. Mostly sps and sps frags and min colonies.
I have been dosing kalkwasser for some time now. I want to automate the process as much as possible. Hence looking for a good quality Kalkwasser reactor/stirrer.
There are so many options and so few reviews. Please help me select.
I am not sure which is a better option. Do I need the reactor or the stirrer?
I have zeroed in on the following ones:
1. My Reef Creations - Nilsen reactor (the small one)
2. Reef Octopus KS-100
3. Precision Marine KR 620

I am open to all ideas and suggestions. If you are using them, please let me know your reviews. If there are better ones out there, let me know that too.

 

[ultimatemj]

I use the Avast Kalk stirrer and have no complaints.

If you are up for a little DIY, the "you built" version saves you money. Very simple to assemble, just a matter of time vs money.

 

[Chris Adams]

you have an ato unit i assume?
I run this on my im 38 attached to my tunze 3155 and can't complain for the price.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/two-little-fishies-kalkwasser-stirrer-reactor-300.html

 

[ReeferCub]

you have an ato unit i assume?
I run this on my im 38 attached to my tunze 3155 and can't complain for the price.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/two-little-fishies-kalkwasser-stirrer-reactor-300.html

I have ATO. But I want to use a separate doser.

 

[butters417]

I use the Avast Kalk stirrer and have no complaints.

If you are up for a little DIY, the "you built" version saves you money. Very simple to assemble, just a matter of time vs money.

Same here

 

[john.m.cole3]

I use the Tunze calcium dispenser. It hooks up to your ATO, but it sounds like you want to have it's own independent pump. Ist that so you have it work more frequently at night to keep ph from dropping?

 

[mcarroll]

I use the Tunze calcium dispenser. It hooks up to your ATO, but it sounds like you want to have it's own independent pump. Ist that so you have it work more frequently at night to keep ph from dropping?

I use the Tunze 5074 as well....I like it. Pretty much needs to be recharged with each ATO fill-up.

 

[mcarroll]

Doing a bulk setup/still reservoir like @Randy Holmes-Farley is a good option too...lower-maintenance if you have the room.

 

[ReeferCub]

I use the Tunze 5074 as well....I like it. Pretty much needs to be recharged with each ATO fill-up.

I am looking in to this option too.

The goal is to have something which is low maintenance, long lasting and easy to use.
I already have a good quality doser. I want to just hook this unit to the doser and let apex take care of the dosing. Currently I am using a separate container to store the kalk water. The problem I am facing is that I have to shake the jar frequently otherwise the kalkwater being dosed is of uneven concentration. This is the main problem I am trying to solve. I am trying to maintain my calcium & alkalinity levels using kalk. Ph is a secondary benefit.

 

[john.m.cole3]

I am looking in to this option too.

The goal is to have something which is low maintenance, long lasting and easy to use.
I already have a good quality doser. I want to just hook this unit to the doser and let apex take care of the dosing. Currently I am using a separate container to store the kalk water. The problem I am facing is that I have to shake the jar frequently otherwise the kalkwater being dosed is of uneven concentration. This is the main problem I am trying to solve. I am trying to maintain my calcium & alkalinity levels using kalk. Ph is a secondary benefit.

The tunze calcium dispenser or 5074 is the most low maintenance solution. You always get a fully concentrated dose of kalk bc when the ATO kicks on, the water is injected towards the bottom of the cylinder holding the kalk. This keeps it "stirred" if you will. Plus there are no moving parts to break. I had to adjust how much kalk powder I put in the reactor every week to find my sweet spot. I probably top off 6 gallons a week and I put 2 slightly rounded teaspoons of kalk in the reactor. It's simple just dump it in, no shaking required.

 

[jason2459]

Here's my kalkwasser setup

Any cheap container

Couldn't be easier to maintain, low cost, and automate.

Fill with water, dump in some kalk, stir with a pvc pipe for 30 seconds, and place a lid on top.

Put in some tubing a couple inches off the bottom then set the pump for ATO or on a timer pumping in slightly less then the evaporation rate.


Periodically add more water, stir the slurry up on the bottom for 30 seconds, and place the lid back on top. I give a couple hours for things (precipitation and undesolved kalk) to settle back down before turning the dosing pump back on.

Absolutely no need to keep stirring.

Repeat and even less periodically dump in some more kalk.

I used to use it for ATO. I've been dosing via timer to keep alk more consistent and constant. Currently dosing for 1 second every 1 minute 30 seconds. 24/7

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

 

[jason2459]

The tunze calcium dispenser or 5074 is the most low maintenance solution. You always get a fully concentrated dose of kalk bc when the ATO kicks on, the water is injected towards the bottom of the cylinder holding the kalk. This keeps it "stirred" if you will. Plus there are no moving parts to break. I had to adjust how much kalk powder I put in the reactor every week to find my sweet spot. I probably top off 6 gallons a week and I put 2 slightly rounded teaspoons of kalk in the reactor. It's simple just dump it in, no shaking required.

Are you sure its fully concentrated if pump used is under powered or not dosing impurities if the pump used is to strong?

 

[ReeferCub]

Here's my kalkwasser setup

Any cheap container

Couldn't be easier to maintain, low cost, and automate.

Fill with water, dump in some kalk, stir with a pvc pipe for 30 seconds, and place a lid on top.

Put in some tubing a couple inches off the bottom then set the pump for ATO or on a timer pumping in slightly less then the evaporation rate.


Periodically add more water, stir the slurry up on the bottom for 30 seconds, and place the lid back on top. I give a couple hours for things (precipitation and undesolved kalk) to settle back down before turning the dosing pump back on.

Absolutely no need to keep stirring.

Repeat and even less periodically dump in some more kalk.

I used to use it for ATO. I've been dosing via timer to keep alk more consistent and constant. Currently dosing for 1 second every 1 minute 30 seconds. 24/7

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php

This is basically what I do now. And the problems I face is I have to stir the water manually like 2 to 3 times a day. It becomes a difficult thing to do if I am out of town or if I simply forget. If I do not stir or stir too much the concentration changes. It either results in less concentration than I desire and the worst is more concentration result in ph spikes.

 

[jason2459]

This is basically what I do now. And the problems I face is I have to stir the water manually like 2 to 3 times a day. It becomes a difficult thing to do if I am out of town or if I simply forget. If I do not stir or stir too much the concentration changes. It either results in less concentration than I desire and the worst is more concentration result in ph spikes.

Once stirred and dissolved you do not need to stir again until you add either more water or more kalk. If you keep stirring that will introduce CO2 which will react with the kalk causing precipitation that will not dissolved and will be useless.

Make sure your lid is on and is form fitting. Doesn't have to be air tight though. There should be a crust that forms on the top which is precipitated calcium from the kalk reacting with CO2 above it. That's ok and can help protect the rest of the still water reservoir.

I highly suggest anyone looking at using kalkwasser aka limewater to read that article I linked to above by Randy Holmes-Farley.

 

[john.m.cole3]

Are you sure its fully concentrated if pump used is under powered or not dosing impurities if the pump used is to strong?

No, I'm not sure, but that's probably why they recommend pairing it with the tunze ATO 3155. the check valve I installed on it (one it came w/ was junk) slows down the pump speed, so I cranked up the pump full blast. No powder gets in the tank

 

[mcarroll]

Are you sure its fully concentrated if pump used is under powered or not dosing impurities if the pump used is to strong?

You have you use something close to an EC meter to measure the reactor's output to really know.

Check out:
Best EC/mS Meter For Limewater Measurement?

 

[Jongalt26]

I have the precision marine and I highly recommend it, especially in comparison to the MRC. Its a shame because i wanted the blueline pump with the MRC.
The nice thing about the precision marine is that it has a drain tube and fill cap making refilling very easy. Just drain some of the water into a gallon jug, add more kalk to the unit and fill it back up, takes only a few minutes. The unit doesnt have to be pulled out of your system at all. Instead of going the ATO route for me, i use my doser and have the KW stirrer a few feet away from my sump so being able to 'pressurize' the unit was a deciding factor. I couldnt go with the Avast unit because of this.

 

[ReeferCub]

I have the precision marine and I highly recommend it, especially in comparison to the MRC. Its a shame because i wanted the blueline pump with the MRC.
The nice thing about the precision marine is that it has a drain tube and fill cap making refilling very easy. Just drain some of the water into a gallon jug, add more kalk to the unit and fill it back up, takes only a few minutes. The unit doesnt have to be pulled out of your system at all. Instead of going the ATO route for me, i use my doser and have the KW stirrer a few feet away from my sump so being able to 'pressurize' the unit was a deciding factor. I couldnt go with the Avast unit because of this.

Thank you. That helps a lot. Is it possible for you to share some photos of your PM kw reactor setup.
Also how big is your tank? How often do you have to replinish the kw? Could you share some details about your reactor pump running schedule and how you run the doser?

 

[ultimatemj]

Why would you want to 'pressurize' a kalk reactor?

The simplicity of the Avast is a big part of the appeal...just a little stirring motor and a connection to a peripump that feeds in RODI.

Note, you don't have to have it run in series with ATO, it can also be run parallel with a second dosing pump to push top off water through the K-1.

That allows running the kalk on a schedule, but I just run the kalk as the main ATO line and when PH is above 8.3 the Apex switches and runs the second 'just water' ATO line.

Maintenance is low
1) add a tbl lime every weekend
2) every 6mo or so, empty the solids and wipe clean the unit

 

[Jongalt26]

If i remember i'll take some additional pictures tonight. My tank is a 150 with a 60 gallon sump with a total water volume of about 160 gallons. Ive had the stirrer online since the beginning of July and i've added KW to it twice and will be adding more this weekend. I add less than 1 cup every 6 weeks or so. I use my Apex for the pump schedule and the pump runs for 10 minutes every 6 hours, the code is as follows:
Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/010:00/360:00 Then ON

I have a Kore 5th doser, i route a line from my auto top off container through the doser and into the input of the nilsen reactor. This way i only have to fill one container with RO water.
I route the output of the reactor directly to my sump. I'll verify my dosing schedule when I get home.