IceCap Kalkwasser Kalk Mixing Reactor review and Test.
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zachj7
Community Member
Just got this Kalk Reactor recently to replace my 10 year old one (the stir bar motor failed). I like it a lot, much better design. Magnetic coupled stirrer is pretty ingenious. Easy to add kalk powder without having to take anything apart.
I run my top off RO/DI water through it. Freshwater Reservoir to needle valve (to restrict flow to just drips) to NC solenoid to the Kalk Reactor to the Sump. Solenoid controls on/off of drip flow, controlled by Apex with water level switch in sump. Reactor is set to mix every 6 hours. Solenoid is programmed to be off during and after mixing times.
I have been testing out just adding small amounts of powder to the reactor daily as opposed to larger amounts weekly as i have always done prior. Just seems like the pH kick is much more effective this way. Thoughts on that?
Haven't had any issues with the outlet clogging yet, but even 1/2" tubing will clog eventually if you don't clean it. Takes years but it will happen, trust me, haha.
I run my top off RO/DI water through it. Freshwater Reservoir to needle valve (to restrict flow to just drips) to NC solenoid to the Kalk Reactor to the Sump. Solenoid controls on/off of drip flow, controlled by Apex with water level switch in sump. Reactor is set to mix every 6 hours. Solenoid is programmed to be off during and after mixing times.
I have been testing out just adding small amounts of powder to the reactor daily as opposed to larger amounts weekly as i have always done prior. Just seems like the pH kick is much more effective this way. Thoughts on that?
Haven't had any issues with the outlet clogging yet, but even 1/2" tubing will clog eventually if you don't clean it. Takes years but it will happen, trust me, haha.
Hi all,
Great conversation. It has helped a bunch. I purchased an IceCap Kalkwasser Reactor to be able to dose kalk. I was doing the ATO route for a spell, but I didn't like the mess in the reservoir and if some event triggered a massive ATO session, it would lead to huge spikes in pH. After having let my system stabilize a bit, I still see a need to help boost pH and figured this would be the answer. I have a spare Apex PMUP and was planning on using it. However, I learned quickly that it is not the right tool for the job. So two questions, one more or less rhetorical:
1) This reactor must use a low-pressure feed from the RODI reservoir, right? Without restricting flow, the unit overflows uncontrollably. I am wondering why the PVC cap wasn't threaded, that would have helped.
2) As a result of (1) I need to use a different feed source. I was already thinking about getting another DOS. My concern is that my reactor isn't feeding into a sump as I have an All-in-One (a decision I now regret). This means I have a few feet of vertical travel for the Kalk reactor output to reach the tank. Will the DOS be able to handle this and should I be concerned about pressure build-up at the cap? My brain is having problems imaging any dosing pump not fill up the chamber and pushing the cap off if the pressure of moving up 4 ft of tubing is greater than just pushing off the cap.
My IceCap didn't come with instructions and I can't find anything specifically mentioning the performance of the cap. Only that variable rate pumps would be best as would timers.
Any feedback or comments would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
Great conversation. It has helped a bunch. I purchased an IceCap Kalkwasser Reactor to be able to dose kalk. I was doing the ATO route for a spell, but I didn't like the mess in the reservoir and if some event triggered a massive ATO session, it would lead to huge spikes in pH. After having let my system stabilize a bit, I still see a need to help boost pH and figured this would be the answer. I have a spare Apex PMUP and was planning on using it. However, I learned quickly that it is not the right tool for the job. So two questions, one more or less rhetorical:
1) This reactor must use a low-pressure feed from the RODI reservoir, right? Without restricting flow, the unit overflows uncontrollably. I am wondering why the PVC cap wasn't threaded, that would have helped.
2) As a result of (1) I need to use a different feed source. I was already thinking about getting another DOS. My concern is that my reactor isn't feeding into a sump as I have an All-in-One (a decision I now regret). This means I have a few feet of vertical travel for the Kalk reactor output to reach the tank. Will the DOS be able to handle this and should I be concerned about pressure build-up at the cap? My brain is having problems imaging any dosing pump not fill up the chamber and pushing the cap off if the pressure of moving up 4 ft of tubing is greater than just pushing off the cap.
My IceCap didn't come with instructions and I can't find anything specifically mentioning the performance of the cap. Only that variable rate pumps would be best as would timers.
Any feedback or comments would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
Last edited:
OP
OP
As for not being threaded you would have to ask CoralVue but I suspect they did it because it is easier to just pull off.
The reactor is passive. Basically the water just overflows into the output. The output tubing should always be lower that the water level in the reactor.. Basically you pump water into the reactor and the reactor overflows and the water runs out the output. So the tubing at any point needs to be lower than the output of the reactor.
The water level should not reach the cap or you are feeding to much water.
The reactor is passive. Basically the water just overflows into the output. The output tubing should always be lower that the water level in the reactor.. Basically you pump water into the reactor and the reactor overflows and the water runs out the output. So the tubing at any point needs to be lower than the output of the reactor.
The water level should not reach the cap or you are feeding to much water.
Thanks! Disappointing news, but I should have guessed it from the applications I've seen. Now I need to decide what to do with this thing.
OP
OP
Gallon rating is just that a rating. You need to look at demand.
For example I will use skimmers. They come with a gallon rating of like 90 to 150 gallon aquarium. That is the wrong way to size a skimmer. It should be to demand. Lets say I have a 120 gallon aquarium with 5 small fish and someone has a 120 gallon with 20 small fish. Which should have a bigger skimmer? Now lets say we have the same size aquarium and same size and amount of fish but I have a algae scrubber. Who would require the biggest skimmer? Not me because I have another method of nutrient export.
Same with these you need to look at demand. Lots of stonies will require a larger one. If you supplement with 2 part of 3 part, have a calcium reactor you can go smaller.
You can never add more than evaporation rate because eventually you overflow the sump of if you do not have a sump the aquarium.
The way reactors like this work is they add freshwater and they overflow so the more water you add the more it dilutes the kalk. Once the stirrer goes off it re-saturates the water. You want to have enough Time for the slurry to settle before adding more water to the tank.. So if you add allot because of high demand you may end up just adding really diluted water.
For example I will use skimmers. They come with a gallon rating of like 90 to 150 gallon aquarium. That is the wrong way to size a skimmer. It should be to demand. Lets say I have a 120 gallon aquarium with 5 small fish and someone has a 120 gallon with 20 small fish. Which should have a bigger skimmer? Now lets say we have the same size aquarium and same size and amount of fish but I have a algae scrubber. Who would require the biggest skimmer? Not me because I have another method of nutrient export.
Same with these you need to look at demand. Lots of stonies will require a larger one. If you supplement with 2 part of 3 part, have a calcium reactor you can go smaller.
You can never add more than evaporation rate because eventually you overflow the sump of if you do not have a sump the aquarium.
The way reactors like this work is they add freshwater and they overflow so the more water you add the more it dilutes the kalk. Once the stirrer goes off it re-saturates the water. You want to have enough Time for the slurry to settle before adding more water to the tank.. So if you add allot because of high demand you may end up just adding really diluted water.
BTW since a few folks have pinged me re IceCap. I have since hooked mine up to a DOS and elevated it above the water level of the tank (since I don't yet have a sump). Thanks for the great advice and feedback.
For an overflow gravity-fed device, it works. I find that lower dosages tend to be "caught" in the tubes. I find that I need to keep the cap "on" but not on "firmly." It creates a vacuum and the kalkwasser just collects and comes rushing down all at once if I'm not careful. I've had to switch up programming and test a different route in addition to a more loose-fitting of the cap. This seems to do well enough (though still testing with active monitoring):
In addition to the regular schedule, I have this for supplementing since consumption does seem to vary throughout the day-to-day:
Code:
If Output MAINTENANCE = ON Then OFF -- don't want to dose when there isn't circulation in AIO chamber
If Output FEEDTIME = ON Then OFF
If Output KALKMIXTIME= ON Then OFF -- off during kalk mix (5 min at 8 am & 6 pm) + 55 min settling periods
If pH < 8.25 Then ON -- if schedule dosing isn't adequate, override to supplement
OSC 000:00/000:30/015:00 Then ON -- only 30 seconds at a time with 15 min periods in between
If pH > 8.25 Then OFF -- stop when close to target and allow drift to do its thing
Kjames
Active Member
How many ml/min are you dosing when it is running? The fluid caught in the drain tube then rushing out is giving me anxiety that an overflow will happen eventually. I'm at 2ml/min running continuously except during mixing. Really want to increase that drain tube diameter.
Also experiencing the pH spike when mixing elevates the solution above the drain hole.
I’m afraid I don’t have that data any longer as I’ve torn down that system and decommissioned the Apex EL on that tank.
Having said that, I had the DOS configured dispense 2L a day. It decided the ml per interval over the 24 hrs period. With the above programming it would usually get to dispense the whole volume as pH, Alk, and events like maintenance, feedtime, and kalk mix times would prevent dosing. My tank was happiest when I used this setup to maintain around 9.5-10 dkh and a pH range of 8.2 - 8.3 using that setup.
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