Kalk Reactor

[John D'Amico]

My tank has been running for several months. All corals and fish doing well. I am finishing the set up of a calcium reactor this weekend. All parameters are good. Ph is a bit lower than I'd like at 8. Is anyone still running a kalk Reactor? If not, what are some methods being used to get a slight boost to ph?

Thanks

 

[vabben]

I run Kalk 24/7 with a recirculating Co2 scrubber on my skimmer to keep my PH 8.3-8.5. If the family and I leave for a weekend, the PH gets up to 8.6+, with no negative effects that I've noticed.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I dose saturated kalk at night, run a refugium, and have an outside airline to the skimmer.

 

[John D'Amico]

My current setup is main tank on first floor plumbed down to sump in the basement. First into reefmat 500 which is in the same compartment as bubble magus curve 5 skimmer. Water then flies into refugium section with chaeto with 2 tunze chic 10000 lights. Then into section with return pump.

How would I plumb in a scrubber?
Do you run the kalk from a stirrer/reactor?
I've read some people dosing from ATO reservoir.

 

[John D'Amico]

I dose saturated kalk at night, run a refugium, and have an outside airline to the skimmer.

I want to be as automated as possible. I know myself... Lol... Don't want to rely on myself needing to do something daily.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I want to be as automated as possible. I know myself... Lol... Don't want to rely on myself needing to do something daily.

My kalk reservoir lasts almost 2 weeks.

 

[John D'Amico]

My kalk reservoir lasts almost 2 weeks.

I assume you're using a dosing pump? On a time? Apex? Not questioning... Trying to learn... Why is that a better option than a reactor?

 

[bobnicaragua]

I assume you're using a dosing pump? On a time? Apex? Not questioning... Trying to learn... Why is that a better option than a reactor?

I use a versa pump and dose 12 hours overnight to make up for most of my evaporation. The amount of kalk I dose is constant. A slurry’s concentration varies.

You want to pull from a little above the bottom so you don’t dose the kalk residue.

 

[John D'Amico]

I use a versa pump and dose 12 hours overnight to make up for most of my evaporation. The amount of kalk I dose is constant. A slurry’s concentration varies.

Does that mean you don't use an ATO? All of your evaporation replacement is done over the 12 hours?

 

[KStatefan]

I use a 7 gallon bucket to hold my saturated kalk solution then dose with a dosing pump 24 hours. I do not use a reactor I do not have faith that they produce a consistent saturated solution.

 

[John D'Amico]

I use a 7 gallon bucket to hold my saturated kalk solution then dose with a dosing pump 24 hours. I do not use a reactor I do not have faith that they produce a consistent saturated solution.

I guess similar to my last response to Bob... Does this replace an ATO?
I use a 55 gallon food grade barrel for ATO. Could I just make that a kalk reservoir?

 

[KStatefan]

I guess similar to my last response to Bob... Does this replace an ATO?
I use a 55 gallon food grade barrel for ATO. Could I just make that a kalk reservoir?

I use both evaporation is not constant and my does kalk demand is not high enough to need all evaporation to be replaced with kalk.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I fit a thin ATO reservoir in infront of the sump. Kalk makes up 99% of my evaporation. Evaporation rates do vary a little.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I guess similar to my last response to Bob... Does this replace an ATO?
I use a 55 gallon food grade barrel for ATO. Could I just make that a kalk reservoir?

You can dose by ato, or a dosing pump dosing less than the daily evaporation and top off the remainder by ato.

A large barrel is a good choice, assuming it has a lid. I used 3x 44 gallon Brute cans to have a 120 gallon reservoir that lasted a month or two.

 

[John D'Amico]

 

[John D'Amico]

Space is no issue. The orange barralel is the ato reservoir.

 

[John D'Amico]

Definitely seems that not many are choosing a kalk Reactor....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Definitely seems that not many are choosing a kalk Reactor....

Plenty are. When space is limited it can work fine, but if space is no concern, it is easier to control things like potency from a settled reservoir.

 

[John D'Amico]

Plenty are. When space is limited it can work fine, but if space is no concern, it is easier to control things like potency from a settled reservoir.

So best option is add another(large as possible) container as kalk reservoir with a foster. Would a co2 scrubber still be recommended?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So best option is add another(large as possible) container as kalk reservoir with a foster. Would a co2 scrubber still be recommended?

Many people find their CO2 problem is significant enough that they want to use multiple options to boost pH. The hydroxide dosing effect can be very small if the needed daily alkalinity is small.