Kalk stirrer fed from display tank?

[Ignitros]

My tank is getting to a point where it uses more calcium than I can supplement via adding kalkwasser to the ATO water. I've seen where most people just set up a constant flow of RO water through the stirrer but I'd just like to set up a constant flow doser to suck tank water and pass it through the kalkwasser stirrer and send it back to the tank at a specific flow every minute. That way I can leave the ATO to do it's job separately. I could set up a calcium reactor but I already have a gifted kalk stirrer that I could use rather than spend more money. My tank is mostly LPS and softies with a few montis and sps here and there. I feel like I could keep up with the alk and calcium consumption with this setup.

What does everyone think? Is it possible to feed display tank water to the stirrer and back to the tank?

 

[cpschult]

No. The kalkwasser will precipitate out if you use tank water. Not an option I would want to do.

 

[Ignitros]

No. The kalkwasser will precipitate out if you use tank water. Not an option I would want to do.

So would you suggest using the ATO storage I already have and just add the constant flow doser to that and draw water from the same container? I might have to fill it more often but I guess that would work. I'll just have to monitor my salinity unless the amount dosed falls under the evaporation levels.

 

[Rakie]

It's time to move on from Kalkwasser. You've maxed out. Doser or calcium reactor time.

 

[Ignitros]

It's time to move on from Kalkwasser. You've maxed out. Doser or calcium reactor time.

I hear what you're saying but I'm not even close. I'm adding 1tsp per 2 gallon of RO water of powder kalkwasser. I could continue to do that but go to 2 tsp per gallon and be perfectly fine. Consumption is just barely past what evaporates at the 1tsp per 2 gallon level. I just really don't like having to mix it in my ATO Reservoir and have to regularly clean the ATO pump as well as clean out the bottom of the ATO Reservoir every month or so. It's more of a maintenance thing for me rather than a consumption thing. Plus the cost of a good calcium reactor with all the parts is around $500 if I'm adding it up correctly.

 

[Rakie]

Oh, I assumed you were maxed out at 2tsp, or possibly even 1TBS +vinegar.

Here's the solution.

1) Buy a pitcher/water jug with a spout like this

2) Mix and let settle until clear (12 hours+)

3) Use spout to get perfectly clean and clear fully saturated kalkwater, and no powder.

4) No more cleaning pump.

 

[Ignitros]

@Rakie ... I already mix it in a 5 gallon bucket and let sit for 24 hours before transferring to the ATO Reservoir. I still get stuff settling in the bottom of the ATO Reservoir and it hardens on the pump as well. Could I be doing something incorrect?

 

[Rakie]

How do you transfer it? If you are lifting the container and pouring then you will have a bunch of particles. That's why the spigot is important.

 

[Ignitros]

How do you transfer it? If you are lifting the container and pouring then you will have a bunch of particles. That's why the spigot is important.

I use a small pump and just dip the hose into the kalkwasser mixture and send it to the ATO Reservoir till I get to about 3" or so from the bottom of the bucket where it's all settled out. I guess I could still be picking up some slurry though.

 

[Rakie]

That sounds relatively safe, i'm sure some slurry is coming in but it's not like you're pouring it.

I upgraded my pump to the little tunze ATO pump and it was rock solid through all my kalk -- I wouldn't say a new pump is directly in order, but a few people replace theirs every couple years.

But with hooking up your kalk stirrer this shouldn't be a problem anyways so were slightly off topic haha

 

[Ignitros]

@Rakie ... I think I'll just hook up the continuous flow doser to the ATO Reservoir and send to the stirrer and set it at a flow where my alk and calcium are consistent and have the ATO pump fill in as needed. I can always raise the flow from the stirrer till I'm forced to do a calcium reactor.

 

[cpschult]

I hear what you're saying but I'm not even close. I'm adding 1tsp per 2 gallon of RO water of powder kalkwasser. I could continue to do that but go to 2 tsp per gallon and be perfectly fine. Consumption is just barely past what evaporates at the 1tsp per 2 gallon level. I just really don't like having to mix it in my ATO Reservoir and have to regularly clean the ATO pump as well as clean out the bottom of the ATO Reservoir every month or so. It's more of a maintenance thing for me rather than a consumption thing. Plus the cost of a good calcium reactor with all the parts is around $500 if I'm adding it up correctly.

When kalk is exposed to air it reacts with the co2 and will precipitate/form a film on the top.

From your original post it seemed like you were using 2tsp+. If you add vinegar to your mixing water you can supersaturate over the 2tsp per gallon of water. I’m a former calcium reactor user. Kalk is much easier and cheaper!

You may reach a point where it can’t keep up at 2tsp/gal. At that point you should look at 2-part or a calcium reactor. Good luck!

 

[garbled]

The point of the stirrer setup is that it keeps the kalkwasser maximally saturated at all times. When you do the tsp into the ATO thing, you don't get maximum saturation over time, it starts to vary as you refill the ato over and over. As others have mentioned, the contact with the air brings down the solubility, which is why the kalk stirrer is sealed up.

What you want is for your ATO res. to only contain RO/DI, and then feed that water via a small dosing pump, or aqualifter through the kalk stirrer to dose kalk into the tank.

 

[Ignitros]

@cpschult @garbled ... I was mainly wanting to avoid 1) the upfront cost of the calcium reactor, 2) the cleanup involved in putting kalkwasser in the ATO and 3) the maintenance involved in eventual water changes due to dosing 2 part. I don't need to do water changes with my refugium handling nitrates and I dose trace elements now to keep up with consumption so the system is pretty maintenance free. My only complaint about kalkwasser in the ATO other than mess is that my pH, calcium and alk do swing a bit just due to the ATO filling the tank every few hours and that's another reason I'd like to just run kalkwasser separate from the ATO. I just wondered if it would be easier to just use tank water for it but sounds like it's better to just draw from a clean ATO Reservoir. I'll just have to fill the ATO Reservoir more often.

I also just read my first post and I did make it sound like I was at the limit for kalkwasser use. I have a ways to go before maxing out. Just wanted to make life a little easier for now.

 

[Bob Lauson]

I made my own 5 gallon Kalk stirrer out of all PVC components and the stirrer turns at 50 rpm with a geared DC motor from McMasterr Carr. It is separate from the ATO and is dosed in based on pH. The water level is kept constant with a mechanical float hooked up to my RO/DI supply. In dump about 1 cup of kalk in every month or so.

 

[bluewill]

your looking for an answer that's not there. water will saturate with kalk somewhere around 1 to 2 teaspoons per gallon . even if you replace all your evaporated water in your system with kalk saturated water , and the demand for calcium is still grater than that . you need to also supplement with additional calcium , all us kalk users have the same issue. usually this is done with calcium chloride which is much more potent than kalk in its available calcium ion content. . without additional calcium supplements all you can do is increase the evaporation rate in your system , but your fighting a loosing battle. you should see this as sign of great success , as your calcium demand is increasing it means your skeleton building inhabitants are growing .

 

[Ignitros]

@bluewill ... I think you missed some info in the OP. I am not maxed out on the saturation of kalkwasser. I was unable to edit the info there to correct what was stated. I was just looking for an easier way to dose kalk without having to use my ATO anymore and just leave the ATO to do its job. I'll just be adding a kalk stirrer fed from the ATO Reservoir and just put fresh RODI water into it rather than mix the kalk in it.

 

[cpschult]

@bluewill ... I think you missed some info in the OP. I am not maxed out on the saturation of kalkwasser. I was unable to edit the info there to correct what was stated. I was just looking for an easier way to dose kalk without having to use my ATO anymore and just leave the ATO to do its job. I'll just be adding a kalk stirrer fed from the ATO Reservoir and just put fresh RODI water into it rather than mix the kalk in it.

I’m currently dosing kalk with a Brs 50ml dosing pump via apex schedule. I’ve got a 5 gallon pail of kalk im doing, and separately have my ato. I don’t dose more than I would top off so it’s best of both worlds