Top off/Kalk dripper

[aqua-ed]

So, I'm going to build this here simple water top-off I found on OZ reef. Here's my question, though, would it be possible to mix my kalk in the water container (figure A)? Or is there to high a chance that the kalk will spike my alkalinity? I know kalk expires after about 48 hrs, so I would have to change it every other day.
The point is, I'm tire of mixing kalk, setting my dripper, blah blah every day, but I don't want to set up a CO2 tank and the works to build a kalk reactor.
What does everyone say?

[reef-fisher]

My understanding is that co2 is used for calcium reactors to lower the ph enough to dissolve aragonite. I dont think you need co2 for a kalk reactor. Just a sealed container with a pump for circulation and an in and out for your ro/di water. As the water from the ro/di enters the reactor, it mixes some of the kalk in the stirrer and adds in solution on its way out. Timing is important, to be able to control how concentrated your kalk is.

[aqua-ed]

That makes sense with the CO2 and aragonite. So any advice on how to properly jimmy-rig a kalwasser doser? Can I use the one shown in that diagram if I can keep it stirred? Does anyone have an example of something that would work? I do great with pictures...

[andy]

FWIW, Kalk doesn't expire after 48 hours. If you keep it in a covered container, it'll be fine for a couple of weeks at least. Even better is a Kalk reactor. Do you have an ATO right now?

I'm currently going back and forth in my mind between Kalk in my top-off water, a Kalk reactor, peristaltic 2-part dosing, and a Ca reactor. Each has strengths and weakness and I can't decide which is more important (scratch)

[aqua-ed]

I do not have an ATO right now. The diagram above would be my top-off system. Just trying to figure out how to do it without spending too much money or taking up too much room.

[andy]

In that case, I'd just get a simple float valve and dose Kalk from a plastic fermenter (available from homebrewing stores). The fermenter is nice because it is translucent (you can see the water level easily) and marked off in gallons (easy to figure out how much kalk to add to the mix when topping up the top-off).

Like this:

http://reef.eldersign.org/images/Kalk_ATO.gif

[aqua-ed]

Excellent! So is the "lid" on top loose fitting to allow air to enter?

[andy]

The lid on a fermenter usually has a hole and rubber grommet already there, but yeah you need to let some air in somehow.

[aqua-ed]

As a brewer myself, I should be able to whip this up with some supplies I have at home already. Thanks!

[andy]

Make sure the float-valve is a decent one. You definitely don't want to flood your tank with kalkwasser.

[aqua-ed]

Any recommendations?

[andy]

These (http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc.asp?ref=LV1100_1200&Nav=grek12) are supposed to be good, but $$$. I'm just going to use a Kent and keep a close eye on it.

EDIT: Just noticed, those are for pump control, not gravity feed...

[impur]

Here is what i did. I have a 10gal tank in my stand. I fill it weekly with RO water, and I add roughly 20teaspoons of kalk to it. I let a mj600 mix it for 10-15min and its done for the week.

Here is how it is dosed. I have a small AC70 powerhead in the 10gal connected to some 1/2" vinyl tubing. A float switch is wired inline with the powercord to the AC70 using a relay. Float switch sits in my sump.

I got everything at http://www.floatswitches.net/ for around 25 bucks. I had the tank and pump.

[aqua-ed]

Ok, I've been looking at float valves and it appears most require drilling. My sump is mad of glass, so that really isn't an option. Am I screwed?
I guess I could get an electric one, but geez, that means buying a pump, too.

[Cobalt]

there is an alternative.

http://www.fishbowl-innovations.com/products

they sell a $199 kalk reactor and a $99 ATO with dual float switches and a solenoid valve, so you don't need a pump or it can control your RO unit! I have one sitting in my basement right now, was going to use it on a basement tank but not I'm not sure if i need it. On my 28g I have an aqua-medic niveumet (sp?).

On thing I don't understand about kalk for top-off. Who is to say your evap rate matches your need for kalkwasser? I ran the fishbowl reactor driven by my nievemat and had a kalk storm within days. I had too much kalk in the reactor, granted, but what if your supply of ions outpaces your demand?

I have personally used the kent float switches and don;t trust them for RO shutoff. Maybe for gravity flow they are more reliable, but you need redundancy! If you flood your tank with kalk everything dies. Don't try to save $50...