reefnjunkie Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 I'm going to add a Kalk Reactor to my current setup; Its called the "Kalkenstein"-(laugh) oh and under "tools" beer is not optional-its higher on the list http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1560576 My question for those who drip Kalk, if I hook this up as part of my top off, and I have a lot of evaporation and as a result a lot of Kalk being added as it is now incorporated into my RO/DI top off-wont that really throw things out of balance-I cant see how it could not. My other option which is most likely the route I am talking is to have it set up independent of my top off and either ran off of a timer so it does a few times a day ( which I'll determine how long after more reading) or I will have it ran from the controller I will be buying. I figure the later is the best, but my wallet is still suffering from- "PTCPS" (post traumatic chalice purchasing shock) thoughts opinions, or both.. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 at least you didnt see the chalice pack that bay corals offered us, it would really be suffering if you had LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stylaster Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 i run my kalkreactor with my ato. Since the ato kicks on when it detects a very slight drop in the sump level, i haven't had an issue with it putting in to much kalk. It does take awhile since the kalk drips in. As a fail safe my kalkreactor gets its water supply from a 5 gallon bucket, so if it does fail on for some reason it will only have access to about 3 gallons of water. (i only fill the 5 gallon bucket 3/4 of the way up) Also the ato i have JBJ ATO has a built in fail safe of only running for 14 mins, which sometimes is a pita because that is not enough time to drip in enough kalk before it shuts the power off to the pumps. The ATO also has two float switches, one to detect low water level and turn pumps on, and one to detect high water level and turn the pump off, incase the low water level float switch gets stuck to on mode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskerduck Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 If you have high evaporation have it stir less? I only stir once a day and my Kalk is lasting forever and my PH stays at 8.3 I was sort of under the impression stir and let sit. Also you can have your top off feed low and into the kalk or do what I do and leave it high in the reactor so as to produce a much more diluted mix. No matter what I get 9.4 ph or higher in my make up water Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grassi Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Usually if you go with your evaporation rate you will temporary raise the ph, the the system will be able to buffer at right values. Just don't drip more than the evaporation rate. At worst you will have some oversaturated drips that will deposit on the substrate (or corals!). If you haven't built the kalkestein yet, I suggest you a little improvement to that design: in my kalk reactors I have the water injection at the bottom of the reactor, so there is some little stirring everytime (I'm referring to the "M" hose in the design). The controller option is the best. I'm running an Apex on my tank but the kalk is dripped just by the ato. I just control the stirrer (pump) via the Apex and when ph is to high the controller does not perform the stirring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I like this one, it's cheaper :P http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1560576&page=2 and it looks WAYYYYY simpler to my eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefnjunkie Posted January 23, 2010 Author Share Posted January 23, 2010 Well I pulled the trigger and bought the Digital Aquatices Reef Keeper Elite, so if what I have been reading it will help with all the "new" adjustments I get to make-especially after building the "Kalkenstein"-(laugh) That name is just hilarious. I dont know that I have a high evaporation, I just like to look at the extreme cases-in the event I do I saw that as being a concern. My ATO is gravity fed from a 30 Gallon Res. that is hooked up directly to a float within my sump-Maybe I need reconfig everything??? Might be sending out a few PM's Just can t leave the tank alone can I? That's a very rhetorical question-(nutty) Thanks for the replies so far- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stylaster Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 If your coming to the Feb meeting I can show you how mine works, grassi built it for me you can check it out, maybe get a few ideas by looking at it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgf86123 Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I plan on getting a first hand tour on setting a system up thank you very much im research challenged, need hand-on instruction lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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