Avast Mod !!!!!!! This is gonna be a winner

[dangles]

Does it maintain the initial high pH of the freshly added kalk for longer? I remember Randy making a comment about this. Effectiveness drops significantly even with a 0.5 to 1.0 drop. I have the Avast reactor but don’t use it anymore and was thinking about a more powerful motor. Do you have a pH probe in yours? Would be nice to document pH readings before and after for a week.

Topic for another thread, but I will say I’ve read a few places that kalk source makes a difference with that issue. *Supposedly* the kalk Avast uses doesn’t have that problem to the same extent the BRS kalk does.

I use Avast’s kalk and don’t track its pH. So I can’t verify it personally But I do replace the kalk monthly.

 

[14 foot reef]

Does it maintain that 12.3 pH longer with the propeller than without? How often do you change out the slurry? I may have to give this a try.

It stays 12.3 way longer with the propellers. At this point I let it run until it almost empties the cylinder of any powder. I top off 100% of my evaporation at lights out time ( Modified Meckley Method )

My pH stays very flat between 8.22 - 8.31 - 24/7 - 7 days a week.

 

[14 foot reef]

Topic for another thread, but I will say I’ve read a few places that kalk source makes a difference with that issue. *Supposedly* the kalk Avast uses doesn’t have that problem to the same extent the BRS kalk does.

I use Avast’s kalk and don’t track its pH. So I can’t verify it personally But I do replace the kalk monthly.

There is truth to this statement above ^........ The Avast Powder is much lighter, the BRS powder is much denser and heavier. I have always used BRS kalk since adding the propellers.

 

[Tcook]

It stays 12.3 way longer with the propellers. At this point I let it run until it almost empties the cylinder of any powder. I top off 100% of my evaporation at lights out time ( Modified Meckley Method )

My pH stays very flat between 8.22 - 8.31 - 24/7 - 7 days a week.

Did you use 2 props and how did you space the out? Are they standard .049 props?

 

[dschuffert]

Thanks for sharing, this is a great idea that I am going to try!

 

[exnisstech]

So I saw this mod on YouTube recently as well. I understand the want to enhance the slurry my question is at what point is it too much? I was always under the impression that you wanted to dose clean clear kalk effluent and not have any particulates in it so wouldn’t you want the slurry more confined to the lower half of the reactor?

If your evaporation rate is high enough to allow kalk dosing to keep up with consumption there is no need to dose a slurry. I used to add via ATO but as you stated its hard on pumps and my evaporation rate varies too much in our home. I have no experience dosing slurry but I dose 7200ml of fully saturated kalk a day on one tank. I use a brs 50ml minute dosing pump on a cheap digital timer and it has worked for over a year with no issues. I have read about dosing slurry and have the basic understanding but until my demand requires more kalk than I can dose without slurry I see no need. It all depends on your demand and evaporation rate is how I understand it. Basically dosing slurry allows more kalk to be added when your evaporation rate isn't high enough to allow it. Basically its adding concentrated kalk is how my simple mind understands it.

 

[14 foot reef]

Did you use 2 props and how did you space the out? Are they standard .049 props?

I used 3 total and tinkered with spacing them out until I found the correct lift I wanted on the slurry with still keeping a clear liquid at the top of the unit.

 

[Tcook]

Another question. Did you have to secure the input tube along the side of the cylinder? Mine tilts in. I suppose I could fabricate some typ of spreader.