Experienced Kalk reactor users?

[Reefcowboy]

Have been considering a kalk reactor. My tank runs PH between 7.8-8.1
I have mainly sps and wonder if a kalk reactor would hinder better growth with higher ph?
Any experienced kalk reactor reviews? Any specific brand/model for a heavy sps 150 gal?
Thanks

 

[joseserrano]

It would def help growth. Most function very similar, and are the stirrer variety. I am currently using the tunze unit, it has less moving parts and is working great, I was using a stirrer before and it presented too many problems for me. Mostly due to spacing and back siphoning.

 

[JDtimk]

I definitely think Kalk dosing will help your growth. Your pH isn't in a high range, so the bump from Kalk won't hurt anything.
I use the precision marine Kalk reactor which uses a mj1200 to mix the solution a couple of times a day. It has pros and cons. Pro is it is well built and can be pressurized so you can push ro water through with a dosing pump. Also has a threaded access on the top to replenish the kalk powder so you don't have to take the whole top off. The downside of the unit is the pump impeller doesn't typically last that long and will break fins off the impeller over the course of a couple of months. It is easy to replace and can be done without draining the unit, but you have to watch for signs that it broke and be willing to replace the impeller at least twice a year.

 

[Mrx7899]

High ph will definitely help growth I run a avast marine kalk stirrer and it keeps my ph between 8.3 to 8.1. I highly recommend it.

 

[Midrats]

Why not just use a static reservoir and a peristaltic pump? Save yourself some money and moving parts.

 

[DangerDave]

Why not just use a static reservoir and a peristaltic pump? Save yourself some money and moving parts.

I did this for a while, and it was a pain, and it was messy. I found a kalk stirrer to be much easier, and hands off. You can run your ATO through it, or just dose a set amount under your evaporation rate and let the ATO make up the difference.

 

[Crustaceon]

It’ll absolutely help with coral growth. I’ve ran a two little fishies kalk reactor for several years with absolutely zero issues. Best of all, they’re cheap and run off of your ato pump in a way that doesn’t expose it to kalkwasser.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Guys thanks for the feedback. So just help me understand the dosing part.
I have an ATO. I feel a bit worried to directly hook the ato to the kalk reactor as summer months would drive the ph high.

I have a freed up Neptune DOS head in my tank now. Im thinking as someone posted I should feed water from the ATO reservoir —>dosing pump —-> kalk reactor—>sump.
The ATO will supply top off water independently from the kalk reactor.

Is this correct in order for me to more precisely control the amount of kalk liquid dispensed daily?

Now on average, how does someone know how much liquid will be dispensed as a starting dose? Does anyone use any safeties/controller ph probes to avoid overdosing disasters?

 

[Mrx7899]

You can use this dosing calculator http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

 

[Mastiffsrule]

I love my kalk stirrer. It is so simple. Maintenance is barely none.

I have a 5 gallon container full of RODI for top off water. I have the pump from my Tunze ATO sitting in the water. The line from the pump feeds right into my Avast kalk stirrer. The ATO kicks on, pumps fresh into the stirrer and clear kalk water drains from the stirrer into the sump.

I have been running this 5 plus years. The avast unit has a motor on top and a rod/stirrer and feeder tube going down. The top just lifts off and I dump 1/2 cup kalk when low. Mine is a 180 so evaporation in summer does not make that big of a difference. My PH is usually 8.1, alk 10.2.

That is what works for me. 10 minutes a week to fill the reservoir and top off kalk and done.

 

[Sethm]

I have a freed up Neptune DOS head in my tank now. Im thinking as someone posted I should feed water from the ATO reservoir —>dosing pump —-> kalk reactor—>sump.
The ATO will supply top off water independently from the kalk reactor.

Is this correct in order for me to more precisely control the amount of kalk liquid dispensed daily?

Now on average, how does someone know how much liquid will be dispensed as a starting dose? Does anyone use any safeties/controller ph probes to avoid overdosing disasters?

I'm so glad I came across this post. The same exact question has been in my head for the past two days.

 

[Crustaceon]

Guys thanks for the feedback. So just help me understand the dosing part.
I have an ATO. I feel a bit worried to directly hook the ato to the kalk reactor as summer months would drive the ph high.

I have a freed up Neptune DOS head in my tank now. Im thinking as someone posted I should feed water from the ATO reservoir —>dosing pump —-> kalk reactor—>sump.
The ATO will supply top off water independently from the kalk reactor.

Is this correct in order for me to more precisely control the amount of kalk liquid dispensed daily?

Now on average, how does someone know how much liquid will be dispensed as a starting dose? Does anyone use any safeties/controller ph probes to avoid overdosing disasters?

FWIW, my 120 gallon system runs consistently at 8.4ph because of the kalk reactor running off of the ato and nothing seems bothered by it. It runs at 8ph without kalk. Last summer I went through about two gallons of RO per day through the reactor and tank ph hit 8.55 and this is an sps dominant system full of acros and montis. Still no problems. I think my sps actually liked the higher ph. The high ph initially freaked me out because I always thought 8.2 was where it should be. But now I think there’s a lot more flexibility when it comes to ph in our tanks then we realize. I’ve ran kalk this way for years and I just don’t worry about it anymore. Also in all honesty, back when I was dosing 2-part, I was putting in 95ml of alk per day to maintain 8.1 dkh. I switched to the kalk reactor and could never get my alkalinity above 7dkh and calcium above 390ppm, even during summer months with high evaporation. I even considered installing a fan in my sump to boost evaporation to 3 gallons per day and i’m sure ph would’ve been 8.6 as a result. I’m now running a calcium reactor along side the kalk reactor.

 

[Mrx7899]

 

[JDtimk]

Guys thanks for the feedback. So just help me understand the dosing part.
I have an ATO. I feel a bit worried to directly hook the ato to the kalk reactor as summer months would drive the ph high.

I have a freed up Neptune DOS head in my tank now. Im thinking as someone posted I should feed water from the ATO reservoir —>dosing pump —-> kalk reactor—>sump.
The ATO will supply top off water independently from the kalk reactor.

Is this correct in order for me to more precisely control the amount of kalk liquid dispensed daily?

Now on average, how does someone know how much liquid will be dispensed as a starting dose? Does anyone use any safeties/controller ph probes to avoid overdosing disasters?

Yes. That's the right order. Pump water through your kalk reactor using your dosing pump. Depending on how big your tank is, the evaporation rate, and the alk consumption, you should be able to dose most of the volume of evaporated water with your kalk dosing pump over the course of the day. if you need less alk then just reduce the dosed kalk volume and the ATO will make up the difference.

Using a dosing pump is probably one of the most effective safety controls. since most peristaltic pumps provide only about 1.5mls of kalkwasser a min, it takes awhile for the alk and or pH to get out of control (depending on the volume of tank water). So even if it stuck on for a few hours, you would probably know it by the rise in your pH before anything was harmed. Set your aquarium controller to give you an alarm at a pH about 8.4 or so for safety back up.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Yes. That's the right order. Pump water through your kalk reactor using your dosing pump. Depending on how big your tank is, the evaporation rate, and the alk consumption, you should be able to dose most of the volume of evaporated water with your kalk dosing pump over the course of the day. if you need less alk then just reduce the dosed kalk volume and the ATO will make up the difference.

Using a dosing pump is probably one of the most effective safety controls. since most peristaltic pumps provide only about 1.5mls of kalkwasser a min, it takes awhile for the alk and or pH to get out of control (depending on the volume of tank water). So even if it stuck on for a few hours, you would probably know it by the rise in your pH before anything was harmed. Set your aquarium controller to give you an alarm at a pH about 8.4 or so for safety back up.

Thank you. I pulled the trigger on the K1 stirrer from Avast through BRS. Figured should be ok for my 150 gal. Evereryone’s feedback helped me tons.
Now this is where im at. My alk is perfectly stable at 8.6dkh. Ca and Mg also in balance. This Kalk would solely be used to keep my ph between 8.2-8.3

Should I set the apex to dose kalk according to pH vs volume of evaporated water? I ask because I really dont want to disturb the current set dosing regimen dosing more kalk then needed and have to daily test alk, ca and so on. My sps are doing excellent now coloring as things are solid. I feel pH is the only missing link.

I know depending on a pH probe isnt the best thing but I can set safeties to shut the pump past lets say 8.4 or so, or if a Kalk volume is ever dispensed larger than normal.

 

[Reefcowboy]

I was content with my system until I watched this video a few nights ago eating dinner in my kitchen. Dang Jake Adams, lol. Here in NY during cold months we barely open windows and Co2 levels in the house do impact pH.

I think pH is def impacting growth in my system and I never paid as much attention as needed

 

[TX_Punisher]

What effect does kalk have on alkalinity?

Never ran a kalk reactor but I’m quite sure it raises alkalinity.

 

[Mrx7899]

What effect does kalk have on alkalinity?

Never ran a kalk reactor but I’m quite sure it raises alkalinity.

It will but how much depends on how much water your tank evaporates.

 

[Midrats]

I did this for a while, and it was a pain, and it was messy. I found a kalk stirrer to be much easier, and hands off. You can run your ATO through it, or just dose a set amount under your evaporation rate and let the ATO make up the difference.

Open Brute container once a month, dump in however much lime you want, fill with water, close lid, done. All of the Nilsen reactors I have ever used were definitely more work than that. That's why the couple I have are in the equipment heap in the basement.

 

[DangerDave]

And you didn't experience variance in saturation sitting in that container? As for ease of use, I open the stirrer, dump in kalk powder, and it stirs itself ....