Kalk stirrer - when to stir?

[garbled]

I use an Avast K2 Kalk stirrer and a peristaltic pump to feed kalk to my system.
One thing I'm not sure about though, is when to run the stirrer in relation to the pump? Should I run the stirring before running the feed pump, after running the feed pump, or during the feed pump run?

I can see the logic to all three, so, I'm a bit unsure of what the right answer is here. Anyone?

 

[fishybizzness]

I run mine continuously which is what avast marine recommends.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I run mine 5 minutes out of every hour. Just hoping this extendeds the life of the motor is all. Fully saturated kalk water is 12+ph and it seems to maintain that level for me anyhow at that internal. Avast does recommend running it continuously, but I got a C- in school for: listens well and follows directions...

 

[14 foot reef]

Run mine 24/7, and have so for 20 years

 

[BlennyTime]

I run mine continuously which is what avast marine recommends.

Yes, run continuously. I have a K2 as well and that’s what the manufacturer recommends. No issues.

 

[fishybizzness]

Not to hijack the thread but for those others running continuously, how long have your motor been lasting? Good info for the op imo. Mine has only been running for a few months.

 

[gfox]

Not to hijack the thread but for those others running continuously, how long have your motor been lasting? Good info for the op imo. Mine has only been running for a few months.

6 plus years running 24/7

 

[RedReefer]

I run mine 24/7. I also have an Avast Kalk stirrer. The replacement motor is 30 bucks and very easy to replace.

 

[andrewb70]

Does it need stirring ?

Watched a Youtube Reefbum video that suggest not if you have enough sediment !

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Does it need stirring ?

Watched a Youtube Reefbum video that suggest not if you have enough sediment !

I'd be surprised if you can get saturated limewater without stirring.

 

[nereefpat]

I'd be surprised if you can get saturated limewater without stirring.

Initial stirring or constant stirring from a kalk stirrer?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Initial stirring or constant stirring from a kalk stirrer?

With fresh water slowly and constantly entering a stirrer or reservoir, I'd be surprised if it will get saturated without stirring. If you stir on and off, it may saturate when stirring then drop in potency when stirring stops until the next stir event.

 

[Saltyanimals]

Has anyone experienced any issues with dosing the not-so-clear water for those that are on a constant stir? I read the potential pH spike impact, which is probably the least of my concerns. I've dosed kalk paste to kill some nasties directly in the DT, so I don't see an major risk of the kalk especially going through a sump first.

 

[14 foot reef]

The new Avast are designed to run 24/7, my Avast 2 has been running 24/7 for 2 years, I load a lot of kalk 3 -4 cups when first adding ( BRS brand ) I have also added 3 model airplane propellers and 5 zip ties running up the shaft.
My kalk stays pretty suspended pretty high (3/4) up the cylinder, the PH always stays near 8.4 I add about one cup per week to my AV2, my sump is in the garage and runs 75 feet before the return hits my reef, so I'm not too worried about a little bit of possible undissolved kalk reaching the corals. I would not do this in a small system. My system is 850 gallons.

 

[Saltyanimals]

The new Avast are designed to run 24/7, my Avast 2 has been running 24/7 for 2 years, I load a lot of kalk 3 -4 cups when first adding ( BRS brand ) I have also added 3 model airplane propellers and 5 zip ties running up the shaft.
My kalk stays pretty suspended pretty high (3/4) up the cylinder, the PH always stays near 8.4 I add about one cup per week to my AV2, my sump is in the garage and runs 75 feet before the return hits my reef, so I'm not too worried about a little bit of possible undissolved kalk reaching the corals. I would not do this in a small system. My system is 850 gallons.

Thanks. The way you've described it with the suspended kalk 3/4 way up sounds like that's the expected behavior of a constantly running stirrer. If that's the case, you're very likely to be getting some of that sentiments in the upper 1/4 dosed into the sump. I've been running cautiously making sure the kalk settles before dosing which may be the reason I'm seeing low potentcy and pH benefits. The kalk settles within 10 mins of the stirrer turning off, so I may try and reduce this window.

How often do you find yourself scooping out the unmixed kalk from the reactor?

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

My avast runs 24/7. Have replaced the motor once it was very cheap. My lagoon has bigger gear, uses a bbq rotisserie motor those only last a couple years , but I would not turn them off, you won’t saturate. I always add more pickling lime dont have to scoop anything out

 

[14 foot reef]

Thanks. The way you've described it with the suspended kalk 3/4 way up sounds like that's the expected behavior of a constantly running stirrer. If that's the case, you're very likely to be getting some of that sentiments in the upper 1/4 dosed into the sump. I've been running cautiously making sure the kalk settles before dosing which may be the reason I'm seeing low potentcy and pH benefits. The kalk settles within 10 mins of the stirrer turning off, so I may try and reduce this window.

How often do you find yourself scooping out the unmixed kalk from the reactor?

I honestly dont do it that often, maybe once every 6 months, I burn through 1 cup a week minumum, sometimes I dont add and let the kalk get down pretty low then add 2 -3 cups. I run a pretty flat pH these days with this method, I only dose reverse lighting though. my pH runs 8.25 - 8.3 day night, but I also dose calcium alkalinity and Lye ( sodium Hydroxide ) using the DOS heads with controlled Trident dosing. Again, my system is not a normal sized or loaded system, its a packed SPS and fish system. I don't suggest this method to anyone with a small system.

 

[Ironfish]

I use a different Kalk reactor (Geos Reef) but they all work with the same principle.
I use a different approach.
Stir for 5min every 6hrs, let it decant and dose the clear-ish liquid for 4:30hrs.
Stir at midnight, 6am, noon and 6p and then let it sit for 55min before dosing.
Dosing 1am-5:30am, 7am-11:30am, 1pm-5:30pm and 7pm-11:30pm

 

[Saltyanimals]

The new Avast are designed to run 24/7, my Avast 2 has been running 24/7 for 2 years, I load a lot of kalk 3 -4 cups when first adding ( BRS brand ) I have also added 3 model airplane propellers and 5 zip ties running up the shaft.
My kalk stays pretty suspended pretty high (3/4) up the cylinder, the PH always stays near 8.4 I add about one cup per week to my AV2, my sump is in the garage and runs 75 feet before the return hits my reef, so I'm not too worried about a little bit of possible undissolved kalk reaching the corals. I would not do this in a small system. My system is 850 gallons.

I'm now on with the 24/7 stirrer crowd. Sounds like you've down your own MacGyver'ing (for those that know lol) of the stirrer. I'll give that a whirl too as I was thinking of different ways to improve the kalk dissolution. I thought maybe some form of balls or beads in the tank that would help, bit the zip ties might do the same.