Kalk users???

[russell13]

hey gang,
Just wondering how many of you kalk users run a kalk reactor vs just putting it in the ATO water? Is it worth the extra money to get the reactor? If so what reactor are you using?

 

[joseserrano]

Yes worth the extra money, you'll burn through pumps if you just do it in the ATO. The new icecap units are a great idea.

 

[dwest]

hey gang,
Just wondering how many of you kalk users run a kalk reactor vs just putting it in the ATO water? Is it worth the extra money to get the reactor? If so what reactor are you using?

I ran kalk through my ato for about 20 years and have been running through a kalk stirrer for about a year. Hands down, the stirrer is better. Maintenance is easier, plus I get a more stable system as I control the amount of kalk that goes in my tank. My tank’s evaporation rate used to control that.

 

[Montiman]

I run a stirrer myself but my number one recommendation is do not link kalk to your ATO use a separate peristaltic pump.

All of the kalk issues I have had are because kalk was linked to the ATO

 

[mattzang]

just when i decide i'm going to add kalk to my ato and just buy a backup pump to swap out and clean frequently, i come across threads like this... :mad:

 

[Montiman]

Many have used kalk in their ATO but over the years all of the following things have happened while using kalk in my ATO.

1. ATO failed Over Dosing Kalk
2. Bagged a fish up for a friend and ATO replaced removed water with a gallon of kalk
3. Media reactor had a slow leak after media replacement. Woke up to 2 gallons of kalk clouding the water.
4. Did a water change and took about a gallon more out than put in and ATO overdosed kalk.
5. Noticed Alk shift with seasonal changes and shifting evap rates

Here are the problems I have had with a Peristaltic pump ZERO, ZERO problems. Much better, more stable, and more consistent in my book.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I've been running kalk in the ATO water for 3 1/2 years with only minor issues. I've also been using the same cheap Jebao fountain pump for topoff that entire time (although I do have a spare on-hand).

 

[nereefpat]

I use a 6 gallon blue salt bucket full of kalk as a top-off.

It's not an auto top-off, because it isn't linked to an ato system. It runs on a light timer for a couple minutes every couple hours. Pump is an aqua lifter. The intake is about an inch off the bottom.

It has worked flawlessly for quite some time.

I don't get the point of kalk stirrers? Maybe someone can enlighten me.

 

[mattzang]

Many have used kalk in their ATO but over the years all of the following things have happened while using kalk in my ATO.

1. ATO failed Over Dosing Kalk
2. Bagged a fish up for a friend and ATO replaced removed water with a gallon of kalk
3. Media reactor had a slow leak after media replacement. Woke up to 2 gallons of kalk clouding the water.
4. Did a water change and took about a gallon more out than put in and ATO overdosed kalk.
5. Noticed Alk shift with seasonal changes and shifting evap rates

Here are the problems I have had with a Peristaltic pump ZERO, ZERO problems. Much better, more stable, and more consistent in my book.

dang man, i would've got out of the kalk game for sure if i were you lol

how do you do it with the peristaltic pump? just a container of it and set the pump on a timer of sorts?

 

[Montiman]

dang man, i would've got out of the kalk game for sure if i were you lol

how do you do it with the peristaltic pump? just a container of it and set the pump on a timer of sorts?

You can do that or I have the peristaltic pump draw from the ATO container pump through the stirrer and then the stirrer goes into the tank. This way the ATO container stays clean and there is no wear from the kalk.

The stirrer allows me to only add kalk about 2 times a month and it insures that the kalk is saturated. I adjust the dose with the dosing pump not by kalk concentration because the kalk is always concentrated. It’s essentially like dosing a 1 part where you test and then adjust the dosing amount.

 

[serwobow]

I have a 5 gallon container filled with kalk to offset evaporative losses. I don't use an ATO but instead use an autodoser, and the dose only changes a little throughout the year.
This works well for me, but it only supplies enough calcium and alkalinity to meet half the demand of my corals, so I also dose 2 part.
Would a kalk stirrer enable me to supply all the coral needs with just kalk?

 

[cain720]

I've been toying with the idea of using one of those continuous-duty Kamoer peristaltic pumps to constantly drip kalk solution into the sump which would help elimate pecipitate and make it extremely easy to adjust the dosage. I would just need to make sure it's not more than my evaporation.

 

[DangerDave]

If you’re going to do it ( I use kalk ) a stirrer is the way to go. Not messy, no issue about the kalk being hard on pumps, and just less work. Set it, replenish kalk every few weeks. Clean every other month ( not sure why I do this, it just rinses out clean). Easy, just have to buy a stirrer. I’m using avast marines, it’s a nice unit.

 

[dwest]

I've been toying with the idea of using one of those continuous-duty Kamoer peristaltic pumps to constantly drip kalk solution into the sump which would help elimate pecipitate and make it extremely easy to adjust the dosage. I would just need to make sure it's not more than my evaporation.

I do something similar with a spectrapure liter meter 3. It pumps small amounts of kalk 150 times per day into my tank through an avast k2 stirrer. Almost continuously. Very reliable unit as well.

 

[russell13]

So from what I understand you run the kalk stirrer in line with your ATO. As fresh RO water enters the bottom it pushes the kalkwasser out the top and into your tank. It stirs itself a few times a day to mix the new water into kalk slurry. I think this is how it works but please correct me if I am wrong. Would you need to have your ATO shut itself off for a while during the time the stirrer it mixing itself?????

 

[AZRipp]

I've been using a Kalk Stirrer (Avast) for about 4 years. Works great. RODI water line into a solenoid controlled by my Apex that turns on every hour through the night to dose my set amount keeping pH more stable.

 

[DangerDave]

So from what I understand you run the kalk stirrer in line with your ATO. As fresh RO water enters the bottom it pushes the kalkwasser out the top and into your tank. It stirs itself a few times a day to mix the new water into kalk slurry. I think this is how it works but please correct me if I am wrong. Would you need to have your ATO shut itself off for a while during the time the stirrer it mixing itself?????

No, a kalk stirrer should mix 24x7.

 

[fish farmer]

I've done gravity ATO/kalk.

I've done DIY kalk reactor hooked to my ATO.

I've done slow dripping kalk

Currently I use a separate ATO with a Danner Mag drive pump in the basement for my evaporation needs and a peristaltic pump connected to a cheap timer set for 15 minute intervals sucking out of a 5 gallon bucket of kalk solution. I couldn't be happier with my current arrangement. I can't comment on the longevity of the peristaltic pump, I've been running it for two months or so. My numbers have been the most consistent with the current setup.

 

[russell13]

Ok. Watched a few videos and think I have it figured out. My last question is how much kalk do should you have in the stirrer and how long does it usually last?

 

[ZoWhat]

WARNING

You should know how much Alk (bicarbonate) your corals use up daily....weekly.

If you continue to overdose without test....your Kalk will spike Alk quickly into the 13-18dKH range.....burning corals caustically

Assume nothing. Always test



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