Pump off overnight & problems with kalk

[oysterjake]

I woke up to find the ATO alarm going off and the sump full and my Sinccra 3.5 pump off.
I wasn’t sure what to do but I know it probably had something to do with my kslkwasser additions so I soaked it in vinegar. After 20 min I ran it in 50/50 vinegar and tap water and it started working again. It’s been going well since.

Is there an optimal way to dose kalk and not have it coat and cause malfunction to the pump and Tunze sensor? I’m thinking about not using calc since I dose automatically anyway. Or could I dose a highly potent solution of calc separate from my ATO? Anyone doing that? That would allow me to input in a different chamber away from thpump and sensors.

 

[oysterjake]

Abandoning Kalkwasser

I am abandoning the use of kalkwasser. I was using it in my ATO along with 2 part to maintain Cal/Alk. However, the precipitant buildup specifically on my return pump and my ATO sensor (tunze osmolator) is causing major problems. Maybe I'm doing it wrong and that's causing the excessive build...

www.reef2reef.com

I found this thread too

 

[HuduVudu]

I use a stirrer and dosing pump for the Kalk. It is a bit expensive but totally worth it.

A lot of people complain that the evap is inconsistent and therefore kalk using a dosing pump won't work. The best way to deal with that is to dose the min evap with the doser and then let the ATO take care of the peaks. So if you have 500ml - 700ml a day evap. set you doser at 500ml and then let the ATO pick up the 200ml spike over the day.

 

[oysterjake]

Thanks. I’m limited to keeping equipment under the cabinet but could put a small one.

 

[KStatefan]

Is there an optimal way to dose kalk and not have it coat and cause malfunction to the pump and Tunze sensor? I’m thinking about not using calc since I dose automatically anyway. Or could I dose a highly potent solution of calc separate from my ATO? Anyone doing that? That would allow me to input in a different chamber away from thpump and sensors.

Why cant you input to a different chamber now?

 

[oysterjake]

Why cant you input to a different chamber now?

If I do, then the Tunze sensor goes off. I tried that.

 

[KStatefan]

If I do, then the Tunze sensor goes off. I tried that.

You should be able to put your ato water anywhere in the system.

 

[oysterjake]

When I do put it in a chamber other than the same as the Tunze sensor the sensor doesn’t seem to catch on fast enough. Maybe that was before I rinsed the sensor off with vinegar though. I could test that pretty quickly. Thanks.