Switching to kalk+vinegar from two-part...with questions!

[mcarroll]

Nice!

Is your setup more or less ideal to you, or is there anything you'd change? BTW, which plumbing option do you have? Regular PVC?

Pictures of these already installed aren't too common - any chance you could post a close-up or two of yours?

Thanks again!

 

[zemuss]

Randy do you have a build thread? I would like to see what all you do for your tank.

Sorry to hijack

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy do you have a build thread? I would like to see what all you do for your tank.

Yes, here's my tank description:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/randys-tank-description.172508/

 

[mcarroll]

It allows me to put it in a cart, but the cost is generally the drawback of using calcium acetate.

FWIW, I found an online vendor selling powdered, lab grade calcium acetate for about $30/lb. Not sure I'll take advantage yet, but it's another option.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Randy do you have a build thread? I would like to see what all you do for your tank.

Sorry to hijack

Yes, here's the description:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/randys-tank-description.172508/

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, I found an online vendor selling powdered, lab grade calcium acetate for about $30/lb. Not sure I'll take advantage yet, but it's another option.

That sounds good, but still a lot more than a two part system or (limewater) and vinegar.

 

[mcarroll]

I paid $20 for my five gallon bucket of (Made in USA) road salt that lasted me around three or four years (and which caused no problems). Gonna be hard to beat that level of economy. [emoji106]

I'm hoping for better-than-cheap if I do switch to something else. Specifically, no long-term sodium chloride accumulation. [emoji106][emoji106][emoji106] it's still an experiment.

 

[mcarroll]

Just bear in mid the reef Filler is noisy, so have it in a basement or garage. A dual channel peristaltic pump would be a lot quieter.

For water changes, I have the 30 gallon per day dual head Reef Filler on a timer. For limewater I have a 15 gallon per day single head on a float switch, and it is dialed back a bit from 15 gallons.

@Randy Holmes-Farley The ReefFiller product page over at Champion says it's only good for 5ft on the suction side (and up to 200ft on the delivery side). It sounds like your waterchange station is remote from your tank, so I'm wondering if you had to account for this at all in your installation or usage plan? Seems like either the tank or the new water is going to be remote (>5') from the ReefFiller.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I use two of them.

For limewater delivery, the pump is about 6 feet away from and about in the middle of the trash can height.

For automatic water changes, the pump is about 20 feet away and the tubing goes up along the basement ceiling and down to tank and trash can level. I've had no problems getting it to deliver. But I bought mine more than 10 years ago and perhaps the design has changed a bit.

That 5 feet, IMO, is vertical feet, not horizontal, and mine can suck up more than that.

 

[mcarroll]

Kinda what I suspected - cool!

Does yours use vinyl tubing on the suction side and PEX on the delivery side? (What's on the suction side isn't too clear from their promotional materials.)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The main tubing both ways is polypropylene, but that may not have been what came with it.

 

[mcarroll]

The main tubing both ways is polypropylene, but that may not have been what came with it.

I think that uses the same fittings as PEX...it's also a semi-rigid plastic tubing, right? Guess I may have to talk to Champion at this point.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think that uses the same fittings as PEX...it's also a semi-rigid plastic tubing, right? Guess I may have to talk to Champion at this point.

Yes, it is a rigid tubing. PEX wasn't invented, I don't think, when I set it up.