kalk stirrers

[motortrendz]

im thinking of using a kalk stirrer, specifically one from 2 little fishies, seems really good for the money. im confused abt how it hooks up.. i understand that it runs off of your ATO, theyre saying u use a pump for the ato...

i have an ato on my system, i dont use any pumps.. its on a float switch to a solenoid that then allows the water to flow right from my ro/di

am i missing something or have i been doing the ATO wrong the whole time.. can someone explain to me how i should hook it up and how my ato should be..

thanks

 

[Widdy]

The way the TLF KW300 works is a pump (200-300gph) in your ATO reservoir, when the pump is triggered via your float switch, water is pumped from the reservoir into the KW300. Water will traverse through a rigid tube inside the KW300 reactor and come out of this "sprinkler head" that gives it's force to spin and mix the kalk up.

I had one for about a month, did not like it at all. Bought an DIY Avast Marine stirrer with a motor to stir and haven't looked back.

 

[motortrendz]

i dont have a resivoir i use a float switch and solenoid valve from autotopoff.com and it feeds my sump directly.. how would i hood a kalk stirrer up into my setup?

 

[Widdy]

So your RODI is directly feeding the sump? If that's the case, the KW300 won't work as it needs 200-300gph to turn the sprinkler head to mix the kalk. Look into a kalk mixer with a motor, so it's a continuous mix and not rely on anything external.

 

[motortrendz]

ok and then my rodi will just flow thru it under its own pressure when the solenoid opens? know of any good used ones around?

 

[Widdy]

Right, it'll just filled up the kalk stirrer chamber and the overages will slow drip out an outlet at the top of the reactor. As mentioned, I bought a Avast Marine K1 "Build It Yourself" http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum...ne-works-k1-you-build-kalkwasser-stirrer.html or you can have them build it for a little more. Shop around, think a Deltec just got sold not long ago in the Marketplace.

 

[Widdy]

If you don't mind, may I offer my 2 cents with kalk stirrers and automation?

I don't recommend automating kalk dosing without a controller that can control "maximum on time" to prevent dumping a large amount of kalk should a float switch fails. In your situation, what's to prevent the solenoid getting stuck on open and it continuously dumping into your sump?

 

[motortrendz]

the avast kit has a 1/2 outlet thats just drains out into the sump and the top off solenoid would go in the 1/4" line going to the inlet? and thats it?

 

[ecvernon]

I have the tlf kalk reactor and the check valve they supplied kept failing on me. It filled my reservoir with kalk. After that I just ran kalk in my reservoir since that is what the kalk reactor had me do anyway. Lol

 

[Widdy]

Correct. Input is a John Guest connector, and your standard RODI tubing will connect right in it.

 

[motortrendz]

ok so what kind of controller do you recomend? and how would that be set up? so it would only top off a few tmes a day for a max of say 2min..

 

[Widdy]

If you don't want to deal with controller and to complicate your setup, you can premix kalk with a powerhead and just dose the clear water.

 

[motortrendz]

is it worth all the effort? i have been using 2 part forever and im using almost 30ml of alk and ca per day, my ph is around 8.2 diring the day.. and mag fluctuates between 1150-1300

 

[Widdy]

Probably not. I started on kalk because my pH was suppressed by biopellets. Sounds like 2 part + mag as primary supplement is good for you.

 

[motortrendz]

thanks bro, i apreciate the info..