Dripping Kalk with Calc reactor

H20cooled · 08-03-2005, 10:40 PM

I just finished my DIY Calc reactor from instructions on RC, I have it all built I also have a Milwaukee MA957 regulator and SMS122 Ph controller. I'm currently dripping kalk water into my sump as top off water to control the Ph and Alk, it is doing a GREAT job of this my Ph is always steady at 8.2. What I'm trying to figure out is will adding the Calc reactor change my Ph and Alk? Also my Calc for the tank seems to stay pretty steady at 450 with the kalk I have a feeling the as my SPS's continue to grow out I will have enough of a demand that the kalk will not keep up. So know all of this my question is should I even hook up my Calc reactor now, will it help my SPS's grow faster? SHould I stop dosing kalk and just use the Calc reactor? I hope this all makes since.

Rich

H20cooled · 08-03-2005, 11:28 PM

Here is the finished reactor.

wanareef · 08-04-2005, 05:58 AM

Looks good, nice job. Most guy's have the calcium on 24/7 and drip with kalk especially to help out at night when the drop ocurrs.

H20cooled · 08-04-2005, 08:22 AM

thank you, I will continue to drip the kalk with the calcium. I'm not sure how I'm able to maintain 450 for calcium though without the reactor and just by using kalk. I'm starting to wonder if my tests are off.

Rich

theron · 08-04-2005, 10:50 AM

Rich, that is awesome. It does not look that hard to build. Where did you get the canistor? How much? How much media can you fit in there?

Theron

impur · 08-04-2005, 11:51 AM

Looks great Rich, i saw it on RC this morning. I just picked up all the pieces for mine last night. Did you go with the reducer at the bottom of the container? Looks like you did, just with ABS. I'm building mine the same way but with T's instead of drilling and tapping the input and effluent out. Also just ordered 3 of those holders for the probe, my aquacontroller JR. should be here in a week or so. Where does your effluent come out of? The T? I'm also going to continue the kalk dosing, does great for my pH but can't keep up with my needs for alk/calcium.

Theron - the canister is a whirlpool 4.5" whole house filter, $55 at Lowes. I think i read it holds about 8 lbs of media. You can easily add a 2nd chamber to this also.

H20cooled · 08-04-2005, 05:55 PM

Theron, yep is just like impur said, its from Lowes.

impur, I used the 1 1/2 to 3" reducer at the bottom, I could not find it in the white PVC , but I did find it in the black at Aboy. My effuent will come out from the tubing on the left just below the T.

Rich

theron · 08-04-2005, 06:11 PM

What pump are you using?

H20cooled · 08-04-2005, 06:25 PM

Its a QuietOne 1200. You can find in instructions at Reefcentral

Rich

impur · 08-04-2005, 06:57 PM

Hey Rich, what are you going to use to feed the reactor? I'm thinking about just Ting off my return pump (mag 9.5), but i'm not sure if i'll need a valve to reduce the flow or not.

Miles

H20cooled · 08-04-2005, 07:18 PM

I'm going to use a MaxiJet 1200 but I have a feeling that it is going to be to much flow also. Most of the threads that I have read on Calc reactor tell you to use a certain amount of drips per minute, thats confusing b/c they also say to use a MaxiJet 1200 which is around 250gph. I would think this would cause a HUGE backup at the pump or ALOT of pressure in the calc reactor.

Rich