DIY Kalk Reactor

[reef_noob]

Well, I decided to try my mad diy skillz on a kalk reactor based on this concept. http://jjgeisler.com/reeftank/diy_ka...er_reactor.htm

I was going to post pictures of the whole process, but the link above details it quite well. At any rate, just finished the wet test and am letting the first kalk settle. I have to say, it was pretty easy. The only tough thing was finding acrylic tubing, which I had to special order form aquatic eco.

[wharyat]

Looks great Chris.

[yardboy]

Yur rite, dem sum mad skillz!

Looks great hope it works well. I'm thinking I'd like to construct one myself. Thanks for the link.

[reef_noob]

Thanks guys.

A quick update. I hooked it in line to my top off system last night and found a minor problem. The dosing pump is in the ro reservoir and the water level in the reservoir is lower than the water level in the kalk reactor, so when the pump isn't running, most of the water in the reactor backflows into the reservoir. I've been looking for a check valve with john guest fittings, but the only place I've found them (u.s. plastics) is out of stock. I guess I'm going to get a 1/4" hose barb check valve from aquatic eco for now, but I think I'll eventually replace it with the john guest one.

[yardboy]

Hmmmm. Is it just the nature of that kalk reactor, as I've never heard mention of that problem before? It seems the level is always going to be higher or lower than the kalk reactor or sump. I've got a very simple setup for topping off my 70, but it suffers the same problem, if I put too much water in the reservoir, it siphons out of the reservoir into the sump until it evens out. One resolution, I think, is to use a peristaltic pump. It can't backflow through that, can it?

[reef_noob]

Yeah, a peristaltic pump would work, but since I already have the tunze osmolator pump, I have to go with that.

[reef_noob]

Luckily as long as the system is sealed up, the water doesn't drain into the sump, vacuum pressure holds it in, but the reservior siphons out the water because of the water level differences. The check valve should work fine and I'll just consider it regular maintenance to change out the check valve every six months or so.

[reef_noob]

Update: Finally got in the check valve I ordered. So far it is working just fine. The kalk mixes nicely and the dosing pump drives it just fine.