slfcaptain
Active Member
Is anyone using their tunze 3155 to top off with kalkwasser?
Do you have any issues like it adding too much too fast?
steve
Do you have any issues like it adding too much too fast?
steve
Kalkwasser dosing with tunze 3155
- Thread starter slfcaptain
- Start date
You can use it, but, you do need to use a kalk reactor after the pump.
kalkwasser should not be exposed to air, as that makes it much less effective.
It's hard to overdose kalk, since water doesn't dissolve too much of it, but it can be done. Until you know, monitor pH, calcium, and alkalinity carefully.
As usual, I recommend doing this only if you can't maintain calcium levels with water changes.
kalkwasser should not be exposed to air, as that makes it much less effective.
It's hard to overdose kalk, since water doesn't dissolve too much of it, but it can be done. Until you know, monitor pH, calcium, and alkalinity carefully.
As usual, I recommend doing this only if you can't maintain calcium levels with water changes.
slfcaptain
Active Member
What do you mean by this?
Water changes dont quite keep up. If I rely on just WC then Ca and Alk slowly drop. I am already dosing 2 part and know what I need to add each week to keep it stable and I know my average evaporation rate. If I remember my calculation correctly I would start with 0.5 tsp kalk/gallon and work from their.
Anyone know if the tunze pump would have problems with the clear kalkwasser?
steve
I used it for over a year with my Tunze 3155 without issues and without a reactor. Worked great for me. For my tanks needs, I ended up using 1 tablespoon of kalk per 5 gallons of ro/di water. I started with a 1 tsp/5g and worked my way up. I'm still using the same pump and it works like a charm.
I use the tunze on my 120 with kalk water (clear) and it has absolutely 0 problems. I keep it in a bucket, covered, and works really well. every 4-6 months i vinegar bath the pump. It has been going for 18 months without issue but i do keep a backup on hand just in case. Mine doesn't pump water up though, it just transfers to my sump. I use Kalk +2 as the supplement and am very happy with it.
HTH
HTH
slfcaptain
Active Member
I dont know. Probably can though.
I think i'll give it a go. Start off low and work up.
Thanks all for the advice!
steve
slfcaptain
Active Member
One more question. I think when the ATO goes off it adds about 4-6oz water at a time (will verify), that shouldn't raise the pH of 30g too much, right? My pH hovers around 8, on my digital pH probe it is usually 7.9ish, so I am not worried about the pH going too high except for that time immediately after a top off. Hope that made sense.
steve
steve
slfcaptain
Active Member
Oh, if I mix the kalk in the reservoir any tips for keeping the pump off the bottom.
steve
steve
I did this for 2 years and the pump never had a problem what so ever. I only used "Clear" water but occasionally would still have some sedimentation in the bottom of the container. Up until my tank crashed (long story) I ran it with super saturated KALK (that's a whole other story unrelated) meaning I introduced Vinegar so the water could hold a good bit more KALK than water alone.
Also keep in mind that I pump this UP from the bottom of my RSM cabinet up over the back top of the RSM130D probably around 3.5 - 4 feet head height.
Also keep in mind that I pump this UP from the bottom of my RSM cabinet up over the back top of the RSM130D probably around 3.5 - 4 feet head height.
I use a bucket, with a frag rack about 1" off the bottom. The amount added is dependent of how much water is needed to bring your level back up......if it is in a 4 foot sump, its more water than 4-6oz is some instances but that level might be for your setup.
I also add a little vinegar to the solution to allow it to supersaturate.
I also add a little vinegar to the solution to allow it to supersaturate.
I kind of have to kind of disagree with some of the other replies. Kalk is much more effective if you use a reactor. This is sometimes called a Nilson Reactor. The reactor keeps the CO2 in the air away from the kalkwasser in the reactor. If you simply use a bucket, it will work, but is much less effective.
Also, it's much better to use the top off pump to feed the reactor and then feed the reactor to the sump or overflow. This keeps the pump out of the kalk.
Also, it's much better to use the top off pump to feed the reactor and then feed the reactor to the sump or overflow. This keeps the pump out of the kalk.
reefer gladness
Well-Known Member
Agree, this is the method I use. It was pointed out that kalk quickly loses potency as soon as it is exposed to air which is the purpose of the reactor, it keeps the solution from being exposed. A peristaltic pump dosing pump pushes clean RO/DI water through the reactor which then goes into the sump.
Also want to point out that it IS very much possible to overdose kalkwasser. In a reactor at full potency kalk has a pH over 12 and will cause pH spikes if not administered carefully. That's why I use the dosing pump and meter 95% of my top off water through timed hourly doses.
slfcaptain
Active Member
I have the wires running through hole in the reservoir so I used some tape to keep the wire from going in. This suspends the pump a couple of inches off the bottom.
I understand thev reactors are much more efficient but for my modest needs I will stick with just kalk in the ATO water. I dont have a heavy load so even if the kalk water degrades I dont think it will impact me much at this point. Anyway this gets my feet wet with automatic dosing and I am happy with it so far. All 8 hours of it.
steve
I understand thev reactors are much more efficient but for my modest needs I will stick with just kalk in the ATO water. I dont have a heavy load so even if the kalk water degrades I dont think it will impact me much at this point. Anyway this gets my feet wet with automatic dosing and I am happy with it so far. All 8 hours of it.
steve
slfcaptain
Active Member
I ended up using 1tsp/gallon and so far everything has been holding steady, alk in the 150's ppm and Ca around 450. The pH is now running in the 8.0-8.3 range instead of 7.8-8.1. Very happy with it.
steve
steve