storing kalk in auto top up reservoir

[Clownfish]

hi all,

just DIYed my auto top-off system... bought a big plastic tub from carrefour as its reservoir... interested to noe whether i can premix n store kalk inside the tub? if i use a small powerhead inside the tub to mix the kalk well like say turn it on for 5-10mins once every few days.... how long can i store the kalk? will it react with the surrounding carbon dioxide to make it less effective then?

thanx!

[tayhonglee]

got picture to share?

im thinking of diying one as well. i have read that a small powerhead does a good job of mixing the kalk, but it seems that corrosion is a problem.

do you intend to drip it? im looking for a small control valve like those used in hospital drips.

henry

[lightningstrike]

due to high pH of kalkwasser, indeed the pump will break down sooner or later.

[Clownfish]

due to high pH of kalkwasser, indeed the pump will break down sooner or later.

hmm... so it's not recommended to hav the kalk in the top up reserviour? cos the powerhead will be spoilt?? but i doubt my pH is gonna be that high... takin into acoount that i'm using tap water at room temp... thot some ppl do hav kalk in their top up reserviour??

[Clownfish]

got picture to share?

im thinking of diying one as well. i have read that a small powerhead does a good job of mixing the kalk, but it seems that corrosion is a problem.

do you intend to drip it? im looking for a small control valve like those used in hospital drips.

henry

nope no pics taken... it has been installed liao... if u realli interested can PM me when u bout to do it.... i might be able to guide a bit....

btw, my usual way is drippin the kalk... just thot of storing kalk in the reserviour instead for my top-up... then i dun need to drip anymore....

tink those small control valve u can get from pharmacies.... i using those small green plastic air valve at the moment

[riot]

I used to run a top off container with kalk for close to 6 months, before I got a CR. You can dose straight from the top off, provided your hose is reduced so the flow drips out, limiting the impact on PH.

I did not have any problems, as the top layer of the kalk solution solidified, choking off any reaction in the liquid area with the air. The liquid kalk remained useable for a long time. I change 100% once in a month or two or three.

To prevent the pump from ###### in solid undissolved klak at the botton, I mounted an egg crate plating, so the kalk settled to the bottom, while my pump is raised up. In the time I used, my pump never seized up. Its a dyna boxer cheap taiwan made product. The actual kalk container is covered with a lid, with a small hole drilled to pass the hose through. This would limit additional reactions with the air.

[ervine]

bro... the pH shouldn't... there are kalk reactors out there which have powerheads stiring kalk w/o any problems... but if u are talking abt soaking the powerhead in the kalk solution then I think it's a different matter, coz the wire might get corroded..

and the pH is high.. it's 12 leh... although not as bad as acid it'll still corrode things quite easily..

Also, not the best idea to have the kalk in the reservoir because there will be air in the reservoir.. u want the kalk solution to not touch air as much as possible...

lastly... i also have an DIY auto-top which delivers kalk solution.. but the water reservoir only holds water, all the kalk is stirred in the DIY kalk reactor..

so it's water reservoir --> kalk reactor --> tank

[Clownfish]

hmm.. tink bro ervine is having a safer method of doing the kalk top-off... by having a kalk reactor im between... hmm... but no money to invest in kalk reactor leh

tink bro riot's description fits my requirements betta... might try that out but i will monitor how much water is sucked up every time first...

thanx eveyone for ur kind advises