Dripping Kalkwasser Dangerous>??

[Bnuss]

Anyone have reccommedations for someone starting to drip Kalk on a 125g well stocked reef??
I plan to keep a ph monitor on the tank with a shut off incase the ph rises from overdosing

 

[Chefjpaul]

Through your Auto top off.You can always start off with 1/2 recomended solution & work it up.

 

[Reefinny]

Do you have an Apex? I was running mine through my ATO - BUT IMO there is a better way. I have a single head dosing pump that runs a little kalk each night - this is set to a switch on my apex so if my PH jumps it wont dose and if it drops it will dose extra. I think this is a safer way that just running it through the ATO.

 

[Bnuss]

I don't have a ph monitor yet still researching what will suite my needs. Unfortunately can't afford the $500 for an apex since last upgrades were 3 gen3 Radions and a reef octopus skimmer. Any other suggestions for ph monitor maybe in the 100-250 range

 

[frag apple]

I'd a few ph tests on my tank at the very beginning of setting up my tanks (both without fuges)! once the alk ,ca and mag become stable the ph balanced out 8.2 on both during the day and dropped to 8.1 at night! so what I'm saying is if the essential parameters are stable, the ph is stable! if you see big drop over night then your tank is still unstable and you will need to correct the parameters slowly and leave it to settle in!

 

[Bnuss]

I'd be more worried about the ph rising due to overdosing on kalk and have a shut off so the problem doesn't become work

 

[Clown guru]

+1 Apex controller as mention Reefinny you can get one with a ph probe.

 

[Chefjpaul]

I'd a few ph tests on my tank at the very beginning of setting up my tanks (both without fuges)! once the alk ,ca and mag become stable the ph balanced out 8.2 on both during the day and dropped to 8.1 at night! so what I'm saying is if the essential parameters are stable, the ph is stable! if you see big drop over night then your tank is still unstable and you will need to correct the parameters slowly and leave it to settle in!

+1.
Vinegar can balance the ph in kalk. Fyi.
I only use 1/2 amount of solution and run it through the ato.
Ph stays stable if the other chemicals stay stable. Like said above.Reefkeeper / Apex to monitor.


When the tank starts to use more chemicals, it reflects all perimeters, just up the amount of kalk. Solution. They all balance out including PH.


When your levels are used faster than kalk need to start a two part.


I personally dont see the need to a separate doser as your essentially adding to your evaporation anyway.


Just need to find your sweet spot with kalk.

 

[Chefjpaul]

I don't have a ph monitor yet still researching what will suite my needs. Unfortunately can't afford the $500 for an apex since last upgrades were 3 gen3 Radions and a reef octopus skimmer. Any other suggestions for ph monitor maybe in the 100-250 range

Reefkeeper lite?
At least you have some kind of basic controller on there.
Control your temp, monitor PH, ato, etc..
Great starting point in a controller.

 

[lrasser]

I just started kalk a few months back in my ATO and it's amazing how much more stable everything is (the growth increase is amazing) BUT i've also have a level sensor mishap that almost cost me dearly. I would not run this without a PH safety. I had a shut off command set for 8.39. If it wasnt for that it would have nuked the tank. Even with that set it still dumped enough kalk to spike the ph to 8.9 and then stayed at 8.6 for a few hours. I wasn't home but got an email alert and shut it all down remotely till i got home to resolve this issue. Just something to think about. There are monitors you can get for the price range your looking at. If not use 2 part until you can save up for a good monitor. I debated spending the money on the APEX for a long time. Now i couldnt imagine life without it.

 

[Widdy]

I added a 2nd fail safe when I used kalk via ATO. Added an OSC statement so the ATO pump would come on for only 5 minutes every hour even though the float switch said "Need Water!". I run an Aqualifter that fed a kalk stirrer and I think the is 3.5g/hour. So even if my float switch was stuck, the most my ATO would add is .3 gallon.

 

[CleanYourTank11]

Bnuss as you see all of us recommend a controller lol but in your price range your other option buying new is a American marine pin point ph controller, NOT the monitor which is a bit cheaper. Honestly though I'm going to jump on the wagon and tell you for the $150-$200 you'll spend on just a PH controller, just wait save a little more and get yourself the apex controller, it'll save you whatever your gonna spend on that ph controller, promise you.

 

[lrasser]

Widdy. What code did you use for that? I haven't been able to find one that works correctly yet.

 

[Widdy]

OSC 000:00/005:00/055:00 Then ON

That'll turn on my ATO pump for 5 minutes every hour on the hour. That line is the 2nd line in the code after my Fallback command.

 

[lrasser]

Will that still work with the float switch commands? That's my issue. I want to adjust the osc code so it will run for app 5-10 sec (running bigger pump) every 30 min until the switch is closed again. When it put in the osc code it stops the switch commands from working. I would love to know a resolve to this. It's a perfect setup but I'm lost at getting it to work.

 

[Widdy]

Post your ATO code.

 

[lrasser]

Set OFF
Fallback OFF
If Switch6 OPEN Then ON (low level)
If Switch5 OPEN Then OFF (high level safety)
If Switch3 OPEN Then OFF (low level safety in ato tank)
Defer 002:00 Then ON
If pH > 08.39 Then OFF

 

[Widdy]

You have the OSC command after the Set & Fallback commands? Sample code:

https://forum.neptunesystems.com/showthread.php?5174-Please-review-my-ATO-code&highlight=OSC+switch

 

[knutez24]

I have ran it with ATO in the past with the ph set up on an apex. The problem ended up being the stability of your parameters. If you use a doser you know exactly how much kalk water you add every day. Then it is spread out throughout the day, or how you see fit. Like if you need the extra ph overnight etc.

Even with ph fail safe to control it, depends on location of probe. So how much would it take to raise the ph to turn it off? Depends on the system... I know in my system Winter months i go through twice as much top off water as I do in summer months.

I've done it both ways, but between dosing kalk and 2-part I keep my numbers very stable. Stability is usually everyone's #1 goal. Just my 2cents. Good Luck

 

[lrasser]

I had to change around the switch setting to make it work. The switch conflicts still drive me crazy! I was able to get it to work as well as add the "only at night" This was exactly what i wanted. I only wanted it to ATO at night with kalk. I was araid of it dumping it all in at once at nights out. This is what worked.

Set OFF
Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/000:06/000:30 Then ON
If Time 12:00 to 24:00 Then OFF
If Switch6 Closed Then OFF
If Switch5 OPEN Then OFF
If Switch3 OPEN Then OFF
If pH > 08.30 Then OFF