Dosing Pickeling Lime w/Reactor
- Thread starter spmnarciso
- Start date
golfish
Active Member
Originally posted by Bang Guy
WOW. That's a really BIG difference. Thank you for testing & posting that. Can you tell me the dimentions of your reactor and how much goes through it in a day approximately?
Bang,
The mixing chamber is 6" acrylic that's 18" tall. I have it set to mix fo 15 minutes every 4 hour..Hmm, awww, hhmmm, I'd say I put about 4 gals a day through it. 1.5 cups or powder is about max for this reactor, any more and it won't run, That's why I like the powerhead units. I use a bigger mag stirrer and instead of the regular bar style stir magnet I use one that's a + shape. The bars seem to bounce around a lot more.
spmnarciso
Active Member
Originally posted by spmnarciso
I getting ready to setup my reactor. Once I add the Kalkwasser (400g) into the reactor and then fill with water, how long should I mix it or let it sit, before I start dosing?
Hey, guys...what about me?
bang guy
Moderator
This was very useful though Golfish. There must be a minimum size where stirring isn't necessary. Every single reactor I've seen is shaped like a CaCO3 reactor. Something fatter may be the ticket to allow the water to become saturated before leaving the chamber.
I run a duel chamber where the secon is a precipitate chamber. I don't think that helps with keeping a saturated solution. So, I'm guessing that a saturated solution can be had somewhere between a 7 gallon Instant Ocean bucket and a 4" X 24" acrylic reactor.
For the space limited it's clear that stirring is still going to be a requirement.
I run a duel chamber where the secon is a precipitate chamber. I don't think that helps with keeping a saturated solution. So, I'm guessing that a saturated solution can be had somewhere between a 7 gallon Instant Ocean bucket and a 4" X 24" acrylic reactor.
For the space limited it's clear that stirring is still going to be a requirement.
golfish
Active Member
I should have posted the results of my reactor before I cleanedrecharged it. I had not recharged it for at least two months...it was less then 100, I think it was 60ppm 
you'd think that as much Ca hydroxide as I have I wold change it out more often
Bang,
So you just run your fresh water line into the first chamber which pushes to the second, out the second into the tanksystem. So, you would think that if I took at gal jar, filled it with water and a cup of kalk, stirred it, let it settle I would get 800ppm?
you'd think that as much Ca hydroxide as I have I wold change it out more often Bang,
So you just run your fresh water line into the first chamber which pushes to the second, out the second into the tanksystem. So, you would think that if I took at gal jar, filled it with water and a cup of kalk, stirred it, let it settle I would get 800ppm?
spmnarciso
Active Member
Sorry guys to intrude on a serious conversation on calcium readings, I'm sure I'm gonna have the same issues when I start mine up. I'm ready to throw in the kalk...is 3 1/2 cups (450g) to much for 6"x 48" reactor stirred by a MJ1200?
spmnarciso
Active Member
Don't know if anyone has an answer or opinion to the previous question, but I'm curious as to how to test the kalk solution. I took 3ml of the kalk solution (in the reactor) and used the salifert CA test kit. Am I suppose to add 50% water or just do the test on the solution? I added 2 cups of Kent kalk to 6g of water in the reactor.
Test of just solution: ~900ppm
Test of just solution: ~900ppm
spmnarciso
Active Member
I used the high resolution. Why can't I use that? I took the syringe and filled it twice and used all of 1.0ml and then all but .15 of syringe two. Isn't the low resolution just to save test solution?
I built a large reactor because someone told me that bigger was better and that since I had to buy 6" acrylic tube in 6' section, I decided to make a monument. Bad Idea?
Also not much of the kalk is settling to the bottom, is that normal? I expected it to look like Golfish's, where he has 2" or so settled to the bottom.
I built a large reactor because someone told me that bigger was better and that since I had to buy 6" acrylic tube in 6' section, I decided to make a monument. Bad Idea?
Also not much of the kalk is settling to the bottom, is that normal? I expected it to look like Golfish's, where he has 2" or so settled to the bottom.
spmnarciso
Active Member
Skilos...why not high resolution? How high can I expect my pH to get. Since starting kalk...ph went from 8.26 to 8.35 @ 82 degrees, lights on.
How often should I mix it? I have it set to mix every 5 hours for 15 min.
How often should I mix it? I have it set to mix every 5 hours for 15 min.
spmnarciso
Active Member
So did I do the test right?
How high should I let the pH get before I start to worry?
Do you see anything wrong with mixing it that much?
How high should I let the pH get before I start to worry?
Do you see anything wrong with mixing it that much?
golfish
Active Member
Originally posted by spmnarciso
I built a large reactor because someone told me that bigger was better and that since I had to buy 6" acrylic tube in 6' section, I decided to make a monument. Bad Idea?
From what I remember a "true" nielsen reactor is one that is mixed, then settles for say 8-24hrs, then the kalkwasser is dripped. People who do this make them larger because its only mixed once every day. Top-off with kalkwasser is not added during the mixing and settling time.
Where are you draw the water into the pump, how much you evap a day will determine how much you want to mix it. You could mix half the reactor twice a day and have enough water for top off, maybe even once would do it.
spmnarciso
Active Member
Kip/Golfish..you both have been an inspiration and a wealth of knowledge.
My reactor is dosed from a 15G drum (reservoir) using the Spectrapure LitermeterIII. It doses water at about 227ml every 10 minutes to the top of the reactor which travels down another tube to the bottom. I have fairly clear liquid up top.
As for testing, is my way definitely the wrong way, because with 900ppm it seems right. And my pH is at about 8.37 with lights off, when should I worry? And what do I exactly do then? Mixing it too often is what causes the high pH, correct?
My reactor is dosed from a 15G drum (reservoir) using the Spectrapure LitermeterIII. It doses water at about 227ml every 10 minutes to the top of the reactor which travels down another tube to the bottom. I have fairly clear liquid up top.
As for testing, is my way definitely the wrong way, because with 900ppm it seems right. And my pH is at about 8.37 with lights off, when should I worry? And what do I exactly do then? Mixing it too often is what causes the high pH, correct?
spmnarciso
Active Member
I have a probe monitoring pH, 24/7. Once I started dosing pH went from 8.26 to 8.37 and has stayed there all night and into today. I really hope it doesn't rise like you are stating. Should I get a baking soda solution ready?
As far as testing the Ca level, I didn't do it like you were suggesting. I just took the kalk mix from the reactor and did a normal high res. test on it. I had to add almost 2 syringes full, almost 2.0ml. to get it to turn blue. Am I doing it wrong?
As far as testing the Ca level, I didn't do it like you were suggesting. I just took the kalk mix from the reactor and did a normal high res. test on it. I had to add almost 2 syringes full, almost 2.0ml. to get it to turn blue. Am I doing it wrong?
spmnarciso
Active Member
I talked to a buddy of mine over at Kent Marine and he said that he will find out what the proper way to measure that is.
As far mixing, it all depends how far the milky solution goes up your reactor column. Small particles of Kalk, if allowed to get too high will make there way to the tank and cause higher pH readings. Therefore, I assume if you mix too much there is a chance of that happening. In my case with such a large reactor, mixing only stirs up the bottom where the fresh water is introduced. I will monitor my calcium levels and pH for the next couple days to see what kind of levels I get. Maybe the raise in pH has to do with the fact that I did not allow the kalk to settle completely at the bottom and allowed a more concentrated, not really mixed, solution into the tank.
As far mixing, it all depends how far the milky solution goes up your reactor column. Small particles of Kalk, if allowed to get too high will make there way to the tank and cause higher pH readings. Therefore, I assume if you mix too much there is a chance of that happening. In my case with such a large reactor, mixing only stirs up the bottom where the fresh water is introduced. I will monitor my calcium levels and pH for the next couple days to see what kind of levels I get. Maybe the raise in pH has to do with the fact that I did not allow the kalk to settle completely at the bottom and allowed a more concentrated, not really mixed, solution into the tank.