Kalk directly in the display tank.

[Jacob1]

Well I was planning on getting a return pump for the 50G tank I just set up, but my budget is exausted for the moment and I probably will not be able to afford one untill the beginning of October. I am looking for a way to use Kalk as repacement water for evaporation. I have a ultra life float switch which I was hoping to add to the main tank and use a powerhead in a 5 gallon bucket filled with kalk.

Would this be detrimental to the tank? Would the kalk would be too caustic?
It only has live rock in it along with a couple of snails.

Is there a way to protect the float switch from the snails?
Would the addition of Kalk to the main tank cause a big problem?

How about adding it to the output box on my Turbofloater Multi to help dilute the Kalk before it enters the main tank?

Any suggestions?
Like I said, by the time corals are in their I will have a sump, But for now I need to figure out a safe way to keep Ca levels up with he setup I have.

Thanks for any help and suggestions.

Regards
Jake

 

[Barbie]

When I worked at the lfs and was dripping kalk in 4 different systems I would just tie a knot in the airline to slow the flow to a steady drip. I used silicone tubing so that it wouldn't kink clear down and stop the flow completely. HTH

Barbie

 

[jdeets]

You can certainly add kalk directly to a main tank without any adverse consequences, provided it is dripped in near turbulent water, like near a powerhead.

Instead of using a powerhead and float switch, I'd recommend using good ol' gravity if you can. The powerhead in conjunction with a float switch could mean trouble--for example, the line would have to be above the water level--otherwise when the pump shuts off you'll have your tank siphoning into your kalk bucket. Every time it comes on, you'll have plenty of splashing to share with everyone, because the line won't be submersible.

Also, depending on how sensitive the float switch is, you could have wild pH swings. For example, if the float switch is accurate to 1/8", you'll be adding at least that much kalk every time your float switch turns the powerhead on. That can work for a 200 or 300 gallon tank where you're only replacing 1/8" of water in the sump, but to be adding that much into a 50 gallon in a very short period of time could be disastrous.

For kalk to work properly, it's got to be slowly dripped in, in a turbulent area. Kalk has to bind with CO2 to form the alkalinity component. If you add it too fast, that won't happen and your alk will actually drop.

I'd be very wary of your proposed dosing system.

On my old tank where I didn't have a sump, I just mixed the kalk in a rubbermaid pitcher and ran an airline connected to a ball valve down into it. I'd set that on top of the tank, start a siphon, adjust the drip rate with the ball valve and drip it in near the main powerhead. I also did this only at night. It worked great.

HTH