can an air pump

[reefmut]

a simple air pump be used to pump water from my kalk reactor to my sump?? I am thiknig about building a top off system along with a kalk reactor that uses a power head as the circulation/ stirrer inside the reactor. So i am hoping that i can connect the air pump to the float switch and be set. also would i need another pump to bring water from the refill water to the reactor or will it feed by gravity or pressure??thanx in advance if someone could clarify and make this simple for me

 

[liquid]

Depends on what your definition of "work" is.

Yeah you probably could rig an air pump up somehow to pump water from a kalkwasser reactor into your sump but you also have to remember that kalkwasser's worst enemy is CO2 as CO2 will react with kalkwasser to precipitate calcium carbonate thereby "ruining" your kalkwasser by reducing the amount of calcium being dosed. Air is laden with CO2 and you would reduce the effectiveness of your kalk by doing so.

Shane

 

[DRT]

To get around the co2 issue I use a 2 stage system with a nielsen reactor to dose kalk and use an air pump to drive it all. The air pump pressurizes one vessel (I use a 5 gallon glass carboy with a 2 hole stopper) and send the RODI water to the sealed neilsen reactor. For the reactor I use a 3 gallon carboy. A couple of practical points. I tried using plastic water bottles but they are not designed for pressure and the seams burst so I would recommend the glass jug route at least on the pressure side of things. You'll also need to add a small bleeder valve to the pressurized jug. Once the water level has been reached and the pump turns off you need to bleed the pressure off or it will continue to pump water, this is only a big deal as the jug gets empty. I used a T fitting and airline valve opened just a crack, this works well. I've used this system for 6 years without any problems.

 

[kanapino]

Excuse me Shane but, CO2 is a good thing and an acid in water due to:

2(OH-) + 2(CO2) <==> 2(HCO3-)

I think that what you wanted to say is that in the absence of CO2 precipitates calcium carbonate from limewater. Or even that CO2 converts calcium in limewater to bicarbonate not carbonate.

reefnut, by the way it sounds like it will work so long as the air pump is strong enough.

B.

 

[Anonymous]

I am doing the same thing a DRT and it does work quite well. To get around the bleeder valve, I used a couple of airline check valves. A simple diagram is below. The blue lines are the check valves, the red flex tubing, and the green rigid tubing. I have been using this system for about 2 years now without a problem.

 

[reefmut]

so in this system the refill water vessel is also air tight?? if it is doesnt suck in on it self as it empities?? also what would you rcomend as a suitable vessel?? i was thinking about a 3-5 gal rubermaid tub if not larger like 10 gal or maybe a 5 gal plastic gas tank??

[ March 25, 2002: Message edited by: reefmut ]</p>

 

[Anonymous]

My resivoir is a 5 gallon water jug that my LFS sells for their RO/DI watter that has a screw on top, similar to your 5 gallon gas tank thought, and is pretty airtight when the cap is screwed on properly (I have made that mistake before). I have never had any problem with the resivoir suckin in on itself, for one it is pretty heavy plastic, and the check valves help to keep the container pressurized.

 

[reefmut]

where would i be able to get check valves...for some reason it is not registering, can you maybe describe one or maybe a pic so i know what i am looking for when i go to the store....

 

[Anonymous]

They are the cheap little air check valves (~$3) that you use to keep water from backflowing into an air pump. They usually come 2 to a pack and usally sold by Tetra or Hagen or Lee in the LFS. Most LFS have them where they have the airline tubing, gang valve and that type of stuff.

 

[liquid]

Sacha:

No, CO2 is not good for kalkwasser when you first mix it. Take a saturated solution of kalkwasser (approx 1.5 tsp/gal) and let it sit open at STP for a couple days and measure the calcium concentration. You will see it drop. As pH rises (approx 12.4-12.5 in saturated kalkwasser), the saturation state of calcium carbonate decreases to the point that any CO2 that disolves in the saturated kalkwasser solution will precipitate out calcium carbonate. That's why a person typically sees a crusty "skin" on the surface of limewater that's been exposed to the atmosphere for an extended period of time.

Now if you're talking about dissolved CO2 in the tank where you're dripping kalkwasser, that's another matter completely. Dissolved CO2 in a person's tank where they're dripping kalkwasser is a good thing as it will help maintain alkalinity.

Randy Holmes-Farley has some good articles on calcium and alkalinity on Advanced Aquarist:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2002/chem.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2002/chemistry.htm

And there's plenty more on calcium, alkalinity, and limewater on Aquarium Frontiers:

http://www.aquariumfrontiers.net/

hth

Shane