Kalk Reactor Question

[MatthewScars]

Im looking into getting this:

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/11578/product.web

I'm not sure how to hook it up into my system.

I dont have a ATO, or anything. To top off my tank, I simply ran the RODI output directly into my sump. So i just flick it on every day or so until the water level hits 'the line'.

I've never set one of these up, so any suggestions would be great.

Here a VERY old shot of the sump area:

 

[Deanos]

Not to change the subject, but if you ever forget to turn off the RODI while topping off, you'll be be looking at disaster.

:backtotop

What are your current calcium and alkalinity readings? How are you currently maintaining those readings? Spending over $270 for a kalkreactor without knowing these paramaters seems a waste of money.

 

[MatthewScars]

Yeah, i know. It's been 6 months with no incident. I leave the cabinet doors under the sink open (to remind me its on) and I MANUALLY run the black RODI waste tube from under the sink into the sink drain (to remind me its on).

I actually over flowed a 44 gal brute bucket over night... but lets not talk about that

I dose 3 table spoons of each part A & B of a kent 2part.

ALK is 9 Cal is 420~ (PH 8.15 - 7.8)

My mom got me a $250 Pinpoint Cal Meter for xmas, and its crap. So im returning it and looking to get this.

 

[regal]

You have several options. Do you have an aquacontroller? I topoff my tank directly from the RO/DI unit which is connected to the kalk reactor. To prevent overdosing and disaster, I take several safety measures.

1) I use a combination of a timer and float switch to control the solenoid valve which I got from autotopoff.com. The solenoid controls the RO unit and the float switch shuts it off when the water level is right. The float swtich is connected to a timer/aquacontroller so if the float switch is stuck in th ON position, it still gets turn off by the timer.

2) The solenoid valve will be turned off by the aquacontroller if the tank pH is >8.3

2) I changed my RO membrane from 100gpd to 25gpd so if something happens, it won't put too much water in my tank before I catch it.

3) If the solenoid is stuck in the ON position and won't turn off either by the float switch or the timer, the main pump will be shut down by the aquacontroller when the sump pH is higher than let say 8.6. This way, even the kalk is still being dumped into the sump, it won't get into the main tank. I might get a small flood and that's why I changed the RO membrane to 25gpd, the main tank should be OK. This is my last defense.

 

[regal]

I will recommend a stirrng type of kalk reactor instead of the ones that use a power head. The plastic impeller gets brittle due to the high pH and they don't last long. I used to replace the impeller every 9-12 months. I recommend this one. It is like a deltec but much cheaper. I have the larger verson.

 

[MatthewScars]

No Aquacontroller :\

http://autotopoff.com/solenoid/

This is pretty cool. The Kalk reactor is 1/4" output too right? So i /could/ get 2 of these and make them open at the same time. it would look like:

sump<--solenoid<--KalkR<--solenoid <-- RODI

then put both on a timer to open x minutes y number of times a day. yes/no/maybe?

 

[regal]

No Aquacontroller :\

http://autotopoff.com/solenoid/

This is pretty cool. The Kalk reactor is 1/4" output too right? So i /could/ get 2 of these and make them open at the same time. it would look like:

sump<--solenoid<--KalkR<--solenoid <-- RODI

then put both on a timer to open x minutes y number of times a day. yes/no/maybe?

I use only one solenoid between the RO unit and the reactor. You don't want to put a solenoid after the KalkR since it will cause it to build up too much pressure and leak if water keeps "pumping" into it from the RO unit. The one that I showed you has a much bigger outlet on the output side so it doesn't clog up easily. It doesn't really matter since you are not going to connect it to the solenoid. You can run it on a timer as stated but I will caution you against it without other safety measures.

 

[regal]

I am sorry, I need to clarify the placement of the solenoid. I connect the solenoid right before the RO membrane and after the three filter chambers of the RO unit. This way, it cuts off the water supply to the membrane. The reason I did it this way is that the solenoid is rated for a certain max psi. I don't know if it can handle the water pressure from the water line before it enters the RO/DI unit. This setup also eliminates the need of the shutoff valve from the RO/DI unit which I found not very reliable in shutting off the waste water production.

 

[MatthewScars]

ohhhh, ok. Yeah cause my inline PSI is 90-110. so ill put it after the 3 chambers before the DI.

Do you have a photo of your Kalk reactor setup? We could probably take this to PM now. dont want to bother everyone

 

[regal]

ohhhh, ok. Yeah cause my inline PSI is 90-110. so ill put it after the 3 chambers before the DI.

Do you have a photo of your Kalk reactor setup? We could probably take this to PM now. dont want to bother everyone

Before the RO, not the DI. I don't have any pics.

Electrical connection:
Aquacontroller/timer >>float switch >>solenoid valve

Plumbing connection:
Water supply>>RO unit 1st 3 chambers>>solenoid valve>>RO membrane>>DI>>carbon filter>>kalk reactor>>Sump.