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Thread: Please Help - Programming KALK Reactor

  1. #1
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    Please Help - Programming KALK Reactor

    I have problems with PH and have tried everything including running an outside line to the Skimmer. I decided to get a KALK reactor and have my ATO running into it and then into the skimmer section of my sump. It works but the KALK Reactor is prisoner to the ATO and therefore the PH varies from 7.9 to 8.2 based on when the ATO is activated by the water getting low in the sump

    I have an auto water change where my system drains 5 gallons a day and then refills with 5 gallons of new RODI saltwater. I bought a DOS and was thinking of using the following program:

    Question 1:

    FALLBACK OFF
    SET OFF
    IF TANK PH < 8.1 THEN ON
    IF TANK PH > 8.3 THEN OFF

    Am I forgetting anything?

    Question 2

    I have an extra optical sensor but I am not sure how to set up a switch since my other optical sensors were set up by a LFS. I would like to set it up to prevent overfilling. That being said it will be going into the skimmer section and it can hold 6 gallons of additional water so it will not overflow since each night it will drain and refill with the auto water change. Regardless, if someone can tell me how to set up the optical sensor then I would greatly appreciate it. Always good to have another safety point

    Question 3

    I was also wondering would it not be cheaper and equally effective to use a solenoid valve instead of DOS and have it set to open up the RODI into the KALK Reactor which will then go into my sump and have it based on PH. Wouldn't that be as effective as the DOS and much cheaper plus I can save the DOS for something else. If so, then is the program above good for the Solenoid Valve.

    Thanks for your help!

  2. #2
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
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    I would not suggest that approach. A daily variation of 0.2 to 0.3 pH is perfectly normal for a reef tank and will not hurt anything. What you should do is either dose the correct amount of saturated Kalk needed to maintain parameters and dose less or none during the "day" to help stabalized pH, and do ATO seperately, or use a more powerful refugium light to support more CO2 conversion to O2 during night when pH drops naturally

    You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can prove it mathematically.

  3. #3
    Frequent Visitor rkpetersen's Avatar
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    I have a kalk setup similar to yours: RODI reservoir, to ATO pmup, through failsafe solenoid, to kalk reactor, dispensing into filter socks at the front end of the sump. At first, I tried using it with the normal ATK programming. I found that the variation in topoff duration, amount of kalk dispensed , and acute pH change was just too great for my taste. However, as it turns out, my daily evaporation is ridiculously consistent. So I just reprogrammed the ATO using the OSC command, to dispense for 10 seconds every 30 minutes, which keeps my sump return chamber water level very stable and also provides a uniform smooth boost to the daily pH range. Nonetheless, I've got some safeguards and alerts also programmed in, which will let me know if a minor manual water level adjustment is needed.

    Regarding the optical sensors: You need to have an FMM with an unused/available port in your system. Once you plug the OS in, the corresponding switch tile should be found in the Tiles (lock icon upper right) section; you can drag it to your dash if you want (not necessary though.) Now you can use that sensor wherever you might need to. Just as an example, if you want your skimmer to turn OFF if the switch is flooded (CLOSED), then add this line to your skimmer code: If [Switchname] CLOSED Then OFF. (I actually use this to keep my skimmer cup from overflowing.)

    Regarding the DOS: I personally wouldn't use it for topoff duty, that's what a topoff pump is for. I use a solenoid valve as well but only as a failsafe to keep the line closed in case the pump malfunctioned and starting going nonstop, or some kind of freak impossible siphon situation tried to develop. Think about what's in that kalk reactor, and no degree of extra safety is too much.


    I also use a CO2 scrubber, and it works quite well. I tried an outside line at one point, it did nothing; CO2 scrubbing seems far more effective (which makes sense.) I only use it at night, and automated the changeover with a sweet motorized valve that I have Apex open and close in the morning and evening.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by rkpetersen View Post
    I have a kalk setup similar to yours: RODI reservoir, to ATO pmup, through failsafe solenoid, to kalk reactor, dispensing into filter socks at the front end of the sump. At first, I tried using it with the normal ATK programming. I found that the variation in topoff duration, amount of kalk dispensed , and acute pH change was just too great for my taste. However, as it turns out, my daily evaporation is ridiculously consistent. So I just reprogrammed the ATO using the OSC command, to dispense for 10 seconds every 30 minutes, which keeps my sump return chamber water level very stable and also provides a uniform smooth boost to the daily pH range. Nonetheless, I've got some safeguards and alerts also programmed in, which will let me know if a minor manual water level adjustment is needed.

    Regarding the optical sensors: You need to have an FMM with an unused/available port in your system. Once you plug the OS in, the corresponding switch tile should be found in the Tiles (lock icon upper right) section; you can drag it to your dash if you want (not necessary though.) Now you can use that sensor wherever you might need to. Just as an example, if you want your skimmer to turn OFF if the switch is flooded (CLOSED), then add this line to your skimmer code: If [Switchname] CLOSED Then OFF. (I actually use this to keep my skimmer cup from overflowing.)

    Regarding the DOS: I personally wouldn't use it for topoff duty, that's what a topoff pump is for. I use a solenoid valve as well but only as a failsafe to keep the line closed in case the pump malfunctioned and starting going nonstop, or some kind of freak impossible siphon situation tried to develop. Think about what's in that kalk reactor, and no degree of extra safety is too much.


    I also use a CO2 scrubber, and it works quite well. I tried an outside line at one point, it did nothing; CO2 scrubbing seems far more effective (which makes sense.) I only use it at night, and automated the changeover with a sweet motorized valve that I have Apex open and close in the morning and evening.
    --------------------

    Great advice

    My ATO is set to come on when the return section falls below a certain level but I find the PH going from 7.9 to 8.2 and I really want it above 8.2

    Let me know the code that you use to have your ATO come on every 30 minutes. Maybe this will give me a more consistent PH above 8.2. My only concern is that it may fill my return section too high or bring my PH up too high. I can place safeguards in as you have to notify me if it is too high and manually drain it. My thought is using a DOS will allow me to be more consistent within a 8.2-8.4 range but it is an expensive way to do it.

    I could go with a CO2 scrubber but it is another expense and another piece of equipment. I will go that route if the KALK does not do the trick.


    Thanks

  5. #5
    Frequent Visitor rkpetersen's Avatar
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    Here's the code I have for both the ATO pump and the ATO solenoid. Neither references the other, and both turn on/off less than a second apart.

    Fallback OFF
    OSC 015:00/000:10/014:50 Then ON
    When On > 000:15 Then OFF
    If Sal < 33.0 Then OFF
    If pH > 8.40 Then OFF
    If SumpHi CLOSED Then OFF
    If RODILo OPEN Then OFF
    If FeedA 000 Then OFF
    If FeedB 000 Then OFF
    If FeedC 000 Then OFF
    If FeedD 000 Then OFF
    If Output ReturnPump = OFF Then OFF
    If Output LeakDetected = ON Then OFF

    You will most likely have to adjust the OSC command parameters to fit your specific aquarium. When you decrease/increase the second parameter (indicating duration of dispensing), be sure to also increase/decrease the third parameter to keep the 30 minute schedule.

    The lines from my email/text alarm that notify me of any sump water level problem are:

    If Output SumpLoOpen60 = ON Then ON
    If Output SmpLoClsd240 = ON Then ON
    If Output SumpHiClsd20 = ON Then ON

    These reference three virtual outlets. Each is a simple VO using a Defer command so that it only turns on if the optical sensor stays in a certain state for XX minutes. The timing here fits my needs very well, yours of course may be quite different.

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