Kalk reactor question

[dschflier]

I have been using my Kalk reactor for a couple of years now and have had good success with it. Yesterday I cleaned out the reactor and filled it up with 3 cups of fresh Kalk. From what I recall whenever I recharge the reactor the mixture stays milky and not perfectly clear. I went to check on my system this morning and noticed that the water was perfectly clear.

 

I was thinking that maybe in the past I had just been looking at it closely when I added Kalk or when it was dripping but I wanted other peoples observations. When I go home tonight I will test the clear water to see what the PH is.

 

Another question I have. When I refill my reactor I first let RO water fill about about 3/4 of the way and then add the Kalk. Is this necessary or could I just put the dry kalk in the reactor and then let it fill up with RO water?

[dschflier]

bump

[Stephen]

Add the water first. It's kinda the same principle as mixing salt. The water then whatever you're adding to it.

[dschflier]

That is how I have always done that so I assumed that. What about the clarity of the soloution? I am going home tonight after work and will test the PH to see if it is saturated. I suppose if it is, that will answer my question.

[flowerseller]

So you'll assume a pH of 12.5 is "saturated"?

[Sikryd]

So you'll assume a pH of 12.5 is "saturated"?

 

Wouldn't that just simply imply you added a very small amount/depending on the amount of h20? It will 12.5 if you add a very small amount to a gallon.

[davelin315]

I was under the impression that it was saturated at 12 or so.

 

My thoughts are that the effluent should be clear. If it's not, you have particulate matter in it that has not dissolved. That's not to say that I don't sometimes have milky effluent from my kalk reactor, but when it's running perfectly and dialed in, the effluent is clear. I think it also has something to do with how quickly the water is added and how churned up it gets. The faster the water is going through and the more constantly it goes through, the more mixed the kalk is and the cloudier the water is.

[dschflier]

Well I appreciate all the input and after I had more then a second to look at it, the issue was pretty simple. The stirrer stopped stirring. I need to get that fixed and should be in good shape. When I was looking at it yesterday I only had a minute to look over my equipment because I was heading to work. I was a bit concerned because Carla had just given me some frags and I recently bought another one so I was looking to make sure everything was in good shape.

[lanman]

Mine is always a 'little milky' ... you can see through it, but there are obviously a few particles in suspension. One thing about this particular design - the water comes in from the top and 'stirs up' the kalk in the bottom a little while water is flowing through. I have considered putting a 'T' on the input.

 

bob