Jump to content

My new kalk stirrer for under $50


bbyatv

Recommended Posts

I decided to use a motor from a WAV and make a kalk stirrer. Thought I would share.

 

Dsc07069.jpg

Dsc07070.jpg

Dsc07071.jpg

Dsc07073.jpg

Dsc07075.jpg

 

After strring for 10 hours.

 

Dsc07077.jpg

Dsc07078.jpg

 

In the sump.

 

Dsc07081.jpg

Dsc07083.jpg

 

Works good so far?

 

Bruce

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i love it!

 

can you post pics of the wine ATO again? You've got to be the only person who has beat me in ghetto-ing reef equipment

Edited by jason the filter freak
Link to comment
Share on other sites

i love it!

 

can you post pics of the wine ATO again? You've got to be the only person who has beat me in ghetto-ing reef equipment

 

friggin awesome. there should be a junkyard wars reef edition.

i like the scraper idea but the container is a little cheesie.

 

sorry couldnt resist...

 

:biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice job, Bruce. What's the motor that you use here? Also, what's with the larger PVC pipe coming in? Is that where your top-off water enters? I like the nice big opening on top, it will make replenishing kalk easier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i love it!

 

can you post pics of the wine ATO again? You've got to be the only person who has beat me in ghetto-ing reef equipment

 

I'm still working on my $50 skimmer! :)

 

bob

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm still working on my $50 skimmer! :)

 

bob

 

 

Well, my actual cost was about $21. Plus my labor time (about 1.5 hours)

 

Bruce

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks. The motor is from my WAV units. The large PVC is for adding Kalk. The top off is pumped in via a dosing pump in to the stirrer and it then overflows in to the tank. In this way there is no possibility of accidental over dose.

 

Bruce

 

Nice job, Bruce. What's the motor that you use here? Also, what's with the larger PVC pipe coming in? Is that where your top-off water enters? I like the nice big opening on top, it will make replenishing kalk easier.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Naaa, I can't stand em. They hit the trash before the jug even made it in the house.

 

Bruce

 

 

Does that include the cheeseballs? Did you eat them as you labored away for 1.5 hours? :biggrin:
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The water looks pretty cloudy. You don't want to dose the cloudy liquid, just the clear saturated solution. I don't know what rpm your motor is but 9-12rpm works well. I would try making another stir bar without the fins to see if that clouds the liquid less. Also you could try cutting the bottom pipe in half so it was like a long upside down u shape, that might create a little bottom mixing without totally clouding the mix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dan,

 

The water above the fins is just perfect at this point. Nearly clear. The motor spins at 4 rpm. The fins work real well because the kalk can not cake up on the bottom. It is always very light and moving. I am super happy withe the output. The pH and Alk readings are just where they should be. pH 12.54, Alk 40.8 meq/l.

 

Thanks for the thoughts,

 

Bruce

 

The water looks pretty cloudy. You don't want to dose the cloudy liquid, just the clear saturated solution. I don't know what rpm your motor is but 9-12rpm works well. I would try making another stir bar without the fins to see if that clouds the liquid less. Also you could try cutting the bottom pipe in half so it was like a long upside down u shape, that might create a little bottom mixing without totally clouding the mix.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

How does the water get in? And how is the CO2 get out? And it looks like the output tube is below the water line? What am I missing.

 

Great inexpensive design!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a Kalkwasser Stirrer. There is not CO2 used. You might be thinking of a Calcium Reactor.

 

The water is added via a dosing pump (enteral pump) and it overflows in to the sump. The tube that you see coming out the side has and "S" shape to it so that inside of the container it points up. That is why the water level is above the end outside of the container. On the inside the water level is just at the top of the tube because as more is added it runs down through the tube and in to the sump.

 

Bruce

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...