Kalk stirrer problem

[Big Country]

Started having a issue with my kalk stirrer last weekend. I was doing my monthly cleaning of the stirrer, a Deltec KM500, and decided to give it a water/vinegar bath to help loosen the crusties. Ever since then the kalk will not settle down in the bottom of the stirrer like it usually does, it want's to fluff up in the bottom of the stirrer looking like a fog bank. When the ATO kicks on it kicks up the fog and makes the whole stirrer cloudy. I'm assuming that the vinegar is causing this since I'm using the same kalk powder I usually use. Any idea what I need to do to deactivate whatever kind of reaction the vinegar is having with my kalk powder? or do I just need to dump it out, rinse the stirrer well with just water or something else and refill?

[GraffitiSpotCorals]

You know I just got a used one and I had the same problem with the kalk looking fluffy and not layering on the bottom. I don't know if the person cleaned it with vinegar or not but I will ask.

[davelin315]

Seems to me it's simply running better and the kalk is being stirred too much. My previous kalk stirrer would elevate the kalk column over halfway up the reactor if I set it to stir too fast. The vinegar wouldn't have any effect other than to make it easier for it to do its job.

[Big Country]

Seems to me it's simply running better and the kalk is being stirred too much. My previous kalk stirrer would elevate the kalk column over halfway up the reactor if I set it to stir too fast. The vinegar wouldn't have any effect other than to make it easier for it to do its job.

 

The kalk stirrer only stirs at one constant speed 24/7. I've never seen it have he kalk that cloudy before. It seems to be settling down some now that it's been running for a couple of days and has had a decent amount of fresh water pumped through it. The kalk still looks a little fluffy in the bottom of the reactor but the solution above the kalk powder is clear now, I think that the vinegar residue in the stirrer probably just thinned out the kalk and put it into solution more than normal, so all is well.

[Grav]

I agree with Dave. Sounds like it is running better.

[ctenophore]

The "fluffy" kalk is likely precipitated calcium carbonate. This is a byproduct when the calcium hydroxide powder reacts with CO2 (either in air or water). It will never dissolve, so you are best off dumping the reactor and refilling. This happens over time in any kalk reactor, usually you'll start to see it in 3 weeks to a month.

[GraffitiSpotCorals]

Well I just cleaned mine out and started over and it didn't layer up and it still looks fluffy, oh well I was told it will be fine running like that.

[Big Country]

I agree with Dave. Sounds like it is running better.

I just hope it's not one of those cases of it always runs better right before it breaks. Those motors are expensive about $100 and I drove to Richmond, VA to get it replaced last time.

[Big Country]

The "fluffy" kalk is likely precipitated calcium carbonate. This is a byproduct when the calcium hydroxide powder reacts with CO2 (either in air or water). It will never dissolve, so you are best off dumping the reactor and refilling. This happens over time in any kalk reactor, usually you'll start to see it in 3 weeks to a month.

 

I just put new kalk in the reactor a week ago, in fact the first time I filled it up it started this and I thought I'd put too much powder in so I dumped it after a day and put less powder in, so it's been restarted twice in the last week. I've never seen it do this before.