Can Kalkwasser slurry eliminate the need for a calcium reactor?

[@steventucker9272]

Thank you for sharing! Great video and great ideas. Also thank you for sharing your spreadsheet. It will come in very handy as I set up my kalk dosing system. Cheers!

[@RobBzReef]

Glad it was helpful! appreciate the feedback!

[@matta5353]

Excellent ideas and execution! Thank you for throwing this out to the world so anyone can try and replicate your work. Bravo sir.

[@RobBzReef]

Thanks, appreciate the feedback. It's been a good learning experience so far.

[@rolisreefranch]

Guess I'm a little confused. Dowloaded the spreadsheet and it isn't the version you're showing in the video. How do I change from a normal concentration to a higher one?

[@RobBzReef]

Hi! In the about page on my channel you'll find a link to my email. Hit me up there and it will be easier to walk thru it.

[@audiotom3855]

Great job and many thanks from Germany Rob! Have a safe and healthy 2022!

[@RobBzReef]

Thank you so much, happy new year to you as well and much success in your Reefing endeavors!

[@RichardGraff-o3f]

My daughter and I are getting my grandson a 3D printer for X-Mas, wanted to know if there is a specific type of filament I should use to make the Venturi fitting. Is PLA filament good?

[@RobBzReef]

Use petg for any application that will be exposed to salt water. PLA isn't considered reef safe.

[@RichardGraff-o3f]

@@RobBzReef thanks Rob!

[@DuzzyDobbin]

Hi great vid although I’m not certain I understand the Venturi part. Is it so you can slowly drip into a pipe that has pressurized flow without it drawing the drip into like a vacuum? Also did kalk replace a calcium reactor? Regards Duzzy 🇦🇺

[@RobBzReef]

Thanks for watchin! The venturi performs several functions. First is to help create a turbulence at the convergence point to better help mix and saturate the calcium hydroxide. Second is to prevent constant back pressure against the dosing pump head and lastly a safety guard in case it ever pops off accidentally (or on purpose for maintenance) it won't shoot water all over the place, assuming you have it above the water level of your source. Kalk for me did not replace a carbonic acid generator. It however will ensure I never need to get one which for me is a huge win. This is certainly capable of feeding a system as much if not more carbonate alkalinity than many calcium reactors at a fraction of the cost imo.

[@DuzzyDobbin]

@@RobBzReef thanks for getting back to me. So are you running kalk and what else for calcium?

[@docforestal]

great video - as my tank matures and need more alk, i want to look doing this - Dan

[@RobBzReef]

It just works, it's definitely for when you're on board with kalk and your alk demand exceeds your average yearly evaporation rate.

[@glennhaynes6332]

Is the versa pump tubing able to handle the kalk slurry long term without breaking down?

[@RobBzReef]

I've found it hit and miss. The versa pump tubing is generally terrible overall and I've had it go out on me in non-kalk dosing applications. The tubing assembly that's currently in use is over 6 months old at this point. When I started out I had one lose it's seal at a month.

[@davbenav]

Hry Rob, Thanks for sharing this information! I am looking to start normal saturation and wondering if you would be willing to share the PDF calculator you created? Many thank. David.

[@RobBzReef]

Hi David, there's a dropbox link for it in the video description. Keep in mind it does not work with google sheets unfortunately, you have to open it in native excel.

[@davbenav]

@@RobBzReef Found it! many thanks

[@joshpitts25]

Boom love it I'll be trying this for sure. Excellent!! Spears mfg makes tons of plastic fittings literally metric and standard they will make anything. Believe me I work there. Love it!!

[@RobBzReef]

sincerely appreciate the positive feedback as I'm quite new at making videos. I agree, there are quite a number of options out there. One of my goals was keeping access high. Aside from the printed nozzle, using inexpensive parts from your local hardware store was key.

[@flowe101]

Great idea. I was thinking of something similar for an in-line application with a closed loop system. Did you make the fitting that creates the Venturi?

[@RobBzReef]

A friend of mine who's really good at flow dynamics and hydraulic engineering helped me with the design of the 3d printed insert.

[@dirtydogsanddiesel]

Great video and very informative. Thank you

[@RobBzReef]

appreciate the feedback! Let me know if there is other specific content you've been looking for.

[@jungleboys3220]

I appreciate the info and break down. What's the part number on the Mur Lok Fitting?

[@RobBzReef]

This is where I sourced mine www.bulkreefsupply.com/mur-lok-male-npt-x-push-connect.html

[@RichardGraff-o3f]

Rob, how can one get a copy of you spreadsheet and possibly the 3D printing file for the Venturi nozzle?

[@RobBzReef]

As always with my videos, references, resources and links are in the description.

[@johnuren1009]

Great vid awesome knoledge.

[@RobBzReef]

thanks, really appreciate it! still have lots to learn.

[@zauzakeking]

Great video! Few questions. How do you have the pump positioned in the kalk reservoir? Do you use a ph controller/apex connected to your dosing pump? Also, if I'm understanding correctly; the venturi design with the eheim pump decreases precipitation and aids in dissolving the solution. Would longer tubing from the venturi to sump be beneficial in dissolving slurry or would it matter?

[@RobBzReef]

Thank you very much! I have it just hanging in there so it just touches the bottom and can oscillate with the current it generates. The slot I put in the bucket is just barely big enough so it doesn't slip. I do have an Apex controller but I'm not using it to control the dosing pump just yet. I have bad CO2 issues so my pH is not going to get that high with the volumes I'm dosing at this time. If things start trending in that direction I will do exactly that. Others out there do take some measures with their controllers to do this butt they are dosing a lot more than me and don't have the high CO2 that I do. In my testing it eliminates precipitation altogether. Any length of tubing should be fine if you're slurry setup is not located adjacent to your sump. If your slurry setup is right on top of your sump already I would skip this method and just dose it straight from your doser into a very high flow area of your sump (usually by means of a power head located in your sump for this purpose).

[@gonefishing5536]

Great vid and way off topic question lol, with your phyto in the background did you tap LEDs to the jars or something?

[@RobBzReef]

Thank you very much! I was lazy there and bought them from poseiden systems. There are way cheaper means via diy but this turned out to be a very easy and slick setup if not a bit spendy. No regrets tho, it grows phyto and pods like no one's business. poseidonreefsystems.com/products/phytotank-complete-kit

[@fostee1]

Best diy innovation I’ve seen in years thanks! You said the versa doses 40mL/min but then when you showed video it was off. Is it setup to intermittently dose the 40 mL/min?

[@RobBzReef]

Thank you very much. Definitely a learning exercise. My current alk demand is low as I'm just getting my coral load up. It's around .5 dKH/day so I'm only dosing once every 2hrs. As my demand goes up I'll keep increasing until I'm in a continuous mode. At which time I'll switch to a Kamoer pro T doser instead. Hoping I'll be there in there next 4-5 months. I also have the option of going to 4% which is 24x strength of normal saturated kalk.

[@paulfoxgrover7719]

Excellent video! Very informative and well done! My slurry manifold is still cruising along around the two week mark. I didn't use the tubing below the push connect fitting to extend the dosing line closer to the venturi (didn't catch that detail) but did incline the manifold a little to encourage the slurry in the right direction. I'll have to open in up in a couple weeks and see if there is any build up at all.

[@RobBzReef]

Thanks Paul! I'm not certain it's necessary, just seemed prudent. This is just the beginning of the journey. I'd be very interested in what you find after a month or so of dosing, Feedback like that is gold! I appreciate your thoughts and input as always.

[@erikreagan2339]

@robbb'zreef how are you stirring the kalkwasser in your bucket to make the slurry?

[@cww180]

How can I get the excel file and 3d design to make this?

[@RobBzReef]

All those links are posted in the video description

[@reefreptiles3190]

Interesting. I currently have an ice cap kalk reactor and I am adjusting hours over night that I'm dosing kalkwasser. I expect to get to a limit, but also expect I can increase the ammount of stirring. It somewhat relates, but not to the point if slurry yet

[@RobBzReef]

I've played around in the same manner. Before I started experimenting with slurry I was using an avast stirrer. Occasionally I would pull things up in the column a bit and observe the impact to pH.

[@MiddleAgedMike]

Just started my tank slurry today, thanks for the Kalkulator. It’s a 220g system pretty heavily stocked. I’m currently doseing 9000ml kalk water and 150ml of all4reef. Hoping to switch to only dosing slurry.

[@RobBzReef]

You're very welcome, and thanks for watching! I hope your cutover goes smoothly. I've finally surpassed my ability to replenish alk thru normally saturated kalk which has been a fun journey. I knew it would happen at some point which is why i started down this path early on. Enjoy those savings :)

[@tuberklops]

So what’s wrong with just dripping it into your sump with a power head running to mix it?

[@RobBzReef]

localized abiotic precipitation, you can overcome that with a high flow powerhead in your sump, but that method severely limits the distance you can pump from your slurry reservoir (too long of a line and it falls out of suspension) and some ppl don't want a 5 gallon pail sitting next to their stand in the living room. this allows you to locate in in another room, in your basement. the only limiting factor is the pump you use for the distance traveled. It also allows for a far greater range of dosing rate. With the other method you have to dose fast to avoid it falling out of suspension in the line.

[@tuberklops]

@@RobBzReef so what’s your recommended length from the dosing pump directly into the sump?

[@RobBzReef]

@@tuberklops if you don't use my manifold method I recommend staying under 3ft. YMMV after that. You'll want to keep your line from the doser to the reservoir as short as possible in either method.

[@json216]

How do you figure out slurry ratio...like how much in a 5 gal bucket

[@RobBzReef]

sorry i missed this question. however late, slurry is a reference to weight percentage of the volume of water it's mixed in. typically 1-4% I am running a 2% by weight mix which equates to 12x strength of normal saturated kalkwasser.

[@MiddleAgedMike]

Thanks for the video

[@erikreagan2339]

@Rob B'z Reef how are you stirring your slurry in your bucket?

[@RobBzReef]

Hi Erik, right at the 10 minute mark of the video i show how I'm doing that. I'm using a Jebao SLW-10 that I keep hanging just a touch off the bottom. I let it hang free so it can oscillate in the current a bit. I've had this specific pump running in the slurry for over 200 days now.

[@erikreagan2339]

@@RobBzReef o ok thanks i though that was in the sump pushing the water after it came out. Isn't a pump too much for kalk I was under the impression that you can stir it too much and it will loose its concentration. That is why the kalk stirrer is moving so slow?

[@RobBzReef]

@@erikreagan2339 There is one pump involved, that is located in the sump and it's job is to move water from the sump, through the venturi/mixer and back to the sump. In the bucket that contains the slurry is where the powerhead is located (if you're not familiar with the SLW series, it looks much like a Nero) and it's only job is to keep the kalk suspended. since the slurry is typically between 12 and 24 times (2-4% range) the normal strength of fully saturated kalk it's not in solution, but rather suspension. Once kalkwasser is fully dissolved it won't fall out of solution through mechanical means. The only potential impact to potency of the slurry here would be to prolonged exposure to CO2 from the air, which is why we keep a tight lid on it. HTH - Rob

[@anthonybester6455]

I appreciate the effort involved. Just an FYI the spreadsheet is broken in Open Office, Google Sheets, failed to open at all in Apple Numbers and will not open in the Excel app on iphone. Corrupted file or invalid extension error.

[@RobBzReef]

Appreciate the feedback! I was aware it didn't work on Google sheets. I'm going to convert it into a web page soon, maybe add some other features as well to make it more accessible.

[@anthonybester6455]

​@@RobBzReef A webpage would be fantastic! I don't subscribe to excel so would be nice to be able to use it. Cell B7 equation is blank in open office. The B7 equation exists in Sheets. None of the selection boxes work in either. I can infer some things but other things I'm unsure of with the math or purpose so going to have to wait.

[@RobBzReef]

@@anthonybester6455 sorry about that! Initially I just built it for my own use when I was doing the initial experiments but saw a need for others even with normal saturated. I'll move that up my priority list for sure.

[@anthonybester6455]

@@RobBzReef No apology needed Rob. I appreciate that you created it and shared it in the first place. Thanks for doing it and planning to make it more accessible!.

[@wileytan2555]

Nice! How do you compute wt%?

[@RobBzReef]

Normal saturated kalk is around 1.73 g/liter, one liter of rodi is about 998g. .04 x 998 = 40g which is 24x strength over normal saturated (approx).

[@dangfragz8030]

Hey Rob how can I get your calculator?

[@RobBzReef]

There's a drop box link in the video description, you can find it there.

[@insectkiller2005]

Hi are we able to access this calculator ?

[@RobBzReef]

yessir, there's a link in the description to my dropbox. You can download that and any related content (3d print file, destructions etc).

[@michaelconroy9176]

Love this, just fired up the printer!!!!! Off topic but do you live in an old house. 9:19-9:24 you can see a ball of light just to the left of you then hang a hard right by your cup!! Wild!! sorry for being weird! #GHOSTREEFER!

[@RobBzReef]

I was trying to see what you were referring to but perhaps I'm not understanding, sorry! My house was new in 2010. Appreciate the positive feedback!

[@Wiljuchi]

Great video, shame the sound is pretty awful in parts.

[@RobBzReef]

Yeah it wasn't good, I'm still learning the video do's and don'ts

[@erikreagan2339]

@

[@tripshobbies2810]

Audio in this video is next lvl annoying.

[@RobBzReef]

I agree with you, it's terrible. I promise to work on that.