Kalwasser and PH

[Phxreefer]

That makes perfect sense.
And you control dose based off maximums, I’ve read of both Max’s and mins being used. I like your, we’re about at the exact same ph also.

I would like to exhaust all options for passive co2 scrubbing before dosing as I saw when we were out of town large and steady improvements.
I am going to fab a large reactor today for a trickle tower. 5’ x 1’ diam.
In an attempt to counter the co2 entering from the house, in addition to feeding skimmer with outside air (my reefocto 1k is too small to counter) I’m going to pass the tank water over media in the tower to scrub out co2. The reactor being fed by air recirculated through my saturated kalk solution.
I’m curious if the kalk will loose potency too quickly. Still working on method of recirculating air through kalk and into chamber and back through kalk. An aqua lifter maybe?

Any thoughts on this?
See here
And here for references

They are bubbling the skimmer air through kalk solution @ 12.4. I’m thinking of giving it more exposure with the trickle tower since my skimmer is small.

B

 

[kjonulak]

Those articles were interesting.
Sketch up your idea, I'd like to see it.
I have whole house air exchanger plus I pull outside air. For awhile I was using a scrubber with the outside air. I didn't see enough of a bump in pH to continue down that path.

 

[Phxreefer]

Been a longer day then expected. Decided to scrap the trickle tower idea for a skimmer, thinking easier proof of concept and also known for their excellent air exchange, so purchased a cheap skimmer, and reactor to fab. I decided after to hook the airline from my main skimmer also to a kalk bubbler. So I have x2. Now I sit and wait for results. Looking promising
Only issue I’ve run across yet is questioning the exposure time of bubbles/ type of bubbles. Thinking maybe a pinwheel pump like a nielson reactor will be the next progression if I find that issue to be a hurdle. Have full build but will wait to see if this pans out Before posting.
B

 

[kjonulak]

Looking forward to your results.

 

[Phxreefer]

No drastic changes overnight, thinking I need to recirculate air through kalk solution and draw from that. Instead of recirculating the whole system through skimmer cap. Going to purchase a 6’ stick of 12” green sewer pvc. I should Have enough bio balls And Matala Mat to fill it. looking at Ca(OH)2 for solution also. Will compare.

any thoughts as to the sizing of the secondary skimmer being used for amalgamation of dissolates?

@Carlos still going to get back to you on kalk, just taking the long road

 

[Phxreefer]

Revised

 

[Phxreefer]

You know how hard it is to find 12” end caps on a Saturday? Impossible. So waiting till Monday to finish the large reactor.
Curious thought, most people want surface agitation for gas exchange, but if the house air is what you’re combatting wouldn’t minimal surface agitation be preferable? and gas exchange to be handled in the sump with outside air or this kalk gas?

 

[kjonulak]

That's why I put a whole house air exchange unit in to lower the inside CO2 levels. Lower inside CO2 levels translates to lower CO2 in the tank water. Think about when you go on vacation and tank water pH goes up due to the lack of excess CO2 in the house air. I also pull outside air for my skimmer.

 

[Phxreefer]

I probably should just look into an exchanger for the health of everyone. I will exhaust all options to rise ph before adding kalkwasser including probably that. Doesn’t look like too bad of an installation and they’re only 4-500$ did you have an installer? What it run you ballpark?

 

[kjonulak]

We had ours done several years ago. Plus we needed a good sized unit for the space we have. Ours was $2800 all installed. It's made a big difference I my CO2 levels. We were 800+ppm now we are around 500ppm.

 

[1ocean]

hmmm. I am following along...

 

[Phxreefer]

Before I pack this thing with media please advise:
Bioballs/matalia mat
Carbon
Aragonite

Or nothing

I’m wondering if packing it with media would in fact amalgamate the bubbles that are intentionally being shredded into micro bubbles by the skimmer pump? I’m going to go medialess first, please advise

Got the call back from the acrylic shop they’ll have the pieces cut in the next few days for the final 12” square by 5’ tall reactor for 150$. Piece of round acrylic that size was 880$ Figure if it goes south it’ll be a hellofa calc reactor

 

[kjonulak]

Initially I wouldn't put anything in there. You're going to be recirculating kalkwasser. Overtime you will be getting a slug buildup from the CO2 reacting to the kalk. I would think that slug might get caught up in all that media and make a big mess. I would want it as easy as possible to clean. Just my thoughts.

 

[Phxreefer]

Ofcourse! Percipient. Duh.
Price on air exchanger looks right, I’m keeping an eye out at some of my local discount wholesale remodeling shops.
Tapping the main chamber, everything else is ready. Found more articles, seems promising.

HerE
Here
Randy’s study

Should have it running by eod
B

 

[kjonulak]

I setup my air exchanger to be independent of my HVAC system. It has an outside air intake and exhaust.

 

[Phxreefer]

Alright ladies and germs, I present the BFR. 6” instead of 12” diam.
has almost 10g and 2 cups of kalk, been running for a few hrs... we will see over the next few days.
the reactor out air goes through wall into beaker and bubbled 2nd time through 12.4 solution then split into the skimmers, the main which runs constantly, and the secondary which is set to ph limits solely for air exchange, no skimmate.

 

[kjonulak]

That thing is a beast. Lol

 

[Phxreefer]

Ok, data. so far I’ve experienced an overall +.1 ph Day and night. I have also noticed a stabilization between day/night ph swings.
Nothing drastic, not impressed

3 issues
- the reactor is negatively pressurized to some degree. I can see this by a sine style fluctuation in the dc pumps power draw and on the Fernco rubber cap. I’m wondering if I am drawing from a pressurized system efficiently? I have noticed condensate in the tube coming into the house so I am assuming so, no changes to skimmers air production. going through and making sure all connections are air tight

-unsure of saturation of kalk in reactor in garage at 100deg. add vinegar or switch to pickling lime perhaps or start air conditioning the garage

-doubting sizing of skimmers being used for gas transfer. You can see the size in the pictures, tank volume 35g. Thought? May grab a 150g rated one to check

-I have bubbled the air from outside though a beaker of 12.4 solution for over a week constant draw to the main skimmer and have just begun to notice ph drop and clearing of water and settling of cal precipitant at bottom yesterday, so it is reacting.. and not consuming kalk incredibly fast

-I’m also going to perform the bubble test today on my water with inside vs outside air and a ph meter to see if im offgassing any co2, might as well pickup some co2 scrubbing pellets to test efficiency against a co2 scrubber on the skimmers

There’s plenty of science to this, it’s basically how they scrub emissions from industrial stacks with a spray down system
Just trying to nail down if this is scaleable to our level.

 

[kjonulak]

Is it necessary to recirculate the kalk? Would bubbling the air be enough?

 

[Phxreefer]

-If you’re referring to the pump, it’s more or less just supplying and recirculating the scrubbed gas from the top of the chamber back through the solution in a fine mist hopefully to give max exposure, not really for the mixing of solution,

-If you’re referring to just bubbling fresh air and not recirculating the gas, I was going off the recirculating co2 protein skimmer lid theory, should save on reactor media, kalk or pickling lime
I also dialed down the pump to the lowest wattage it will still suck gas and I am thinking the lower rate of exchange will give more exposure time and less pressure as I don’t see the pump fluctuating power draw now.

Just trying to prove concept firstly, that’s why I went 100% overkill right out the gate

Has anyone heard of bubbling/saturating O2 to use as ph buffer? I’ve got this tank of o2 sitting here…