phishphood
Guest
Would it be ok to run kalk water through an aqualifter pump? This would be for my ATO. If that didn't work, then would it work to pump water into a big container of kalkwater and just let that overflow into the tank?
running kalk through aqualifter?
- Thread starter phishphood
- Start date
G
GreshamH
Guest
Second option is best as any particulates can damages the diaphragm of the AL pump.
phishphood
Guest
Thanks Gresh. That's what I thought, but figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Any suggestions as to how big the container needs to be? I know the "standard" mixing ratio is around 1tsp/gallon kalk:RODI. So if I start out with 1/2g water and 3/4 tsp kalk that's mixed and settled, would more kalk dissolve after a while of the supernatant being diluted?
Mr. Ugly
Past President
Been using Aqualifters for kalk on 2 different setups for over a year without problem. If you go that route, make sure the pickup tube is a couple inches up from the bottom so you don't suck up particulates.
Keep some spare pumps and diaphragms so you can switch them out for cleaning and maintenance. (Haven't had to clean mine yet.)
Keep some spare pumps and diaphragms so you can switch them out for cleaning and maintenance. (Haven't had to clean mine yet.)
phishphood
Guest
So if I keep the tube far enough off the stuff that settles and run the intake through the little filter thing for the AL, then it should be fine?
Vincerama2
Supporting Member
That AL filter thing leaks like a sieve! Or at least mine did! Make sure yours is over the container to catch leaks!
The second idea would be better though. I use a peristaltic pump to pump RO water into a kalkmixer, where it forces kalk out into the sump. If I ran kalk through the pump, I'd be replacing the tubing all the time!
In my kalk mixer, I use a MJ-400, it's impeller always gets ground down to a stub by the suspended kalk particles! I ran out of impellers and stuck an MJ1200 on there now. I don't think it's the high alkalinity causing problems so much as it is the grittiness. Of course if I were smart I'd put less kalk powder in the mixer, but I'm not smart.
V
The second idea would be better though. I use a peristaltic pump to pump RO water into a kalkmixer, where it forces kalk out into the sump. If I ran kalk through the pump, I'd be replacing the tubing all the time!
In my kalk mixer, I use a MJ-400, it's impeller always gets ground down to a stub by the suspended kalk particles! I ran out of impellers and stuck an MJ1200 on there now. I don't think it's the high alkalinity causing problems so much as it is the grittiness. Of course if I were smart I'd put less kalk powder in the mixer, but I'm not smart.
V
phishphood
Guest
Vince- how big is your kalkmixer?
Vincerama2
Supporting Member
My kalkmixer is enormous. I made one myself and it's about 4 feet tall! I'll take a pic, people keep asking me about my giant mixer.
I just emptied half of it yesterday, I should have measured the amount of water in it, but if I had to guess, I'd say it hold around 4 gallons.
I suppose I Could actually calculate it, say it's 4 feet tall and is made of 4 inch diameter acrylic/pvc. So using math um...something.
pixr^2xh (pie are squared times aych)
3.14 x 4 x 48 = 603 inches cubed, or is that cubic inches?
That's 2.6 gallons (according to http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm)
Hmm, wow, I was totally off with my volume calculation!
V
I just emptied half of it yesterday, I should have measured the amount of water in it, but if I had to guess, I'd say it hold around 4 gallons.
I suppose I Could actually calculate it, say it's 4 feet tall and is made of 4 inch diameter acrylic/pvc. So using math um...something.
pixr^2xh (pie are squared times aych)
3.14 x 4 x 48 = 603 inches cubed, or is that cubic inches?
That's 2.6 gallons (according to http://www.onlineconversion.com/volume.htm)
Hmm, wow, I was totally off with my volume calculation!
V
Vincerama2
Supporting Member
Oh yeah, the brutalness of my mega mixer is that the output valve is at the top, and the input is in the middle. The idea being that fresh RO is introduced between the mixing pump's input and output and that the effluent is taken at the top where there is no particulates.
My mistake was leaving the pump intake at the halfway point, thus allowing kalk powder to enter it while mixing.
I can't change that anymore, as my arms don't fit into the assembled mixer to access the intake!
V
My mistake was leaving the pump intake at the halfway point, thus allowing kalk powder to enter it while mixing.
I can't change that anymore, as my arms don't fit into the assembled mixer to access the intake!
V
iani
Supporting Member
Diaphragm from here.
http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCatalog/ctl3684/cp18646/si1382859/cl1/tom_aqualifter_aw20_diaphragm_kit?&query=aqualifter&queryType=0&offset=
However, Eileen have you tried cleaning out the inside of the pump. Mine would always get stuck but it was never the diaphragm that failed. If you unscrew everything and clean out the plastic part with in the diaphragm I bet it will work again.
http://www.bigalsonline.com/StoreCatalog/ctl3684/cp18646/si1382859/cl1/tom_aqualifter_aw20_diaphragm_kit?&query=aqualifter&queryType=0&offset=
However, Eileen have you tried cleaning out the inside of the pump. Mine would always get stuck but it was never the diaphragm that failed. If you unscrew everything and clean out the plastic part with in the diaphragm I bet it will work again.
iani
Supporting Member
[quote author=Vincerama2 link=topic=5328.msg66134#msg66134 date=1227724931]
That AL filter thing leaks like a sieve! Or at least mine did! Make sure yours is over the container to catch leaks!
[/quote]
The filter for the aqualifter is a POS, its worthless in my opinion. It clogs way to easy and the AQ itself still gets bogged down even with the filter.
That AL filter thing leaks like a sieve! Or at least mine did! Make sure yours is over the container to catch leaks!
[/quote]
The filter for the aqualifter is a POS, its worthless in my opinion. It clogs way to easy and the AQ itself still gets bogged down even with the filter.
G
GreshamH
Guest
[quote author=Mr. Ugly link=topic=5328.msg66130#msg66130 date=1227722944]
Been using Aqualifters for kalk on 2 different setups for over a year without problem. If you go that route, make sure the pickup tube is a couple inches up from the bottom so you don't suck up particulates.
Keep some spare pumps and diaphragms so you can switch them out for cleaning and maintenance. (Haven't had to clean mine yet.)
[/quote]
Lost mine in 3 months with no particulate being passed thru. Guess they've improved on it since then
Been using Aqualifters for kalk on 2 different setups for over a year without problem. If you go that route, make sure the pickup tube is a couple inches up from the bottom so you don't suck up particulates.
Keep some spare pumps and diaphragms so you can switch them out for cleaning and maintenance. (Haven't had to clean mine yet.)
[/quote]
Lost mine in 3 months with no particulate being passed thru. Guess they've improved on it since then