Kalk strirrers, reactors, drippers

ken6217 · 11/17/2006, 07:51 AM

What is the concensus of these. Which is the best way to go? I have a newly cycled reef tank with a two chamber calcium reactor. I was thinking at some point to maybe use limewater as top off water. Especially if my PH is low and I start getting the usual algae a tank gets as it starts out.

I have seen products like the Deltec stirrers, inexpensive Kent gravity drippers, Precision Marine Kalkwasser reactor. What are the general opinions of these and which woulkd be the best option. Leave cost out of the decsion process for now. I was curious about which was the best option.

Thanks,
Ken

FuzzyLogic · 11/17/2006, 09:24 AM

I think drip systems are too unreliable and fussy. They require constant attention. Keeping the kalk in solution and getting a reliable flow out of the holding container is a pain. Reactors with a pumped delivery system is the way to go. Here's a quote from an old thread that I had saved:

Quote:

Originally posted by Lutefisk
The main difference in kalk reactors is the manner by which the kalk power is stirred. There are three primary solutions.

1) Magnetic stirring bar
These use a rotating magnet at the base of the cylinder that drives a magnetic stirring bar.

Pro's:
* The least number of possible points for leaks (fewer holes)
* No pump to clean or maintain

Con's:
* The magnetic stir systems often have difficulty driving the stir-magnet through the sludge of undissolved kalk. Myreef Systems has come up with an ingenious solution by raising the stir platform so the stir-magnet only stirs water rather than mechanically stirring the kalk. Unfortunately, in my experience the kalk can get "paste-y" and strong water movement or mechanical stirring is needed to be able to load a large supply of kalk and to stir it adequately to dissolve most of it.
Link to MyReef Systems

2) Pump agitation
Use a pump in the lower portion of the reactor to either "swirl" or "blast" the kalk at the bottom into suspension to saturate the water in the reactor.

Pro's:
* Can usually handle a large load of kalk and provide enough agitation to reach the lower levels
* Reasonably priced

Con's"
* Additional reactor penetrations, plumbing, and pump seals result in a higher potential of a leak (Most people never have one)
* Pump maintenance to clean calcium deposits or to replace parts due to accelerated wear on impellers due to circulating undissolved kalk particles (I haven't cleaned my pump in about a year and a half, but it is making noises so I ought to do it soon)

This is the method used by most reactors on the market including Geo
Precision Marine
Geo Kalk Reactor

3) Other types of stirring
The Deltec is very nice.

It uses a mechanical "stir-stick" that is driven by a motor at the top which penetrates the top lid.

Pro's:
* Decent mechanical stirring

Con's:
* Needing to keep a water tight seal around a revolving stir-rod under the pressure of your feed system.
* Price

Deltec Site

There also appear to be some units that use a more passive approach relying on the high solubility of calcium hydroxide (or calcium oxide) to reasonably saturate the water flowing through.

If you have a place to put a large container I like Randy Holmes-Farely's solution of just mixing up a large batch and pumping the mixed solution (a batch rather than in-line process). He has found that it remains highly-saturated for a reasonable period of time. Very little muss & fuss and very little to go wrong.

My 2-cents: The key considerations are -
* How little effort it takes to operate - factors include how much kalk you can load in at one time, how much effort it takes to load more kalk, maintenance of pumps or seals
* Reliability - no leaks, is not prone to locking or sludging up

Have fun,
Paul

King-Kong · 11/17/2006, 10:08 AM

Aquamedic has a stirrer similiar to the Deltec. The con about "watertightness" is rubbish, and the price is severely reduced.

I use the AM Kalk stirrer and have been extremely happy with it.

ken6217 · 11/17/2006, 10:15 AM

Kong,
Does it work well for you? I am in between the reator and the stirrer.
Ken

Phyxius · 11/17/2006, 10:16 AM

I use the Geo reactor on mine and love it. Re-fill it with Kalk slurry about every 2 weeks and its good to go. When I first started with Kalk I dripped it from a 2.5g then a 5g Kent Aquadoser and it was a pain to keep it filled as well as keeping a steady drip rate. Really don't recommend them if you have another choice but they do work......Reactors make it so much nicer no matter which maker you go with.

King-Kong · 11/17/2006, 10:29 AM

Ken,

I have had it for a couple of months now and am glad on my purchase.

Kalk reactors are really simple; the only issue to resolve is how the kalk is stirred. I wasnt comfortable with the idea of external plumbing for pumps (figured the pumps will get jammed, and the plumbing could leak). And there appeared to be issues with magnet bars getting stuck.

The deltec/aquamedic alternative seems like the smartest route, so that is what I went with. Just so happens that AM sells their reactor a lot cheaper than deltec (and theyre very very similiar).

ken6217 · 11/17/2006, 10:37 AM

Thanks a lot!
Ken

Wryknow · 11/17/2006, 11:17 AM

I have the PM 660 kalk reactor hooked up to my Tunze osmolator auto-top off system and I am pretty happy with it. The 660 easily holds a cup of lime so I only have to mess with it once every couple of weeks or so and with the Tunze osmolator feeding the water I don't worry about an accidental over-dose of lime water.

The only draw-back IMHO is that the impeller on the maxi-jet 400 that stirs the kalk wears pretty quickly and starts to make a considerable amount of noise when the plastic wears down (every 3-4 months depending on how often long and frequently you run the pump.) It doesn't take long to get a good stir though and with a digital timer running for 5 minutes at a time / 3 times a day I'm thinking that I will get about 6 months between impeller replacements. The plus is that the impeller is a piece of cake to replace and costs $7 from DrsFosterSmith.com.

UCanDoIt · 11/17/2006, 11:36 AM

I love my Deltec kalkstirrer that is connected to a Tunze osmolator topoff unit, works great. The Aquamedic unit is similar.

The top just lifts off, and I spoon in kalkwasser when it is low. Top is not sealed and there's no problem as there's no pressure within the chamber. The drain valve is about 1" from the top and as my Tunze fills the chamber with water, it just drips the kalkwasser water into a highflow area of my sump. Great and very simple concept. Only uses about 3-4watts of electricity. What I like is that every corner of the chamber is continuously turned over without caking.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=974685

jt_redmist · 11/17/2006, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by King-Kong
Ken,

I have had it for a couple of months now and am glad on my purchase.

Kalk reactors are really simple; the only issue to resolve is how the kalk is stirred. I wasnt comfortable with the idea of external plumbing for pumps (figured the pumps will get jammed, and the plumbing could leak). And there appeared to be issues with magnet bars getting stuck.

The deltec/aquamedic alternative seems like the smartest route, so that is what I went with. Just so happens that AM sells their reactor a lot cheaper than deltec (and theyre very very similiar).

A few questions for you or others regarding the AM.

1. Bias aside, how would you rate the quality?
2. Is it a constant slow or fast stir?
3. What's the noise level on this unit?

If it wasn't for the price I would have jumped on the KM500, but it's hard to justify that it's double the price.

TIA,
JT

King-Kong · 11/17/2006, 12:10 PM

Sadly, most of these responses are pretty subjective.

1. I would say the build quality seems fine to me. I dont have anything to compare it to, however. Every 2-3 weeks (or when the kalkwasser powder dissipates) I take it outside, wash it, clean it, and refill it. So far no issues.

2. the stir speed seems slow and constant. It takes 30 minutes to get the slurry mixed up 6-7".

3. Noise is not a real concern for me. My setup is in my office, so I dont mind if I hear pumps and water. That said, I cant hear it above my other pieces of equipment unless I place myself right ontop of it.

I also couldnt pay the extra cost for the larger AM model. I have a 90g stocked well with SPS corals, and the smaller size seems to fit me well. I evaporate aprox. 4 gallons a day, and all is replaced by Kalkwasser.

jt_redmist · 11/17/2006, 12:18 PM

Thanks alot, King. I really appreciate your honest opinion

JT

UCanDoIt · 11/17/2006, 12:31 PM

I know that when I was looking for a kalkwasser reactor, I found a lot of info on RC. It seems the skimmer gurus, whose tried almost everything were all recommending Deltec (if cost was not a factor). I'm glad I did as it is dead silent and only uses 3-4 watts. Like I mentioned earlier, I just lift off the top, no screws to deal with or locking unions, just lift and spoon kalkwasser into the chamber to refill. I haven't had to clean it out once yet and no buildup or caking at the bottom, it's all being stirred constantly.

I would think the Aquamedic works similar. Maybe the only difference is the pump is noisier???

Mogrash · 11/17/2006, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by King-Kong
Sadly, most of these responses are pretty subjective.

1. I would say the build quality seems fine to me. I dont have anything to compare it to, however. Every 2-3 weeks (or when the kalkwasser powder dissipates) I take it outside, wash it, clean it, and refill it. So far no issues.

I also couldnt pay the extra cost for the larger AM model. I have a 90g stocked well with SPS corals, and the smaller size seems to fit me well. I evaporate aprox. 4 gallons a day, and all is replaced by Kalkwasser.

Finally found someone that has one. I've been eyeing the AM version since it was released. I have a 210 gallon aquarium and was wondering if I should go for the larger model. It seems to me the main advantage is less refilling with powder? What do you think?

To be more specific, how often do you have to add more powder?

Mogrash · 11/17/2006, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by UCanDoIt
I know that when I was looking for a kalkwasser reactor, I found a lot of info on RC. It seems the skimmer gurus, whose tried almost everything were all recommending Deltec (if cost was not a factor). I'm glad I did as it is dead silent and only uses 3-4 watts. Like I mentioned earlier, I just lift off the top, no screws to deal with or locking unions, just lift and spoon kalkwasser into the chamber to refill. I haven't had to clean it out once yet and no buildup or caking at the bottom, it's all being stirred constantly.

I would think the Aquamedic works similar. Maybe the only difference is the pump is noisier???

Given the size of the motor being used I would imagine the noise from either the Deltec or AM is negligible...

The only difference might be build quality.

Nuuze · 11/17/2006, 02:57 PM

I am too stuck between getting a calcium reactor or a kalk reactor. I been looking at the Geo models at PA but there are no instructions for the kalk reactor and never seen one in avtion. Can someone explain to me how they work and how I would connect it to my ATO that feeds my sump via 1/2 hose? Thanks!

bureau13 · 11/17/2006, 03:13 PM

I have the smaller AM on my 240 gal. I could probably use the bigger model, but it wouldn't fit under my stand where I needed it to go.

I've got 0 complaints with this thing. One thing to note which probably differentiates it from the Deltec...the motor is rated for only about 10000 hours. I have no idea how much it costs to get a new one, or how easy it is, although I've found Aqua Medic's support in the US to be excellent.

jds

Phyxius · 11/17/2006, 03:27 PM

Nuuze,
The Geo Kalk reactor is really easy compared to the calcium reactor (I have both). You fill the unit up almost to the top with RO/DI and then make a Kalk slurry. I use about 1/4-1/2 cup of Kalk to some ro/di water till it makes a thick liquid and then pour it down the top of the unit. The white cap on the top is for this purpose.
Put it on a timer and every so often the pump will come on and stir the slurry up in the bottom. Unit then sucks/pulls the Kalk water out of the top of the unit into your tank/sump/?? when you have water go through it from ATO or etc

I have mine hooked up to a Tunze ATO and it works great. Black line is for water in from your source and the clear 1/4" ? hose is the output line to your tank

I rambled a bit but hope it helps explain...

ezcompany · 11/17/2006, 03:58 PM

i use the DIY kalk dripper on my nano, using a 1 gallon jug. cost me 3 bucks

Nuuze · 11/17/2006, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Phyxius
Nuuze,
The Geo Kalk reactor is really easy compared to the calcium reactor (I have both). You fill the unit up almost to the top with RO/DI and then make a Kalk slurry. I use about 1/4-1/2 cup of Kalk to some ro/di water till it makes a thick liquid and then pour it down the top of the unit. The white cap on the top is for this purpose.
Put it on a timer and every so often the pump will come on and stir the slurry up in the bottom. Unit then sucks/pulls the Kalk water out of the top of the unit into your tank/sump/?? when you have water go through it from ATO or etc

I have mine hooked up to a Tunze ATO and it works great. Black line is for water in from your source and the clear 1/4" ? hose is the output line to your tank

I rambled a bit but hope it helps explain...

Okay, so it has to be sucked from the kalk reactor? Or can a pump push RO/DI water through it?

Phyxius · 11/17/2006, 04:15 PM

Correct as it is pushed through with a pump like in a ATO. I worded it wrong in last post...I meant it pushes it out line at top not pulls.
Mine comes from the top off container and it pushed via the tunze pump through the Geo unit and into my tank

Nuuze · 11/17/2006, 04:23 PM

Okay thanks. How much power does the Tunze pump push? I'm wondering because I have the Elos ATO and it moves some water. If it comes on while I'm workin under the stand it scares the crap out of me thinking I loosened some pressured hoses. And the Elos ATO is 1/2", did you have to reduce to 1/4" somewhere?

Phyxius · 11/17/2006, 04:33 PM

Tunze pump runs off its own transformer at either 9 or 12v. It pushes a fair amount of water and is relatively quite. My line from the reactor fit right into the tunze pumps outlet so I was good to go. The small line like in a RO/DI unit is the in and the larger clear tubing is the out line. Never had to reduce the line in my setup.

reefkeeper1 · 11/17/2006, 04:36 PM

I have a Barr Aquatic Kalkwasser reactor with a magnetic stir bar which I have set to spin for 1 minute every 12 hours, and the kalk on the bottom has never sludged up after 2 years of use.

King-Kong · 11/17/2006, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mogrash
Finally found someone that has one. I've been eyeing the AM version since it was released. I have a 210 gallon aquarium and was wondering if I should go for the larger model. It seems to me the main advantage is less refilling with powder? What do you think?

To be more specific, how often do you have to add more powder?

Well, Ive only had it for a couple months, so I've only refilled it 3 times. The first time I placed in very little.. only last 1.5-2 weeks, second time I added more, and the third even more.

This final time I added a bunch of kalkwasser, and said, "Screw it! let's see what ya got!". I think I'll be doing this method for often

Your tank is substantially larger than mine, and I have a good amount of SPS corals in my tank (Though I am BB, so I process less alk than DSB tanks). So far, ONLY dosing kalk, my Ca/Alk seem to be within SPS range, so I would probably suggest the larger model for a tank of your size to keep everything at par.

11/17/2006, 07:51 AM	#1
ken6217 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 2,179	Kalk strirrers, reactors, drippers What is the concensus of these. Which is the best way to go? I have a newly cycled reef tank with a two chamber calcium reactor. I was thinking at some point to maybe use limewater as top off water. Especially if my PH is low and I start getting the usual algae a tank gets as it starts out. I have seen products like the Deltec stirrers, inexpensive Kent gravity drippers, Precision Marine Kalkwasser reactor. What are the general opinions of these and which woulkd be the best option. Leave cost out of the decsion process for now. I was curious about which was the best option. Thanks, Ken

11/17/2006, 10:16 AM	#5
Phyxius Moving About Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: RTP NC Posts: 2,405	I use the Geo reactor on mine and love it. Re-fill it with Kalk slurry about every 2 weeks and its good to go. When I first started with Kalk I dripped it from a 2.5g then a 5g Kent Aquadoser and it was a pain to keep it filled as well as keeping a steady drip rate. Really don't recommend them if you have another choice but they do work......Reactors make it so much nicer no matter which maker you go with. __________________ -Mike I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it. W. C. Fields Current Tank Info: JUST SOLD AND TOOK DOWN ALL 11/10---210g AGA, 80g sump, Tunze Streams. Tunze ATO,RK Elite Controller, RKII,Dart, GEO Calcium& Nielsen Kalk Reactors,GEO media reactor, Kaleini Rock, 3-250 watt 14k EVC , VHO..... 34g Solana and 60g cube

11/17/2006, 11:17 AM	#8
Wryknow Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,203	I have the PM 660 kalk reactor hooked up to my Tunze osmolator auto-top off system and I am pretty happy with it. The 660 easily holds a cup of lime so I only have to mess with it once every couple of weeks or so and with the Tunze osmolator feeding the water I don't worry about an accidental over-dose of lime water. The only draw-back IMHO is that the impeller on the maxi-jet 400 that stirs the kalk wears pretty quickly and starts to make a considerable amount of noise when the plastic wears down (every 3-4 months depending on how often long and frequently you run the pump.) It doesn't take long to get a good stir though and with a digital timer running for 5 minutes at a time / 3 times a day I'm thinking that I will get about 6 months between impeller replacements. The plus is that the impeller is a piece of cake to replace and costs $7 from DrsFosterSmith.com. __________________ You cannot use reason to change the opinion of a person that did not use reason to form their opinion in the first place. Current Tank Info: 65 G RR, w/ 50 G sump/refugium, DIY LED lighting, AquaMaxx CO-1 skimmer, Tunze 1073.050 return

11/17/2006, 03:27 PM	#18
Phyxius Moving About Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: RTP NC Posts: 2,405	Nuuze, The Geo Kalk reactor is really easy compared to the calcium reactor (I have both). You fill the unit up almost to the top with RO/DI and then make a Kalk slurry. I use about 1/4-1/2 cup of Kalk to some ro/di water till it makes a thick liquid and then pour it down the top of the unit. The white cap on the top is for this purpose. Put it on a timer and every so often the pump will come on and stir the slurry up in the bottom. Unit then sucks/pulls the Kalk water out of the top of the unit into your tank/sump/?? when you have water go through it from ATO or etc I have mine hooked up to a Tunze ATO and it works great. Black line is for water in from your source and the clear 1/4" ? hose is the output line to your tank I rambled a bit but hope it helps explain... __________________ -Mike I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it. W. C. Fields Current Tank Info: JUST SOLD AND TOOK DOWN ALL 11/10---210g AGA, 80g sump, Tunze Streams. Tunze ATO,RK Elite Controller, RKII,Dart, GEO Calcium& Nielsen Kalk Reactors,GEO media reactor, Kaleini Rock, 3-250 watt 14k EVC , VHO..... 34g Solana and 60g cube

11/17/2006, 03:58 PM	#19
ezcompany Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 4,640	i use the DIY kalk dripper on my nano, using a 1 gallon jug. cost me 3 bucks __________________ Jin Have a nice day! Current Tank Info: IM40

11/17/2006, 10:08 AM	#3
King-Kong Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 2,346	Aquamedic has a stirrer similiar to the Deltec. The con about "watertightness" is rubbish, and the price is severely reduced. I use the AM Kalk stirrer and have been extremely happy with it.

11/17/2006, 10:15 AM	#4
ken6217 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 2,179	Kong, Does it work well for you? I am in between the reator and the stirrer. Ken

11/17/2006, 10:29 AM	#6
King-Kong Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 2,346	Ken, I have had it for a couple of months now and am glad on my purchase. Kalk reactors are really simple; the only issue to resolve is how the kalk is stirred. I wasnt comfortable with the idea of external plumbing for pumps (figured the pumps will get jammed, and the plumbing could leak). And there appeared to be issues with magnet bars getting stuck. The deltec/aquamedic alternative seems like the smartest route, so that is what I went with. Just so happens that AM sells their reactor a lot cheaper than deltec (and theyre very very similiar).

11/17/2006, 10:37 AM	#7
ken6217 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: NJ Posts: 2,179	Thanks a lot! Ken

11/17/2006, 11:36 AM	#9
UCanDoIt Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bay Area CA Posts: 1,684	I love my Deltec kalkstirrer that is connected to a Tunze osmolator topoff unit, works great. The Aquamedic unit is similar. The top just lifts off, and I spoon in kalkwasser when it is low. Top is not sealed and there's no problem as there's no pressure within the chamber. The drain valve is about 1" from the top and as my Tunze fills the chamber with water, it just drips the kalkwasser water into a highflow area of my sump. Great and very simple concept. Only uses about 3-4watts of electricity. What I like is that every corner of the chamber is continuously turned over without caking. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...hreadid=974685

11/17/2006, 12:10 PM	#11
King-Kong Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 2,346	Sadly, most of these responses are pretty subjective. 1. I would say the build quality seems fine to me. I dont have anything to compare it to, however. Every 2-3 weeks (or when the kalkwasser powder dissipates) I take it outside, wash it, clean it, and refill it. So far no issues. 2. the stir speed seems slow and constant. It takes 30 minutes to get the slurry mixed up 6-7". 3. Noise is not a real concern for me. My setup is in my office, so I dont mind if I hear pumps and water. That said, I cant hear it above my other pieces of equipment unless I place myself right ontop of it. I also couldnt pay the extra cost for the larger AM model. I have a 90g stocked well with SPS corals, and the smaller size seems to fit me well. I evaporate aprox. 4 gallons a day, and all is replaced by Kalkwasser.

11/17/2006, 12:18 PM	#12
jt_redmist Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bay area, CA Posts: 354	Thanks alot, King. I really appreciate your honest opinion JT

11/17/2006, 12:31 PM	#13
UCanDoIt Moved On Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bay Area CA Posts: 1,684	I know that when I was looking for a kalkwasser reactor, I found a lot of info on RC. It seems the skimmer gurus, whose tried almost everything were all recommending Deltec (if cost was not a factor). I'm glad I did as it is dead silent and only uses 3-4 watts. Like I mentioned earlier, I just lift off the top, no screws to deal with or locking unions, just lift and spoon kalkwasser into the chamber to refill. I haven't had to clean it out once yet and no buildup or caking at the bottom, it's all being stirred constantly. I would think the Aquamedic works similar. Maybe the only difference is the pump is noisier???

11/17/2006, 02:57 PM	#16
Nuuze Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NorCal, California Posts: 3,550	I am too stuck between getting a calcium reactor or a kalk reactor. I been looking at the Geo models at PA but there are no instructions for the kalk reactor and never seen one in avtion. Can someone explain to me how they work and how I would connect it to my ATO that feeds my sump via 1/2 hose? Thanks!

11/17/2006, 03:13 PM	#17
bureau13 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,936	I have the smaller AM on my 240 gal. I could probably use the bigger model, but it wouldn't fit under my stand where I needed it to go. I've got 0 complaints with this thing. One thing to note which probably differentiates it from the Deltec...the motor is rated for only about 10000 hours. I have no idea how much it costs to get a new one, or how easy it is, although I've found Aqua Medic's support in the US to be excellent. jds

11/17/2006, 04:15 PM	#21
Phyxius Moving About Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: RTP NC Posts: 2,405	Correct as it is pushed through with a pump like in a ATO. I worded it wrong in last post...I meant it pushes it out line at top not pulls. Mine comes from the top off container and it pushed via the tunze pump through the Geo unit and into my tank __________________ -Mike I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it. W. C. Fields Current Tank Info: JUST SOLD AND TOOK DOWN ALL 11/10---210g AGA, 80g sump, Tunze Streams. Tunze ATO,RK Elite Controller, RKII,Dart, GEO Calcium& Nielsen Kalk Reactors,GEO media reactor, Kaleini Rock, 3-250 watt 14k EVC , VHO..... 34g Solana and 60g cube

11/17/2006, 04:23 PM	#22
Nuuze Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NorCal, California Posts: 3,550	Okay thanks. How much power does the Tunze pump push? I'm wondering because I have the Elos ATO and it moves some water. If it comes on while I'm workin under the stand it scares the crap out of me thinking I loosened some pressured hoses. And the Elos ATO is 1/2", did you have to reduce to 1/4" somewhere?

11/17/2006, 04:33 PM	#23
Phyxius Moving About Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: RTP NC Posts: 2,405	Tunze pump runs off its own transformer at either 9 or 12v. It pushes a fair amount of water and is relatively quite. My line from the reactor fit right into the tunze pumps outlet so I was good to go. The small line like in a RO/DI unit is the in and the larger clear tubing is the out line. Never had to reduce the line in my setup. __________________ -Mike I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it. W. C. Fields Current Tank Info: JUST SOLD AND TOOK DOWN ALL 11/10---210g AGA, 80g sump, Tunze Streams. Tunze ATO,RK Elite Controller, RKII,Dart, GEO Calcium& Nielsen Kalk Reactors,GEO media reactor, Kaleini Rock, 3-250 watt 14k EVC , VHO..... 34g Solana and 60g cube

11/17/2006, 04:36 PM	#24
reefkeeper1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA Posts: 990	I have a Barr Aquatic Kalkwasser reactor with a magnetic stir bar which I have set to spin for 1 minute every 12 hours, and the kalk on the bottom has never sludged up after 2 years of use.