ATO used as Kalk Doser?

[ryecoon]

I just added Kalk in my 15 Gallon ATO Reservoir and I will be using it as a doser. I had the powerhead mixing it up for a couple hours now but its still really foggy. Is it suppose to stay foggy? I put 13 teaspoons to start off.

 

[NanaReefer]

You should actually allow 24hrs for it to settle before using. Then you want to keep your intake tubing at least 2-4" above the bottom of container. Then do not disturb the settlement, which can easily clog your tubing, and enter the tank. This has been my experience.
Keep a close eye on alk parameters, test daily until you get the correct dosage.

 

[Mike O'Brien]

What brand did you use ? The better brands clear up much faster than something like Mrs. Wages.
Also, what are you using to feed it ?

 

[Coraloliseffect]

You should actually allow 24hrs for it to settle before using. Then you want to keep your intake tubing at least 2-4" above the bottom of container. Then do not disturb the settlement, which can easily clog your tubing, and enter the tank. This has been my experience.
Keep a close eye on alk parameters, test daily until you get the correct dosage.

^What he said.

Also if you can add it consistently through the day with a doser will keep the ph more consistent rather than a ato filling 5x a day.

 

[ryecoon]

Im using a big powerhead in my reservoir in order to push it up into my tank. I bought the kalk at a local fish store they sell it with no brand on the

containers.

 

[ryecoon]

I have also put an airstone in the reservoir so the water doesnt get stale.

 

[watdachuck]

You definitely want to let the water settle for a period of time before turning the ATO pump back on. I don't wait 24 hours, but do wait a couple hours. My recommendation would also be to remove the air stone. This will most certainly prevent the solid particles from settling and allow a solid crust to form on the surface. This is actually a good barrier for the mixture from coming into contact with CO2 in the air rendering your solution useless. Another good practice I do is completely rinse the container once empty and mix a new batch.

 

[ryecoon]

You definitely want to let the water settle for a period of time before turning the ATO pump back on. I don't wait 24 hours, but do wait a couple hours. My recommendation would also be to remove the air stone. This will most certainly prevent the solid particles from settling and allow a solid crust to form on the surface. This is actually a good barrier for the mixture from coming into contact with CO2 in the air rendering your solution useless. Another good practice I do is completely rinse the container once empty and mix a new batch.

+1 I will remove airstone. Maybe put it in the hob refugium. What do you think? good oxygen for the plants or will it have the opposite affect?

 

[watdachuck]

FYI...here is my set up after making a fresh batch. I use a dosing pump for my ATO connected to an electronic float switch. I am only losing 3/4 gallon per day to evaporation so a small pump works, I put the intake line into through a drilled piece of PVC to keep it off the bottom.

 

[ryecoon]

FYI...here is my set up after making a fresh batch. I use a dosing pump for my ATO connected to an electronic float switch. I am only losing 3/4 gallon per day to evaporation so a small pump works, I put the intake line into through a drilled piece of PVC to keep it off the bottom.

Nice! For the dosing pump do you need a controller?

 

[Martyd]

I think the point that might be missed here is that once you mix the kalk, let it settle and don't disturb it. You don't want to keep mixing it. What doesn't dissolve can be used for the next batch (with more kalk added) or toss it and start over. That's why you want the power head a couple of inches off the bottom. I always built an eggcrate platform that sat a couple of inches off the bottom and sat the powerhead on it.

 

[watdachuck]

No controllers, its just a float switch that activates the dosing pump as the water level drops in the rear. I have ran tests previously to determine how much Kalk to add to the mixture based on my daily evaporation. I am currently only adding 4 TSP to that 7 gallon tank which maintains my Ca levels right around 420. That lasts about 9 or 10 days before I clean it out and mix a new batch.

 

[rogersb]

I use kalk in my top off. I also don't fill my top off to the top because I've had several times where my topoff got stuck on and I overdosed. Not a real big deal and I've only ever lost 1 piece of coral, but it's aggravating on the system.

 

[mfinn]

I use kalk in my top off water too.
I mix up 2-3 tablespoons in 5 gallons of ro water. Mix it real good for 2-3 minutes, then let it settle for 24 hours.
The bucket I mix it in has a valve on the side of it about 3" from the bottom. Without moving the bucket, I drain the water out and add it to my top off container.

 

[ryecoon]

Hey can any of you help me. Can i use my Pre-Measured Kalk RO water to make saltwater? I recently installed a sump and i ran out of RO water. I wanted to do a water change but the only water i have left it the kalk.

 

[watdachuck]

How much water and how bigs the tank? I'd almost definitely recommend against it...

 

[ryecoon]

40 gal. my ph is at 7.8 and alk at 6dkh. My reservoir had about 13 gal. and i put 9 teaspoons of kalk.

 

[ryecoon]

i was planning on doing a 5 gal water change because i recently added a sump and the corals are not responding well to it.

 

[ryecoon]

even my candy canes are stressed.

 

[watdachuck]

This is one of those times where doing more could just induce more stress. Also 9 scoops is quite a bit, have you determined that your corals are absorbing enough calcium that you need to resupply that much?

Excessive calcium will induce a "snow storm" effect and can be stressful.

I would take your time to do a normal water change when you can, but not with Kalk mix. Maybe even hold off on the lime water and run some additional tests.