Help with Salinity adjustment in ATO while using kalk.

[Stv]

Hey everyone. I was hoping you could help. I have a 32 biocube and salinity has fallen from 1.025 to 1.024 in a weeks time. I use instant ocean reef salts and wanted to add some to my RODI ATO system to raise it slowly over the week. I don’t know how to calculate that and also the big concern is I run kalk in that RODI top off water at a rate of 1tsp/Gal. Will adding salt to that be dangerous or is it okay and how much salt would I add? Thanks guys for all the mentoring. Cheers.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Hey everyone. I was hoping you could help. I have a 32 biocube and salinity has fallen from 1.025 to 1.024 in a weeks time. I use instant ocean reef salts and wanted to add some to my RODI ATO system to raise it slowly over the week. I don’t know how to calculate that and also the big concern is I run kalk in that RODI top off water at a rate of 1tsp/Gal. Will adding salt to that be dangerous or is it okay and how much salt would I add? Thanks guys for all the mentoring. Cheers.

1.024 to 1.025 can be done in a day with no issues. No worse than a heavy rain over a reef.

Mu suggestion would be to use this calculator and do a couple smaller water changes to get it back to where it needs to be. If you are low on nutrients and water changes might affect that, you can turn off ATO, pull some water out add some salt and then dump water (after mixed) into the back chamber, before the filter chamber. This will allow water to mix before going back into DT. This can even be done with tank running, as long as you do not pull out too much water and let your return pump run dry.

Target Salinity Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Create a water-change schedule that can be used to reach a target salinity.

www.hamzasreef.com

There is also a salt addition calc, that can be used if you have a scale or decent measuring spoons. This can be used for taking water out and adding salt a little at a time to what you took out and then put back in. Just have to do it a few times, so you know the salt you add is not too much and all dissolves.

Direct Salt Addition Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Estimate the amount of solid salt required to raise salinity to a target level.

www.hamzasreef.com

Note: Be sure to not use 32 gallons. I would suggest you do the calc at 20 and once done, test from there. My 32 biocube fully stocked hold just at about 20.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You CANNOT combine seawater salt mix into kalkwasser. You'll get a massive precipitation event of magnesium hydroxide and calcium carbonate.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

You CANNOT combine seawater salt mix into kalkwasser. You'll get a massive precipitation event of magnesium hydroxide and calcium carbonate.

Thank you Randy, I completely forgot about that in my post above lol. Was too focused on getting the links to the calcs for doing it via WC or salt additions lol.

 

[Stv]

You CANNOT combine seawater salt mix into kalkwasser. You'll get a massive precipitation event of magnesium hydroxide and calcium carbonate.

Thank you that was my worry and thank you for clarifying.

 

[Stv]

Thank you both soooo much.

 

[Stv]

1.024 to 1.025 can be done in a day with no issues. No worse than a heavy rain over a reef.

Mu suggestion would be to use this calculator and do a couple smaller water changes to get it back to where it needs to be. If you are low on nutrients and water changes might affect that, you can turn off ATO, pull some water out add some salt and then dump water (after mixed) into the back chamber, before the filter chamber. This will allow water to mix before going back into DT. This can even be done with tank running, as long as you do not pull out too much water and let your return pump run dry.

Target Salinity Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Create a water-change schedule that can be used to reach a target salinity.

www.hamzasreef.com

There is also a salt addition calc, that can be used if you have a scale or decent measuring spoons. This can be used for taking water out and adding salt a little at a time to what you took out and then put back in. Just have to do it a few times, so you know the salt you add is not too much and all dissolves.

Direct Salt Addition Calculator

Aquarium calculator; Estimate the amount of solid salt required to raise salinity to a target level.

www.hamzasreef.com

Note: Be sure to not use 32 gallons. I would suggest you do the calc at 20 and once done, test from there. My 32 biocube fully stocked hold just at about 20.

Thank you so much for the detailed help. I used the dry calculator to come up with how much salt in weight I would need to introduce to 20 gallons for a raise if 1.024 to 1.025 and it’s suggesting 125 grams. That seems like a lot no? My normal water changes at 5 gallons only gets 460 grams to go from 0 to 1.025!!

 

[Eagle_Steve]

What salt are you using? Cause that does sound a bit high, but I have used that clc before to compensate for what my skimmer removes over the course of a week and had no issues.

Also, tip for this is to do it a little at a time and measure between each time after is has mixed in the tank a bit.

 

[Stv]

What salt are you using? Cause that does sound a bit high, but I have used that clc before to compensate for what my skimmer removes over the course of a week and had no issues.

Also, tip for this is to do it a little at a time and measure between each time after is has mixed in the tank a bit.

Using instant ocean reef orange. Yeah I think after your advise, I’ll measure it out and do like four or five additions with it and measure in between. At least I’ll get some idea of how the addition rate will hit without ticking anything off and it will make future additions predictable. Again thank you so much for this help. It’s invaluable and much appreciated. Also good to k ow about the kalk as well. I assumed but didn’t know. Never had this scenario come up yet so thanks guys!!!