Potential ATO Kalk issues

[MrDJeep123]

My alk is currently at 7. I've been thinking about adding kalk through the ATO increasing it to around 9-11. I have a Tunze Ozmooolator. I now others have ran kalk through the ATO, what are some potential issues that I may run into? I don't know what my calcium or mag is as I don't test for it. I will be adding a test kit for each of those in the coming weeks. pH is 8 and it doesn't fluctuate much from that. I'm sure it drops through the night, but to what, I don't know. I do 3 gallon water changes very staggered. So thoughts on using ATO with kalk would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Watch that you do not add it too fast when the ATO is on. That can raise the ph substantially, especially locally where it is added, causing potential precipitation of calcium carbonate.

Have you done any dosing of alkalinity to this point?

If not, you'll want to start slow. Say, 0.25 teaspoon calcium hydroxide per gallon of freshwater in the ATO and monitor it for a week or so.

 

[SteelerMike]

I was using a kalk stirrir connected to my ATO and what I noticed was that the evaporation rate changed quite a bit depending on the weather which made keeping things stable difficult for me. I also have my sump and ato in my basement which is near my furnace so that had a pretty big impact on evaporation. In the end I switched to a clacium reactor as it was to difficult for me to keep it stable. I know plenty of people do it with success but just figured I'd share my experience. Good luck.

 

[reefndude]

Potential issues is adding to much kalk to top off water, which alk and calcium to rise.
I for example add 2.5 tablespoons to 5 gallons, which is 10 teaspoons.


Like Randy suggested start off slow and test.

 

[MrDJeep123]

Watch that you do not add it too fast when the ATO is on. That can raise the ph substantially, especially locally where it is added, causing potential precipitation of calcium carbonate.

Have you done any dosing of alkalinity to this point?

If not, you'll want to start slow. Say, 0.25 teaspoon calcium hydroxide per gallon of freshwater in the ATO and monitor it for a week or so.

I have not. It will be my first time. Thanks for the advice. :tea:

I will definitely have to watch for the ATO, when I turn the skimmer on it lowers the return water line activating the ATO. Something I noticed earlier when I was looking at the system. That will have to be something I keep an eye for sure.

 

[MrDJeep123]

I was using a kalk stirrir connected to my ATO and what I noticed was that the evaporation rate changed quite a bit depending on the weather which made keeping things stable difficult for me. I also have my sump and ato in my basement which is near my furnace so that had a pretty big impact on evaporation. In the end I switched to a clacium reactor as it was to difficult for me to keep it stable. I know plenty of people do it with success but just figured I'd share my experience. Good luck.

Thank you for sharing. I'm glad you mentioned that because it's definitely something else for me to take into consideration.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have not. It will be my first time. Thanks for the advice. :tea:

I will definitely have to watch for the ATO, when I turn the skimmer on it lowers the return water line activating the ATO. Something I noticed earlier when I was looking at the system. That will have to be something I keep an eye for sure.

Is there a reason to turn the skimmer off?

 

[MrDJeep123]

Is there a reason to turn the skimmer off?

100g+ rated skimmer for a 40g tank. :xd: Usually, mostly when I feed the corals.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If it is only off for a few hours, that's not a problem since there won't be that much evaporation in that time, but if it is off for a long time than restarts, you might get a lot delivered at once.

 

[MrDJeep123]

If it is only off for a few hours, that's not a problem since there won't be that much evaporation in that time, but if it is off for a long time than restarts, you might get a lot delivered at once.

I'll be honest, sometimes I forget to replug it. I'm going to have that rectified in the next few weeks though with the addition of a controller. I've been so resistant at getting one but it looks like I may loose on that front.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

OK, good luck!

 

[MattL22]

I picked up a used mighty flex doser online for around $100
With help of apex it goes off evey hr for 1 min 18 seconds when It warms up I have to add fan and evap vamps up I will run my ato also with regular rodi water and still drip dose kalk every hr