Tropic marine all for reef with ATO

[lamjiasheng]

Trying to learn reef chemistry before getting any corals
What I’ve learned is that TM AFR is great and best used with automatic doser. However at my country, it’s hard to find one and it’s crazy expensive.
Come across this video where Lou from TM talks about using AFR with ATO. Heres my problem, I’m not sure how to do the math on incorporating TM AFR in my reservoir

Example Scenario:
- 100 litre tank
- 10 litre ATO reservoir
- Requires daily 5 ml dosing of TM AFR
- Evaporate at 50ml daily

How do I incorporate TM AFR into ATO reservoir
What’s the math here, is it

10000ml/50ml = 200 days
Where one full reservoir can last me 200 days, that’s 200 times dosing

If 5ml AFR a day that’s 5mlx200times = 1000ml
If I were to fill my reservoir, I’ll fill 9litre RODI water and 1 litre of AFR.
Correct me if I’m wrong

Video where Lou talks about TM AFR with ATO (20:27)

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[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Am I just checking math? That is correct.

The number for evaporation seems astonishingly low. 50 mL per day on a 100 L tank? It would have to be nearly closed up without a skimmer.

HOWEVER, I would be careful diluting the AFR because bacteria can now grow in the ATO reservoir when it is highly diluted, and ATO deliver is not generally best.

 

[biom]

Agree with Randy, daily evaporation from my open 100 liter aquarium is 1250 ml on average (I have measured it because wanted ato reservoir for at least 10 days). so in your example 10 liters water will last for a week and you will need to add only 35 ml of AFR in the ATO reservoir which will be consumed by the bacteria and calcium will precipitate as carbonate.

 

[areefer01]

There is also nothing wrong with dosing TM AFR by hand. Just get a bottle with a pump top. Prior to dosing TM AFR with it fill it with water and count pumps to fill to ML line you are dosing. Or make it simpler and get a glass, cup, with ML markings and pump until full. Dump in display in high flow area.

Keep it simple.

 

[lamjiasheng]

Am I just checking math? That is correct.

The number for evaporation seems astonishingly low. 50 mL per day on a 100 L tank? It would have to be nearly closed up without a skimmer.

HOWEVER, I would be careful diluting the AFR because bacteria can now grow in the ATO reservoir when it is highly diluted, and ATO deliver is not generally best.

Thanks Randy !


50ml evaporation just aexample scenario because I don’t know how to calculate evaporation.

Currently my tank is only 1month old.
Cycled with Fritz turbo and pair of clown.

Spec:
- 60cmx40cmx40cm tank, canister filter
- No wave maker, no light, no lid, no protein skimmer
- ATO on the way
I’m pretty sure the equipments I don’t have currently have impacts on evaporation.

Do I calculate my evaporation by
- Calculating 60cmx40cmx0.4cm (height of evaporation in 24hours) = 960ml of evaporation a day, OR
- Measuring reservoir depletion in a day

Which way is more accurate ?

 

[lamjiasheng]

Agree with Randy, daily evaporation from my open 100 liter aquarium is 1250 ml on average (I have measured it because wanted ato reservoir for at least 10 days). so in your example 10 liters water will last for a week and you will need to add only 35 ml of AFR in the ATO reservoir which will be consumed by the bacteria and calcium will precipitate as carbonate.

May I know how you calculate evaporation ?
In my 60x40x40 cm tank I get a drop of 0.4cm in water height a day.
60x40x0.4cm that’s 960ml water loss a day
Correct me if I’m wrong

 

[biom]

Yes you are correct 1 liter is quite normal. It will increase slightly after skimmer and powerhead is added. The other way for measuring is to mark water level with a marker on the glass of the aquarium and then to refill after 24 hours to the mark with a measuring cup.
And I also think the best way to dose AFR in the beginning is manually.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Do I calculate my evaporation by
- Calculating 60cmx40cmx0.4cm (height of evaporation in 24hours) = 960ml of evaporation a day, OR
- Measuring reservoir depletion in a day

Which way is more accurate ?

Both ways are fine.