Height of pump in the ATO reservoir to dose kalk?

[Bolivian Reefer]

I have a 5 gallon bucket as my ATO reservoir. I just want to know at what height should I place the ATO pump to avoid the suction of the bottom of the bottom of the bucket.


At the middle of the bucket
Close to the top or to the bottom
At the bottom and have a circulating pump to avoid kalk settlement


Once the water reaches the pump level:

Should I throw out all the kalk bottom settlement and add new water and new kalk mix?
Keep the remaining kalk mix and just add water?



Thanks!

[jeff@zina.com]

My ATO is different in that I don't have a pump in it, but as long as it doesn't pick up undissolved kalk/lime it should be fine. I just add water and stir in the sediment until it's gone and then add more lime.

Jeff

[jason2459]

A couple inches off the bottom is the general recommendation. Once the water level gets low just fill the reservoir back up. If you are trying to get the lime water fully saturated you will have left over kalk at the bottom you can just stir back up. Make sure not to use the ATO for several hours until the undesolved lime and other particals have fallen back out of suspention. Getting fully saturated lime is the easiest as you just dump a bunch in and keep stirring it back up. Then add more as needed. Don't really need to clean out the container that often. Some do it about once a year. And no you do not need or want to stir back up the kalk on the bottom untill you add more water. It does not take much stirring to get it desolved. I just us a PVC pipe as a stir stick briefly. Then put a lid back on your container and it will be good for weeks if needed.

If you are starting out though it may be good to start out slower then fully saturated lime and go with one tsp per gallon instead of the two. This will make sure you don't over do it right away and cause a PH spike or a snow storm in your tank. Especially if you are using a regular powerhead type pump.

I like using a dosing pump like the BRS 50ml/hour one. The 1.1ml/hour isn't fast enough for most ATOs. But this isn't required.

There are a lot of good threads about this in the chemistry forum and goof articles in the stickies over there you should read. Like one is called "What your mother never told you about lime..." or something very close to that. Very important info in there.

[Bolivian Reefer]

I should have mentioned that use a RKL ATO float switch with a Eheim 300 pump at the bottom of the bucket.

Sounds great 2 inches off-bottom will work for me. I will start with 1 tablespoon/gallon

What kalk brand do you recommend? I bought E.S.V since I dose the E.S.V B-ionic two-part system and magnesium. But I am not sure if that one is the best for kalk

Thanks for the comments!

Javier

[jason2459]

I should have mentioned that use a KL AUTO float switch with a Ahem 300 pump at the bottom of the bucket.

Sounds great 2 inches off-bottom will work for me. I will start with 1 tablespoon/gallon

What Kala brand do you recommend? I bought E.S.V since I dose the E.S.V B-ionic two-part system and magnesium. But I am not sure if that one is the best for Kala

Thanks for the comments!

Javier

I use Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime that I pick up from a local grocery store. Some places it may be harder to find then others so it can be purchased on line. But if I were to purchase anything on line it would be the BR'S (bulkreefsupply.com) brand. As it's cheaper. Anything that is at least food grade or better should be safe and otherwise all the same.

Just make sure that your pump isn't too strong and suck up anything that has settled on the bottom. You don't want any of it getting into your tank. From undissolved kalk to other contaminants like heavy metals.

[jason2459]

BTW, here's the slew of articles in the Reef Chemistry Forum stickies directly related to Lime water. Read particularly the "What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime"

Limewater (kalkwasser)

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

The Self Purification of Limewater (Kalkwasser)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2003/chem.htm

The Degradation of Limewater (Kalkwasser) in Air
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rhf/feature/index.php

Magnesium and Strontium in Limewater
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2003/chem.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

[Bolivian Reefer]

Thanks for the articles!

Just make sure that your pump isn't too strong and suck up anything that has settled on the bottom. You don't want any of it getting into your tank. From undissolved kalk to other contaminants like heavy metals.

Yeah I use a Eheim 300 (80 gph). I am planning on addinga back-up float and back-up pump. What pump do you recommend for a 5 gallon ATO reservoir that is not too strong?

[jason2459]

Thanks for the articles!



Yeah I use a Eheim 300 (80 gph). I am planning on addinga back-up float and back-up pump. What pump do you recommend for a 5 gallon ATO reservoir that is not too strong?

80gph should be ok. I personally went with a top off dosing like peristaltic pump. Mainly because anything in the ATO with lime is eventually going to break down and need replacing. I'll have to eventually replacing the tubing but it's really cheap. I used to use an aqualifter (diaphragm pump) but the way I have my ATO and Sump setup the aqua lifter isn't powerful enough to make the distance. Otherwise an aqualifter is a perfect cheap pump to use.

This is the pump I got for my ATO

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/products/pumps-and-plumbing/dosing-pumps-and-auto-top-off-systems/brs-top-off-doser-50-ml-per-minute.html

It's on sale right now for a really good price too.

[Bolivian Reefer]

I bought the aqualifter pump and I will set it up with kalk in a ATO reservoir using one float switch. The aqualifter will be programmed to dose small amounts during the day. I will have another container as a backup with my Eheim 300 (80gph) using another float swtich. Both floats will be programmed with my RKL. The question I have is:


Can I add Magnesium to the ATO that does not have kalk? I want to slowly add magnesium aswell.


Thanks