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View Full Version : Adding Kalwasser to my Tank Via ATO


Nico the Reefer
07/18/2015, 09:43 AM
I am thinking about beginning to add kalkwasser to my tank to maintain my calcium and alkalinity levels via my ATO sysytem. Currently, I use Auto Aqua's Smart ATO that uses an optical eye sensor to detect when to release water. The only worry I have is that when the unit tops off water, it often dispenses a few ounces of water at a time. Will adding a few ounces of Kalkwasser at a time via ATO affect my tank negatively? What if I put the return to that pump in my HOB Refugium, so that it can disperse a little before it enters the main display.

oldbones
07/18/2015, 09:47 AM
I'm using Kalk in the ATO of my 29g biocube, which also tops off a couple ounces at a time directly into the return chamber. No problems noted so far, but I am also not mixing it to full concentration either.

Nico the Reefer
07/18/2015, 09:54 AM
What concentration and brand of kalkwasser are you using? Also, what kind of ATO do you use? I have a 29 gallon tank too so that would help.

oldbones
07/18/2015, 10:10 AM
I'm using the Tunze Osmolator 3152 with a 2.5g ATO reservoir. The tank is relatively new, so just recently started dosing. I started slow by adding 1 teaspoon Kalk to the 2.5g reservoir and watched ALK for a week. It slowed the rate of decline, but didn't stop it. I'm now at 1.5 tsp : 2.5 gal and ALK seems to be holding steady around 8.2 or so. Will continue to watch and adjust as necessary.

Nico the Reefer
07/18/2015, 12:27 PM
Thanks for the help.

tmz
07/18/2015, 12:28 PM
It may dose too much at once. A general guide is to minimize pH spikes is to assure no more than 1/5 of daily top off with clear kalkwaser occurs in any given hour.

I dose kalk 24/7 via a still reservoir and a peristaltic pump which dispenses a preset daily amount approximating top off in 150 equal increments. I make up any difference with ro;di water.
This way the kalk dose is constant and not dependent on evaporation variations. The limewater is still after mixing and settling minimizing any unplanned dose of undissoved calcium hydroxide or precipitated impurities. The still water also limits CO2 entering from the air which depletes teh strength of the solution.

oldbones
07/18/2015, 01:42 PM
I guess that depends on your ATO system and how you have it set up. Mine runs at least once every couple hours, usually for only a few seconds.

tkeracer619
07/19/2015, 02:18 AM
Miss Wages Pickling Lime (the regular stuff) is kalkwasser and is available at your grocery store. If you use a lot you can buy in bulk but for small amounts Miss Wages is cheaper than the rebranded aquarium stuff.

tmz
07/19/2015, 08:27 AM
Mrs Wages is fine to use . Wallmart sells it on line or at least they did. It's a seasonal product; sometimes it's hard to find on store shelves Price wise BRS bulk kalwasser is comparable. Foster and Smith kalk is also reasonable for it's bulk product but a bit more expensive unless it's on slae. . Hobby labeled products are considerably more expensive than those three..