Newbie Kalk Question

MrGoodbar · 04/24/2018, 10:02 PM

So i haven't started dosing kalk yet but when the time comes i want to make sure i do it correctly. I have read that kalk when mixed should not be left out in an open container because it will lose its potency. so my in my situation i have a 20 gal red sea nano. There is an ato that comes with the all in one tank. It doesn't have a pump it has a float valve. So i make ~1 gal of RODI water a week and that seems to be what my tank evaporates right now.(wisconsin). When i make my rodi water i fill an open container and then dump water every two days into my ato in the back of the tank. So when i start using kalk i am assuming i shouldn't use an open container?? I was thinking of getting a 5gal bucket from HD with a lid on it. Then making my water, adding kalk and letting it dissolve in the bucket. From there i would then open the bucket lid and scoop out the amount of kalk water needed to fill my ato? I am aware i don't want the slurry to get into the tank and i get the 2 scoops per gallon. I won't be doing vinegar as i am just relearning chemistry here. I am not sure this is how i should be doing it? My tank is only 2 months old. i have about a dozen corals or so and so far i have been just using BRS calculator and adding what i need to bring levels of calk dKH and Mag up from what the corals are using. Which at the time isn't a lot, maybe calc will go from 420 to 400ppm after a week. Let me know your thoughts tips pointers and even if I'm asking a dumb question....

Thanks everyone!

Daddi0 · 04/24/2018, 10:07 PM

When you are ready to start with Kalk. I would start by adding 1/2 tsp of kalk to your gallon of R/O and go from there.

MrGoodbar · 04/24/2018, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddi0

When you are ready to start with Kalk. I would start by adding 1/2 tsp of kalk to your gallon of R/O and go from there.

so your saying add 1/2 tsp of kalk to the one gallon i am currently using that is an open container and pour into my ato?

Reef noob_ · 04/25/2018, 04:55 AM

I use a HOme Depot bucket with lid that I cut a hole into for the wires that go to my ATO pump. Start with 1/2 tsp per gallon OF TOP OFF WATER and go from there.

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Kevin Guthrie · 04/25/2018, 07:37 AM

Another possibility (but I've not tried it) to exclude air is put a plastic bag in your 5 gallon bucket, fill that with the ATO/kalkwasser, and cinch the bag around your ATO line with a twist tie so there is no air in the bag.

Daddi0 · 04/25/2018, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGoodbar

so your saying add 1/2 tsp of kalk to the one gallon i am currently using that is an open container and pour into my ato?

Yes.

MrGoodbar · 04/25/2018, 04:23 PM

So my problem is my ato is only like a half a gallon so I can’t really connect anything to a bucket. That’s why I was wondering if I make the Kalk in a bucket and scoop out water and dump into my ato? Will this stir everything up again and lose potency due to it being exposed to air every time I scoop water to fill ato?

Reef noob_ · 04/25/2018, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrGoodbar

So my problem is my ato is only like a half a gallon so I can’t really connect anything to a bucket. That’s why I was wondering if I make the Kalk in a bucket and scoop out water and dump into my ato? Will this stir everything up again and lose potency due to it being exposed to air every time I scoop water to fill ato?

Not that should work fine, just leave and discard the bottom 1/2” of kalk saturated water in the bucket, it’ll have a slurry that should not be used in the ATO. I wouldn’t worry about air exposure too much, it’ll only deplete potency by a tiny bit.

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04/24/2018, 10:02 PM	#1
MrGoodbar Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 309	Newbie Kalk Question So i haven't started dosing kalk yet but when the time comes i want to make sure i do it correctly. I have read that kalk when mixed should not be left out in an open container because it will lose its potency. so my in my situation i have a 20 gal red sea nano. There is an ato that comes with the all in one tank. It doesn't have a pump it has a float valve. So i make ~1 gal of RODI water a week and that seems to be what my tank evaporates right now.(wisconsin). When i make my rodi water i fill an open container and then dump water every two days into my ato in the back of the tank. So when i start using kalk i am assuming i shouldn't use an open container?? I was thinking of getting a 5gal bucket from HD with a lid on it. Then making my water, adding kalk and letting it dissolve in the bucket. From there i would then open the bucket lid and scoop out the amount of kalk water needed to fill my ato? I am aware i don't want the slurry to get into the tank and i get the 2 scoops per gallon. I won't be doing vinegar as i am just relearning chemistry here. I am not sure this is how i should be doing it? My tank is only 2 months old. i have about a dozen corals or so and so far i have been just using BRS calculator and adding what i need to bring levels of calk dKH and Mag up from what the corals are using. Which at the time isn't a lot, maybe calc will go from 420 to 400ppm after a week. Let me know your thoughts tips pointers and even if I'm asking a dumb question.... Thanks everyone! __________________ MrGoodbar Current Tank Info: Red Sea Max NANO 20gal

04/24/2018, 10:07 PM	#2
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	When you are ready to start with Kalk. I would start by adding 1/2 tsp of kalk to your gallon of R/O and go from there. __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

04/25/2018, 04:55 AM	#4
Reef noob_ Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: holmdel, NJ Posts: 555	I use a HOme Depot bucket with lid that I cut a hole into for the wires that go to my ATO pump. Start with 1/2 tsp per gallon OF TOP OFF WATER and go from there. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ ________________________ New Build in progress http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2528685 90 gallon DT, 65 Gallon Fuge, Chinese LEDs, LPS and Soft coral reef

04/25/2018, 04:23 PM	#7
MrGoodbar Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 309	So my problem is my ato is only like a half a gallon so I can’t really connect anything to a bucket. That’s why I was wondering if I make the Kalk in a bucket and scoop out water and dump into my ato? Will this stir everything up again and lose potency due to it being exposed to air every time I scoop water to fill ato? __________________ MrGoodbar Current Tank Info: Red Sea Max NANO 20gal

04/25/2018, 07:37 AM	#5
Kevin Guthrie Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 506	Another possibility (but I've not tried it) to exclude air is put a plastic bag in your 5 gallon bucket, fill that with the ATO/kalkwasser, and cinch the bag around your ATO line with a twist tie so there is no air in the bag.