Who doses Kalk w/their ATO?

Blazer88 · 11/18/2006, 03:10 PM

I have been wanting to start dosing with Kalk but didn't want to spend the money for a Kalk reactor. Can I just mix up some Kalk with my RO and let my ATO does it'a magic? I know Kalk will settle on the bottom of the container so I was thinking about putting in a few extra MJ's and turn them on for 15-30 minutes four times a day to help mix it up. Any thoughts? Thanks for the help.

jag1979 · 11/18/2006, 03:26 PM

I am about to set up an ATO kalk system. I plan on making a 40 gallon batch of limewater, letting it settle for a few days, then just fill my ato bucket up w/ the saturated pre-settled limewater. Hopefully this will solve the residue problem...we will see

WDLV · 11/18/2006, 03:30 PM

That's a new one to me.... ATO???

Blazer88 · 11/18/2006, 03:35 PM

ATO=Auto Top Off. I have a seperate container with 15G of RO water that is pumped to my tank when the water level drops. jag1979, the idea doesn't seem bad as it would help with the residue issue, but that would add an extra container of water and you would have to transfer between the two. I was hoping to have the water mixed in my RO container via two MJ1200's on a timer. I can keep the MJ400 that pumps the water to my tank slightly elevated in the reservoir so it pumps in already mixed water. That way I can just dump in 5 gallons of RO and how many ever tablespoons of Kalk that I need and let it get mixed up before it gets pump in.

IndyReefMan · 11/18/2006, 04:38 PM

It's a great way to dose kalk. Randy Holmes-Farley doses it that way and I saw some suggestions in his chemistry forum of how to do it. You should search that forum. Incidentally, he recommends NOT putting powerheads in the kalk reservoir, for a variety of reasons.

Blazer88 · 11/18/2006, 05:28 PM

Hmm...I wonder why it's not a good idea to put PH's in to mix it up. I'll check over there and see if I find anything. Thanks for the response.

sjm817 · 11/18/2006, 05:43 PM

You dont mix it up. Use the settled limewater. Dont use the stuff that settles to the bottom or the crust that forms on the top.

bkbailes07 · 11/18/2006, 05:45 PM

there is a problem though. the kalk reactors that people use are meant to be air tight so the air will not react with the kalk mix. with an open top like yours the air will react with the kalk mix and make calcium carbonate which in return is useless for your coral. you can do an ATO with a Kalk Reactor though. i hope this helps

crumbletop · 11/18/2006, 05:45 PM

I dose kalk via a kalk reactor. ATO --> Kalk Reactor --> sump.

Blazer88 · 11/18/2006, 05:55 PM

I didn't realize the Kalk would react with air and negate the benefits. What about the Kalk drippers that people use? I didn't think those were air tight.

sjm817 · 11/18/2006, 06:22 PM

That is not true. You mix it, it settles, you cover it. A crust forms at the top that seals it. This is a method that has been around for many years.

Nabber86 · 11/18/2006, 07:56 PM

You do not need a kalk reactor. Just pump the saturated and settled (clear) kalk solution from a reservoir.

xtrstangx · 11/18/2006, 08:00 PM

I dose mine with a kalk reactor through my autotopoff.

I have it set up with a relay so my ReefKeeper 2 controls whether to use the kalk reactor or whether to use regular fresh water.

WDLV · 11/19/2006, 07:12 AM

I use a 55 gallon drum to feed my Kalk reactor via a Liter Meter III. I use a pH meter as a guide to determine the output that is necessary to maintain a stable pH of 8.2 +- 0.1
The difference in evaporated volume is compensated by a simple icemaker float valve.

11/18/2006, 03:10 PM	#1
Blazer88 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,415	Who doses Kalk w/their ATO? I have been wanting to start dosing with Kalk but didn't want to spend the money for a Kalk reactor. Can I just mix up some Kalk with my RO and let my ATO does it'a magic? I know Kalk will settle on the bottom of the container so I was thinking about putting in a few extra MJ's and turn them on for 15-30 minutes four times a day to help mix it up. Any thoughts? Thanks for the help.

11/18/2006, 03:26 PM	#2
jag1979 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 982	I am about to set up an ATO kalk system. I plan on making a 40 gallon batch of limewater, letting it settle for a few days, then just fill my ato bucket up w/ the saturated pre-settled limewater. Hopefully this will solve the residue problem...we will see __________________ clowns, bi-color pseudo, coral beauty, yellow tang GBTA, crocea clam xenia, various polyps/zoa's, candy cane, tree leather, frogspawn, torch, various mushrooms, green/red plate, birdsnest Current Tank Info: 180 AGA, tunze 6100, 6025 and 6060, 3 x 250 mh's, 3 x 80 t5's, ASM G4+

11/18/2006, 03:30 PM	#3
WDLV Skunk Hybrid Freak Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Pasadena, MD. USA Posts: 3,003	That's a new one to me.... ATO??? __________________ - Walter D. LaRoque V "The tanks go or I go." - Ex Wife

11/18/2006, 05:43 PM	#7
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	You dont mix it up. Use the settled limewater. Dont use the stuff that settles to the bottom or the crust that forms on the top. __________________ - Scott

11/18/2006, 05:45 PM	#9
crumbletop Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 4,718	I dose kalk via a kalk reactor. ATO --> Kalk Reactor --> sump. __________________ "Misers get up early in the morning; and burglars, I am informed, get up the night before." - GK Chesterton Current Tank Info: 90 gallon AGA RR. 20 gal sump. 6x54W T5. AquaController Jr.

11/18/2006, 03:35 PM	#4
Blazer88 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,415	ATO=Auto Top Off. I have a seperate container with 15G of RO water that is pumped to my tank when the water level drops. jag1979, the idea doesn't seem bad as it would help with the residue issue, but that would add an extra container of water and you would have to transfer between the two. I was hoping to have the water mixed in my RO container via two MJ1200's on a timer. I can keep the MJ400 that pumps the water to my tank slightly elevated in the reservoir so it pumps in already mixed water. That way I can just dump in 5 gallons of RO and how many ever tablespoons of Kalk that I need and let it get mixed up before it gets pump in.

11/18/2006, 04:38 PM	#5
IndyReefMan Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 477	It's a great way to dose kalk. Randy Holmes-Farley doses it that way and I saw some suggestions in his chemistry forum of how to do it. You should search that forum. Incidentally, he recommends NOT putting powerheads in the kalk reservoir, for a variety of reasons.

11/18/2006, 05:28 PM	#6
Blazer88 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,415	Hmm...I wonder why it's not a good idea to put PH's in to mix it up. I'll check over there and see if I find anything. Thanks for the response.

11/18/2006, 05:45 PM	#8
bkbailes07 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Houston Posts: 266	there is a problem though. the kalk reactors that people use are meant to be air tight so the air will not react with the kalk mix. with an open top like yours the air will react with the kalk mix and make calcium carbonate which in return is useless for your coral. you can do an ATO with a Kalk Reactor though. i hope this helps

11/18/2006, 05:55 PM	#10
Blazer88 Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 2,415	I didn't realize the Kalk would react with air and negate the benefits. What about the Kalk drippers that people use? I didn't think those were air tight.

11/18/2006, 06:22 PM	#11
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	That is not true. You mix it, it settles, you cover it. A crust forms at the top that seals it. This is a method that has been around for many years. __________________ - Scott

11/18/2006, 07:56 PM	#12
Nabber86 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Stalewater Kansas Posts: 408	You do not need a kalk reactor. Just pump the saturated and settled (clear) kalk solution from a reservoir.

11/18/2006, 08:00 PM	#13
xtrstangx Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Shawnee, Kansas Posts: 4,568	I dose mine with a kalk reactor through my autotopoff. I have it set up with a relay so my ReefKeeper 2 controls whether to use the kalk reactor or whether to use regular fresh water.

11/19/2006, 07:12 AM	#14
WDLV Skunk Hybrid Freak Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Pasadena, MD. USA Posts: 3,003	I use a 55 gallon drum to feed my Kalk reactor via a Liter Meter III. I use a pH meter as a guide to determine the output that is necessary to maintain a stable pH of 8.2 +- 0.1 The difference in evaporated volume is compensated by a simple icemaker float valve. __________________ - Walter D. LaRoque V "The tanks go or I go." - Ex Wife