Kalk In ATO...What Do I Need To Know?

[BigEZ77]

With many new corals added over the past month or so, I am seeing my calcium level drop a fair amount by the time of my next WC, so am considering using Kalk in my ATO to keep the levels up. Don't want to do manual dosing and don't want to buy a dosing set-up. I have 40G total water volume and a 5G ATO reservoir. Here's what I know thus far from scattered info...

-Bring all levels up manually to the good marks. i.e. 420 cal.
-2 tsp per gallon in my reservoir.
-Keep pump off the bottom of reservoir.

Do I need to stir after putting kalk in reservoir? Do I put the same amount of kalk in again each time I refill reservoir? What else do I need to know?

Thanks,

 

[Jeddite]

Its better if you can stir the kalk with rodi in another cup, according to manufacturers mixing ratio and add to your ato reservoir.


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[zsuman101]

I mix kalk in a 5 gal bucket, then I wait 24 hrs and siphon off the clear water into my ato reservoir. this saves the pump. I wouldn't use 2 tsp/gal at first . start with 1. when I use kalk my alkalinity goes thru the roof, so keep an eye on it . good luck zsu

 

[homer1475]

I use the same ATO container all the time and just fill it.

I mix up 2tsp of Kalk per gallon and dump it in the container. I never stir it past this. Every couple weeks I'll rinse the bucket out of all the old kalk that settles to the bottom.

I would also suggest starting at either 1tsp per gallon or 1/2tsp per gallon to start with. Although kalk is pretty benign if overdosed, its always best to start on the side of caution.

 

[BigEZ77]

Thanks, all great info.

zsuman, when you say siphon out the clear water, is this easy since the "sludge" piles at the bottom? Could I use a pump to do it?

homer, when you say you mix it, how do you do it? i.e. how much rodi water for the mixing stage before throwing it into the ATO reservoir?

 

[Sk8r]

Stir only once, on adding kalk, and allow to settle. Imprecision of measure not an issue in barrel. put your pump on some kind of saltwater resistent stand (I use an old CD container) and keep it out of any residue that settles on the bottom. As you add more fresh water the residue will also dissolve. FYI, I use a 32 gallon reservoir and don't even measure: I just dump in half a packet of Mrs Wages, assuring that there'll be quite a bit of residue, and count on refills to go on dissolving it (and stirring it up periodically) over a month or so. THrough the magical chemistry of water, ONLY the right amount CAN dissolve in the ro/di, so any time you pump from the clear water area of the reservoir, you're getting saturated water with only as much as should be there. WHen you've just filled and stirred up the kalk, let it settle a few hours before turning the ATO back on.

 

[Remy LeBeau]

Make sure your ATO reservoir is tightly sealed too if you can. Also, when you do mix up the Kalkwasser only do this for a minute or so. As soon as the powder dissolves your pretty much done.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_6/volume_6_2/kalkwasser.htm

 

[BigEZ77]

Thanks. Why is it so important to seal the top? I have a jug type 5G reservoir with a 3x3 inch opening for the pump to slide into.

 

[BigEZ77]

Also, I still don't know if I should put in another 1 tsp (for now) per gallon every time I refill my ATO?

 

[Tisbe]

Kalk breaks down when exposed to air. Here is a link that explains kalk in detail. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-05/rhf/feature/

 

[zsuman101]

Thanks, all great info.

zsuman, when you say siphon out the clear water, is this easy since the "sludge" piles at the bottom? Could I use a pump to do it?

homer, when you say you mix it, how do you do it? i.e. how much rodi water for the mixing stage before throwing it into the ATO reservoir?

I just heat up some rigid airline tubing bend into a u shape so the long end drops down to an inch above the bottom of my 5 gal mixing pail, then attach some silicone airline tubing to the other end and siphon it out. whats left I toss out rinse the mix bucket then start all over.

 

[ravenr108]

I would start lower than 2 tsp a gallon. Try one then test and go from there. Kalk is great but its based on your evaporation.

 

[BigEZ77]

Ok for covering and lower dose...but what about the re-dose when I fill my reservoir again? Do I put another 1 tsp per gallon each time I fill my ATO reservoir?

 

[homer1475]

Stir only once, on adding kalk, and allow to settle. Imprecision of measure not an issue in barrel. put your pump on some kind of saltwater resistent stand (I use an old CD container) and keep it out of any residue that settles on the bottom. As you add more fresh water the residue will also dissolve. FYI, I use a 32 gallon reservoir and don't even measure: I just dump in half a packet of Mrs Wages, assuring that there'll be quite a bit of residue, and count on refills to go on dissolving it (and stirring it up periodically) over a month or so. THrough the magical chemistry of water, ONLY the right amount CAN dissolve in the ro/di, so any time you pump from the clear water area of the reservoir, you're getting saturated water with only as much as should be there. WHen you've just filled and stirred up the kalk, let it settle a few hours before turning the ATO back on.

I didn't know this.

I always mix up 1tsp/g every time I fill the ATO reservoir, which in turn stirs up the bottom leaving a chalky looking water, until it settles again.

So your saying I should just fill it with fresh once in a while to use up the residue on the bottom? My reservoir is a 5 gallon jug that I use up in about a week.

 

[BigEZ77]

I didn't know this.

I always mix up 1tsp/g every time I fill the ATO reservoir, which in turn stirs up the bottom leaving a chalky looking water, until it settles again.

So your saying I should just fill it with fresh once in a while to use up the residue on the bottom? My reservoir is a 5 gallon jug that I use up in about a week.

I would like to know the answer to this as well. I also have a 5G jug that takes about 1 1/2 weeks to empty to get to about a fifth remaining...which is where I refill since the pump is about 4" tall.

 

[Potatohead]

I would like to know the answer to this as well. I also have a 5G jug that takes about 1 1/2 weeks to empty to get to about a fifth remaining...which is where I refill since the pump is about 4" tall.

If you put in too much kalk I suppose you could re-stir it with fresh water later since only a certain amount will saturate in the first place, but that seems very imprecise. Don't start out with full saturation anyway (2 teaspoons per gallon) maybe start out with two teaspoons for the whole ATO and adjust as needed. It's WAY better to have too little to begin.

The reservoir should be sealed because when kalk is exposed to co2, the solution weakens. If it is not sealed after a day or two it will form a crust on the top and kind of make its own seal. For these same reasons you do not ever want to re-stir it, simply stir it once and you're done.