Kalkwasser and ATO

[texdoc77]

OK so I have a 55gal Reef tank and have had trouble keeping my alk up. Currently its 7.0 and my calcium is 525. I have been hand dosing weekly, but this is not getting any semblance of stability. I would like to add an ATO to top off with kalkwasser as a first step and have read a little on the subject, but it seems quite complicated to a noob like me. I do have an apex controller and have looked at the DIY from autotopoff.com. However, those seem clunky and I do not have a sump so this will be extra junk in my DT. I also saw where some of the more svelt systems do not work with kalkwasser so now I am just confused... anywho suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[Dkuhlmann]

This needs to be in the chemistry forum not the clownfish and anemone forum.

 

[texdoc77]

Yes this is definitely the wrong forum, actually forgot what forum I was in when I posted. That's what I get for posting while at work... can anyone give me a hand here??? I had meant to place in the "new to hobby" forum, but whatever forum the mod feels is appropriate. Thanks and sorry.

 

[DasCamel]

New to hobby is also good for basic questions like this.

 

[hotelbravo]

i will report and request a move to the new to the hobby section

 

[texdoc77]

thanks

 

[cmcoker]

Before I setup my 120g, I had a 55g no sump. I use an avast ATO, with an aqualifter pump, plugged into a digital timer set to run one minute every 30. I used kalk in a 5 gallon bucket hidden in an Ottoman to the side of the tank. The timer kept the pH from spiking too high

This setup worked well for me, and the avast is a pressure switch so there is just a black tube visible in the tank. I had a canopy of sorts on the tank. So i screwed a metal plate to the bottom edge of it to attach the avast magnet holder, so that it was not visible in the tank.

 

[organism]

I use about 2T kalk for 5 gallons, throw a little pump in there to keep everything mixed and then drop the ATO intake hose in there, that's about it.

 

[OrionN]

If you dose Kalk do not use water level type control. If you have water leak the Kalk addition will trash your tank. To add Kalk continuously you will need dosing pump that pump Kalk continuously to your tank. You can manually mix Kalk reservoir or else you can use one of the Kalk reactor.
I recommend a Kalk reactor with a lab grade dosing pump that is either adjustable rate or on a timer so you can adjust how much Kalk to add.
Lab grade adjustable pump about 250 and Kalk reactor about 200