Salty top off???

[jayel]

i have posted a topic in the New To The Hobby Forum located here. I was directed here.
Basically i want to know if i can top-off my tank with a low-level salt water using a tunze osmolator with the inline kalk dispenser. The low-level salt water parameters have yet to be determined but i will monitor and conduct measurments to find a suitable salinity level.

 

[BeanAnimal]

It should not be a problem, but the question would be why?

Are you using salinity for some reason?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As long as there is no lime (kalk) solids added anywhere, it should be fine to add salt water for top off if the goal is to increase salinity. Even a little lime in low salinity salt water will cause precipitation of magnesium hydroxide and calcium carbonate, so that will not work.

 

[jayel]

The purpose would be to prevent a deccrease in salinity due to the fact that I am skimming wet and removing ~1 pint per day. I top-off approximately 1.5quarts per day replacing it with ro/di water using a tunze osmolator. The top-off line is hooked up to a tunze kalk dispenser (which is basically a sealed canister) where i mix 2 tsps of kalk every 8 days.

In reality my tank evaporates ~1qt per day
I skim about 1 pint per day
i topoff 1.5 qts per day

evaopartion doesn't decrese salinity---
skimming wet does.(when replaced with ro water)

so i would like to top off with a low level salt water (salinity yet to be determined)

is it possible?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

so i would like to top off with a low level salt water (salinity yet to be determined)

is it possible?

Without any lime, yes. With lime, no.

 

[jayel]

after reading many articles, and you providing me with expert advice, it seems I will devote many more days pondering the thought of how to make this work.

I have calcium hydroxide solids that settle to the bottom of my dispenser. I am assuming that I would have to make limewater seprately and add just the clear solution to my dispenser and leave the solids.

Any last thoughts to lend?

 

[BeanAnimal]

There is no way to make it work. When you mix the light salt water and the limewater, you will get precipitation. What preciptitates out (other than making a mess) will not be usable in the tank and will throw off your ALK/CAL/MAG balance over time.

Am I missing something here?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You are not still thinking of adding salt water, even diluted, are you? You will precipitate magnesium hydroxide at any salt water dilution added to any reasonable amount of lime.

 

[jayel]

no....upon further review, the plan is no longer.... thanks for your patience

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

A second dosing pump with some salt water would work fine.

Happy reefing.