Kalkwasser

[whotzler]

I am wanting to start adding Kalkwasser to my 45 gal pentagon tank. My tank evaporates about a half gallon a day which is equivalent to a 1/4 to 1/3 inch of water level. I currently do not have an ATO and for the purpose of dosing Kalk I am considering one, looking at the Tunze 3152. I have noticed that the float valve on the ATO has about 1/4 to 1/3 inch of travel between the on and off position. So in my case the ATO would turn on about once a day adding 1/2 gal at a time. This ATO also has a max of 3 min timer as a safety feature. So if I am understating all this correctly I will be adding about a half gallon of Kalk mix once a day in less than three minute. Now I hear everyone say that ATO is the way to go for adding Kalk, but is this to much Kalk to be adding all at once? Would setting up a drip type system be better? Or am I not completing understanding how the ATO will actually function? At this time I am manually adding a half gallon all at once of a Cal mix and Alkalinity/PH buffer mix on alternate days as my top off method. I do not mind manually adding water once a day. Its the balance of the two part that I don't like,

 

[bang guy]

My general answer is... yes, too much limewater to add all at once. However; if your Carbonate consumption is low then an unsaturated limewater mix could work safely.

What is your average daily Carbonate consumption rate?

In my opinion, dripping limewater for 12 hours starting when the lights go off is ideal.

 

[whotzler]

Thanks Bang Guy. Its hard to say exactly what my Carbonate consumption rate is. I try to hold PH at 8.3 testing with a PH pen, and DKH usually stays around 11, but use API tests so hard saying exactly where it is. I dose a small amount of Seachem Reef buffer every other day with top off and in that time my PH can go down as low as 8.2 which is a concerning swing. Thats why kalkwauser is on my radar. I have about 20 small frags Zoa,s hammer, frogspawn, favia,leathers, candy cane, acro, monti, goni,lobo,and others. Calcium use is also somewhat tough to gauge, use API tests but have been adding about 4 to 6 mg/l on opposite days to maintain 420 ish. Do you think that using half strength Kalk 1 tbsp per gal would be okay both for my needs and as a single dose? Im a little confused as far as so many people say ATO is the best way to dose Kalk, but doesn't any one using a ATO face this same issue, and even more sp with a larger tank when 1/4 inch water level could be over a gallon?

 

[whotzler]

I should mention that the amount of Reef Buffer added is enough to get PH back to 8.3 and according to label that amount raises DKH .5, but to hard to see that difference with my current tests. Also I am taking the test at the same time of day.

 

[whotzler]

Another factor, I also do 10 percent water changes every week with Reef Crystals

 

[bang guy]

I'm going to need some time to do the math.

I think you would be safe dosing 1tsp of lime per gallon of topoff water at this time. The issue isn't the actual dosage, it's the CO2 depletion that happens during a large dose of limewater. It can make the lime counter productive if CO2 is completely consumed by the limewater before all of the hydroxide is converted to CO3.