Just to let you know it's not only newbies that make mistakes...

Sk8r · 12/20/2010, 05:45 PM

..."Hey, why is the tank all white?"
...Me: "OMG."

I immediately think to the last time I did anything with the tank: filled the topoff reservoir. Now, I use kalk, a white powder that miraculously supplements calcium/buffer stuff for corals. You drop it in your topoff water and it's great stuff---but it has a ph of 12; and even worse---topoff water, even with kalk in it, is fresh water.

Step one: I fly downstairs to the sump. White. And the ATO line (topoff) is, yes, TOUCHING the water. This tells me that, yes, everything in my topoff reservoir is now saltwater, and the tank is less salty than it was. How does this miracle happen? 1) have the topoff line touch the water with no siphon break...2) have the topoff pump go on and establish the water flow 3) have the topoff pump cut off. The line is IN the receiving water, right? So now we have a siphon going, and it will continue to suck water back and forth, back and forth, until both water supplies are equal. As the water in the sump sinks, the ATO cuts the topoff pump back on, and it fills up---then the pump goes on and it starts siphoning again...regular as a piston stroke.

Step two: I grab the refractometer---it says 1.024 in the tank. YAY! it's still in bounds. I run at 1.025---so no big deal for fish or corals. Just a ph of 12 in the inbound water and a milky soup from the undissolved kalk it scarfed up, but it was about 8-10 gallons it sucked up into my 80 gallon sump/Display system, and it can take it and lose only .001 salinity, so the ph is not to sweat. if it had been---I'd have poured a quarter cup of Schweppe's Bar Soda into the sump and that would adjust it downward. I didn't bother to test it: if the fish and corals upstairs are all happy, it's ok, and it'll get better fast.

Step three: no action---because the water it stole from the reservoir will evaporate a gallon a day (my normal evap rate) and sink down, calling more (now slightly salt) water from the ATO---and topping off with its own stolen salt supply will bring the sg up .001, as desired. So it stole it, but I'll get it back, and salt never evaporates.

I know this is complicated for the newbie forum, but read it through a few times so you can follow what went on: my fish and corals are all fine, and all's well that ends well. It IS an example of what you do first in an emergency: test, and think.

You certainly can't say you stop making mistakes after you're not a newbie any more. I left that line unsecured where somebody could bump it and it lowered an inch, to touch the water: that did it.

snorvich · 12/20/2010, 06:43 PM

Actually, the reason people get experience is because they screw up. If everything always worked well, how could one learn?

Virtuoso · 12/20/2010, 06:51 PM

Thanks for the post. Don't have my tank up and running yet, but I never even thought about that. For some reason I just assumed the pipe going from your ATO to your sump would go in the water. Now I know better!

Agu · 12/20/2010, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snorvich

Actually, the reason people get experience is because they screw up. If everything always worked well, how could one learn?

Quote:

Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.

Eleanor Roosevelt

mc-cro · 12/20/2010, 07:36 PM

Good judgment comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgment. glad it wasn't an all out emergency

Pufferpunk · 12/20/2010, 08:41 PM

This is why I don't use ATO. I keep it simple & top off by hand (or pitcher), every night.

12/20/2010, 05:45 PM	#1
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Just to let you know it's not only newbies that make mistakes... ..."Hey, why is the tank all white?" ...Me: "OMG." I immediately think to the last time I did anything with the tank: filled the topoff reservoir. Now, I use kalk, a white powder that miraculously supplements calcium/buffer stuff for corals. You drop it in your topoff water and it's great stuff---but it has a ph of 12; and even worse---topoff water, even with kalk in it, is fresh water. Step one: I fly downstairs to the sump. White. And the ATO line (topoff) is, yes, TOUCHING the water. This tells me that, yes, everything in my topoff reservoir is now saltwater, and the tank is less salty than it was. How does this miracle happen? 1) have the topoff line touch the water with no siphon break...2) have the topoff pump go on and establish the water flow 3) have the topoff pump cut off. The line is IN the receiving water, right? So now we have a siphon going, and it will continue to suck water back and forth, back and forth, until both water supplies are equal. As the water in the sump sinks, the ATO cuts the topoff pump back on, and it fills up---then the pump goes on and it starts siphoning again...regular as a piston stroke. Step two: I grab the refractometer---it says 1.024 in the tank. YAY! it's still in bounds. I run at 1.025---so no big deal for fish or corals. Just a ph of 12 in the inbound water and a milky soup from the undissolved kalk it scarfed up, but it was about 8-10 gallons it sucked up into my 80 gallon sump/Display system, and it can take it and lose only .001 salinity, so the ph is not to sweat. if it had been---I'd have poured a quarter cup of Schweppe's Bar Soda into the sump and that would adjust it downward. I didn't bother to test it: if the fish and corals upstairs are all happy, it's ok, and it'll get better fast. Step three: no action---because the water it stole from the reservoir will evaporate a gallon a day (my normal evap rate) and sink down, calling more (now slightly salt) water from the ATO---and topping off with its own stolen salt supply will bring the sg up .001, as desired. So it stole it, but I'll get it back, and salt never evaporates. I know this is complicated for the newbie forum, but read it through a few times so you can follow what went on: my fish and corals are all fine, and all's well that ends well. It IS an example of what you do first in an emergency: test, and think. You certainly can't say you stop making mistakes after you're not a newbie any more. I left that line unsecured where somebody could bump it and it lowered an inch, to touch the water: that did it. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

12/20/2010, 06:43 PM	#2
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	Actually, the reason people get experience is because they screw up. If everything always worked well, how could one learn? __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

12/20/2010, 07:36 PM	#5
mc-cro (macro) Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 2,238	Good judgment comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgment. glad it wasn't an all out emergency __________________ Time is the most valuable thing you have... spend it wisely Current Tank Info: 60x26x24 AGE 3 sided starphire

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12/20/2010, 06:51 PM	#3
Virtuoso Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 727	Thanks for the post. Don't have my tank up and running yet, but I never even thought about that. For some reason I just assumed the pipe going from your ATO to your sump would go in the water. Now I know better!

12/20/2010, 08:41 PM	#6
Pufferpunk Moved On Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 21,027	This is why I don't use ATO. I keep it simple & top off by hand (or pitcher), every night.