How long to wait to put kalk in ATO?

Lynnmw1208 · 04/17/2011, 12:01 AM

I want to eventually put kalkwasser in my ATO reservoir to keep my calcium and such stable. when do people usually start doing this? Right now the tank is about a month and a half old. water params are great: ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are 0, and I have 4 coral frags: 1 sps, 1 ricordea, 1 zoa, and 1 frogspawn. I already started to see a drop in my calcium from last week to this week: 470 to 420. I am using the API kit to test. alk also dropped from 11 to 9. I don't have a magnesium test kit but will be getting one soon. I know the levels are still normal so my question is I guess how low do I go before dosing?

iwishtofish · 04/17/2011, 12:23 AM

I'm curious about this, too.

MarkGP · 04/17/2011, 04:51 AM

I would think that at this point with the amount of corals you have regular water changes should keep your levels up. If not you could start with some 2 part additives until you have more of a demand and then start adding kalk to your top off.

Phishguy · 04/17/2011, 07:31 AM

I agree with above. Water changes alone will keep you in check.

zigzag1 · 04/17/2011, 08:38 AM

Watch your Alk and Ca parameters; when these start to drop, indicating consumption, adjust your additions accordingly. GL!

dzhuo · 04/17/2011, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynnmw1208

water params are great: ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are 0, and I have 4 coral frags: 1 sps, 1 ricordea, 1 zoa, and 1 frogspawn. I already started to see a drop in my calcium from last week to this week: 470 to 420. I am using the API kit to test. alk also dropped from 11 to 9.

The drop seems excessive given your current stock list. I would make sure there is not a lot of abiotic precipitation happening. For example, check your heaters and pumps to see if there are lots of cal deposit. Perhaps you have lots of coralline that consume alk and cal?

When I had my 10g nano, I pretty much drip kalk from the beginning (as day 1). SPS and coralline in particular were growing out of control. For example, in 3 short months, it went from:

to this:

The problem is there would also be a ton of cal deposit and I have to vinegar bath the pumps regularly like every 2 months. It's easy for a nano but would be too much work in a larger tank.

Lynnmw1208 · 04/17/2011, 09:41 PM

I thought those numbers were kind of weird as well. I do have coralline but only excessively on 2 rocks so far (the live rocks) and it's slowly making its way to the dry rock. I know snails and such use calcium but I didn't think that much of it. would the aragonite sand have anything to do with it? I am going to check the calcium and alk in a week again to see my levels.

dzhuo · 04/18/2011, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynnmw1208

would the aragonite sand have anything to do with it?

I don't think the sand would cause the drop. Is your tank new? If so, this might be normal. Even after your tank cycled, there could be die off which bounds alk and cal. As bacteria consume the decaying matter, alk / cal could be released back to the water column. If you head over to the chemistry forum, they would be able to tell you the exact process. Basically it's normal for alk / cal to swing naturally (not by coral consumption) before your tank stabilize and being to mature.

I don't think it would hurt to drip kalk even from the beginning except it might be unnecessary.

04/17/2011, 12:01 AM	#1
Lynnmw1208 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 3,306	How long to wait to put kalk in ATO? I want to eventually put kalkwasser in my ATO reservoir to keep my calcium and such stable. when do people usually start doing this? Right now the tank is about a month and a half old. water params are great: ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are 0, and I have 4 coral frags: 1 sps, 1 ricordea, 1 zoa, and 1 frogspawn. I already started to see a drop in my calcium from last week to this week: 470 to 420. I am using the API kit to test. alk also dropped from 11 to 9. I don't have a magnesium test kit but will be getting one soon. I know the levels are still normal so my question is I guess how low do I go before dosing? __________________ equipment: Eshopps psk-200 skimmer, Mag 12 pump, 30gal sump, 2x 300w Finnex heaters, glass-holes 1500gph overflow kit with 3/4" return kits, 72" 8x36w t-5 AquaticLife light, 66lbs of LR, 150lbs of tropic eden reeflakes, 2 Koralia Evo 1400, JBJ ATO, BRS dual GFO/carbon reactors, Hydor smartwave Current Tank Info: 125gallon

04/17/2011, 08:38 AM	#5
zigzag1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Anderson, Indiana Posts: 1,276	Watch your Alk and Ca parameters; when these start to drop, indicating consumption, adjust your additions accordingly. GL! __________________ :beer: Mixed Reef, started 10/2004: 6' BB 125g DT, 100lbs LR, 40g sump, Dual Ehiem 1000 returns, Eshopps dual overflow, JBJ ATO, Vertex IN-180, PM Ca reactor, 250w MH w/VHO Actinic, AC3 w/Aquasurf, Tunze 6105 pair & 40B frag tank 8 Fish, 20+ corals, shrimp, snails, worms, bugs, etc.

04/17/2011, 09:41 PM	#7
Lynnmw1208 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 3,306	I thought those numbers were kind of weird as well. I do have coralline but only excessively on 2 rocks so far (the live rocks) and it's slowly making its way to the dry rock. I know snails and such use calcium but I didn't think that much of it. would the aragonite sand have anything to do with it? I am going to check the calcium and alk in a week again to see my levels. __________________ equipment: Eshopps psk-200 skimmer, Mag 12 pump, 30gal sump, 2x 300w Finnex heaters, glass-holes 1500gph overflow kit with 3/4" return kits, 72" 8x36w t-5 AquaticLife light, 66lbs of LR, 150lbs of tropic eden reeflakes, 2 Koralia Evo 1400, JBJ ATO, BRS dual GFO/carbon reactors, Hydor smartwave Current Tank Info: 125gallon

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
QT Finished how long do I wait to put in display.	zhewitt04	New to the Hobby	0	02/20/2011 05:26 PM
how long to wait after starting tank to put chromis in?	mistermikev	Arizona - Fish & Reef Aquarium Group (FRAG)	9	02/15/2011 09:54 PM
ATO - Kalk reactor plan	hawaiireefer	Do It Yourself	0	10/14/2010 01:45 PM
ATO and Kalk setup discussion.	oscar.millan	The Reef Chemistry Forum	11	12/01/2009 03:15 PM
Kalk Reactor, ATO Users, Do you run ATO on timer too?	mic209	Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment	3	04/29/2008 07:57 AM

04/17/2011, 12:23 AM	#2
iwishtofish Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 4,949	I'm curious about this, too.

04/17/2011, 04:51 AM	#3
MarkGP Why do I do this? Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bristol, RI Posts: 1,015	I would think that at this point with the amount of corals you have regular water changes should keep your levels up. If not you could start with some 2 part additives until you have more of a demand and then start adding kalk to your top off.

04/17/2011, 07:31 AM	#4
Phishguy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: springfield, ma Posts: 660	I agree with above. Water changes alone will keep you in check.