• Folks, if you've recently upgraded or renewed your annual club membership but it's still not active, please reach out to the BOD or a moderator. The PayPal system has a slight bug which it doesn't allow it to activate the account on it's own.

Kalk Stirrer

Hallowhead

Hallowhead

NJRC Member
Howdy,

My fish tank is becoming more mature and it's using more and more alk. I've been testing weekly and it's on a decline. Back in November it was 8.6 dkh now it's around 7.2 dkh and my tank is visually not looking what it was the last couple months.

It's a 30 gallon AIO tank.
 
Sponge

Sponge

Hallowhead said:
Howdy,

My fish tank is becoming more mature and it's using more and more alk. I've been testing weekly and it's on a decline. Back in November it was 8.6 dkh now it's around 7.2 dkh and my tank is visually not looking what it was the last couple months.

It's a 30 gallon AIO tank.
Click to expand...
Is there a specific question you would like to know. Or just informing. :)
 
Sponge

Sponge

There pretty basic. You could even build one with a separate magnetic stir base but avast marine makes a nice one. I way prefer a constant slow stir with kalk always available then the ones that require a timer that start the stir then turn off then start the dose. To much to go wrong. Keep it simple and strait forwards.
 
Mrx7899x

Mrx7899x

What's your daily alk consumption? A kalk stirrer is fully saturated kalk which is pretty strong might be to much unless your tank has high demand.
 
Sponge

Sponge

Yes. Don’t use your ATO. That is wrought with problems. The biggest being. Your tank will not evaporate at a consistent rate. Temperature and humidity changes daily and that of course effects evaporation. Which of course you kalk input would not be consistent. And that is obviously not what you want. Use a separate dosser or pump.
 
Mrx7899x

Mrx7899x

I run a kalk stirrer plus 2 part on my 225 fed by my ato and it is very stable. My evaporation doesn't vary much and my alk is between 7.7 to 7.9.

On my nano I run a x1 single head dosing pump and dose tropic marin all for reef which is alk, calcium, magnesium and trace elements all in one. Its works very well.
 
Sponge

Sponge

Mrx7899x said:
I run a kalk stirrer plus 2 part on my 225 fed by my ato and it is very stable. My evaporation doesn't vary much and my alk is between 7.7 to 7.9.

On my nano I run a x1 single head dosing pump and dose tropic marin all for reef which is alk, calcium, magnesium and trace elements all in one. Its works very well.
Click to expand...
I can’t use ATO as an additive top off system. We have forced hot air for heat. On a cold windy low humidity day. The tank will evaporate 6 gallons of water. But if it’s a warmer day with high humidity they evaporate maybe a gallon. A Four to five gallon swing in the amount of dosing taking place is just way to inconsistent for me. On top of that. I have so much trouble with these chap ATO pump failure that I don’t trust them as a dosing tool. I much prefer a dedicated peristaltic pump. And finally. When you use ATO as a top off, the only way to adjust the amount solution you are dosing. Is to change the concentration. With a separate pump. You have safety, more accuracy, control of solution and the ability to know exactly what’s going in your tanks. All this is simply impossible with ATO. ATO works, no doubt about it. Thousands utilize it. Hey. We have it, It does work ( sorta ) But at what cost. Accuracy, dependability, reliability and redundancy. Yet to get all those things. All you need it one pump. No brainer for me.
 
Mrx7899x

Mrx7899x

You can definitely feed it with a dosing pump. But you can only do that for so long because you cant add more then what your tank evaporates.
 
DangerDave

DangerDave

NJRC Member
I run around 5 gallons a day into mine through an ato. It’s a secondary supply to my 2 part. How ever you decide to do it (definitely use a stirrer) be sure you dose it in a high flow area like a return.
 
Sponge

Sponge

Mrx7899x said:
You can definitely feed it with a dosing pump. But you can only do that for so long because you cant add more then what your tank evaporates.
Click to expand...
Lol. Of course. However neither can you with the ATO. But you can be more consistent and safer. Again it can be done a multitude of ways. Really can’t say any way is wrong. I was only pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of ways to do it. To help Hallowhead make an informed. Decision. Wasn’t trying to ruffle any feathers. :)
 
Hallowhead

Hallowhead

NJRC Member
Some more questions as I get close to a purchase here.

1.). Do we know of any good hang ons?
2.). Reason I asked is because all desc. Say make sure output is higher than sumo water line I want it to be underneath the AIO as they're bulky looking. Can that work?
3.). How is everyone's experience with brs 2 part doser ? I want to keep independent of my ATO so I was looking at this doser
 
Sponge

Sponge

Gee I hear what your saying. Need someone else to chime in here. I don’t have a good solution off the top of my head. Gotta be someone else doing it that way. Never seen the BRS version. Only thing I can add is as said before. I like constant slow stir. With feed water from bottom out put from top. Super simple always saturated no slurry. But beyond that. Keep it simple. Don’t need much to make it work.
 
Sponge

Sponge

Soda ash and bicarbonate. Is more stable. Doesn't spike or drop PH as rapidly. I believe one cup bicarbonate and three tablespoons ash per gallon of Rodi water. dose that liquid. And use a reef calculator. It will tell you exactly how much to put in and don’t raise your PH rapidly. I think they say don’t raise more than one dkh max at a time. But what’s the rush. Do half that and half again hours or day later.
 
Hallowhead

Hallowhead

NJRC Member
Sponge said:
Soda ash and bicarbonate. Is more stable. Doesn't spike or drop PH as rapidly. I believe one cup bicarbonate and three tablespoons ash per gallon of Rodi water. dose that liquid. And use a reef calculator. It will tell you exactly how much to put in and don’t raise your PH rapidly. I think they say don’t raise more than one dkh max at a time. But what’s the rush. Do half that and half again hours or day later.
Click to expand...
I like this approach much better Matt. Gonna maybe start with just soda ash see what that does than maybe add the bicarbonate - gonna test today and tomorrow to get my drop. Very excited
 
Sponge

Sponge

No need to get complicated. So I won’t get deeper into chemistry. As as you slow dose. It doesn’t mater which you choose or a combination there off. The choice could be made if PH is the also the issue. Not just Alk. In short. Sea water is primarily composed of Bicarbonate. If you dose carbonate it wants to become bicarbonate that’s why soda ash raises PH. And why people often use co2 scrubbers or run air lines outside. But if you dose sodium bicarbonate it effects the PH less and may even cause temp drop in ph. That’s why I recommend mixing the two. However. It’s YOUR specific need that matters. And wether you are trying to effect both alk and ph. And which way and how much. You want that swing to go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top