ATO Dosing?

[sbash]

I have a 220 gallon mixed reef, some nice little colonies, but mostly just frags. The system is almost 2 years old now. Up until recently, given the small corals, I have been able to (barely) keep up with nutrient levels without dosing and just doing frequent water changes (using reef salt). Given my need to travel frequently, and the size and amount of SPS/LPS I have, it is time to start dosing.

I have a 20 gallon ATO reservoir (plastic) which I would like to do into, instead of my tank itself. I will need to bring up calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium. Has anyone had any success with this, if so, what products were used?

I am on the road right now, so I cannot get my parameters to post, but I wanted to start the conversation to get me on the right track!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There's not really a good product or method that you can add all of those into an ATO.

Limewater (calcium hydroxide) in an ATO can be used to supply both calcium and alkalinity. I used that method for 20 years.

 

[bif24701]

There's not really a good product or method that you can add all of those into an ATO.

Limewater (calcium hydroxide) in an ATO can be used to supply both calcium and alkalinity. I used that method for 20 years.

I have been using it for the past year in a heavily stocked SPS 180 and love it. I think it's very underrated. I've heard many say that a SPS/stony coral system will put grow it quickly but I've not found that to be the case. If more beginners would start out with Kalk being simple and easy they would have success more often. The fact that it's a balanced ALK/Cal source is Huge but also add that it helps increase pH and it's a winner for sure. There is no good reason that everyone couldn't include it to some degree into there systems, even if you already have 2 part or CalRx.

 

[littlebangkok82]

Kalk water ato will help, tank dosing use enough mg, that water changes should keep that up

 

[sbash]

Limewater (calcium hydroxide) in an ATO can be used to supply both calcium and alkalinity. I used that method for 20 years.

Where do you get the limewater?

Kalk water ato will help, tank dosing use enough mg, that water changes should keep that up

How do you dose the mg?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You can buy calcium hydroxide solids from most any aquarium supply place, or food chemical supply places. BRS has it, for example.

 

[sbash]

You can buy calcium hydroxide solids from most any aquarium supply place, or food chemical supply places. BRS has it, for example.

That seems too easy... Okay cool, thanks... I will start with a can from my LFS and see how much I use (it is a 220 gallon, so I could go through quite a bit)...

Can I start with the full dose in my ATO, or do I need to slowly work toward full dosing?