Tunze Osmolator + Avast Kalk Stirrer + Neptune Dos = Lower Salinity

r+o reefer

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I’m noticing my salinity trending downard over the past week: 35.0 a week ago to 33.5 today

Prior to last week, I was dosing 2-part via Neptune DOS. ATO = Tunze Osmolator 3155. This set up worked out great, but I could never get ph to 8.3. I read this might be because I run carbon to help alleviate any anemone chem warfare (so far, so good, but also haven’t tried not running carbon).

Last week, I switched from dosing two-part to dosing BRS Kalkwasser Via an Avast Kalkstirrer / Neptune DOS. Mix = 2 tsp per gallon RODI water. Found that 150 mL over 24 hours has me at:

Alk = 9.95-10.2
Ca = 430-440
Mg= 1200-1220

Salinity has been dropping slowly from 35.0 a week ago to 33.5 today and I’m hoping to get back to a steady 35.

24 gallon, mixed reef (LPS, SPS, Bubble tip anemones, fish, cuc).

I realize this has something to do with RODI coming from both the Kalk stirrer and the ATO container. Is there a trick to balancing this out?

Or should I be dosing something else? If so, what’s recommended? I have one open DOS pump, so ideally it would just be one additional item to dose.

Thanks so much for any help!

Ps- I‘ve always stuggled with math, so you may have to speak waaaaaay down to me

Also, feel free to direct me to a different area of the forums, if this doesn’t belong here. I jumped into here after a search found several responses associated with the same keywords I was trying. Unfortunately I didn’t see any posts from reefers with similar issues.
 

arking_mark

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I’m noticing my salinity trending downard over the past week: 35.0 a week ago to 33.5 today

Prior to last week, I was dosing 2-part via Neptune DOS. ATO = Tunze Osmolator 3155. This set up worked out great, but I could never get ph to 8.3. I read this might be because I run carbon to help alleviate any anemone chem warfare (so far, so good, but also haven’t tried not running carbon).

Last week, I switched from dosing two-part to dosing BRS Kalkwasser Via an Avast Kalkstirrer / Neptune DOS. Mix = 2 tsp per gallon RODI water. Found that 150 mL over 24 hours has me at:

Alk = 9.95-10.2
Ca = 430-440
Mg= 1200-1220

Salinity has been dropping slowly from 35.0 a week ago to 33.5 today and I’m hoping to get back to a steady 35.

24 gallon, mixed reef (LPS, SPS, Bubble tip anemones, fish, cuc).

I realize this has something to do with RODI coming from both the Kalk stirrer and the ATO container. Is there a trick to balancing this out?

Or should I be dosing something else? If so, what’s recommended? I have one open DOS pump, so ideally it would just be one additional item to dose.

Thanks so much for any help!

Ps- I‘ve always stuggled with math, so you may have to speak waaaaaay down to me

Also, feel free to direct me to a different area of the forums, if this doesn’t belong here. I jumped into here after a search found several responses associated with the same keywords I was trying. Unfortunately I didn’t see any posts from reefers with similar issues.

Issue is that Kalkwasser can't be dosed beyond evaporation limit or it will end up lowering your salinity. It's like dosing top-off water.
 
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r+o reefer

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Issue is that Kalkwasser can't be dosed beyond evaporation limit or it will end up lowering your salinity. It's like dosing top-off water.
Yeah, I figured this might be the issue. Any recommendations on a setup that might solve for this problem?
 

arking_mark

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Yeah, I figured this might be the issue. Any recommendations on a setup that might solve for this problem?

Easy, just drip Kalkwasser below your evaporation limit. Your ATO should do the rest.

My 400L system is almost completely automated. I dose 2.7ml/min of Kalkwasser, which is close to my evaporation limit.

I also do an incremental 1% AWC and have a timed window for ATO.

I monitor salinity and use it to determine what to add back to the system. If salinity is high, AWC replaces with RO/DI. If salinity is low, ATO tops off with ASW. If it's in tolerance, AWC and ATO function as normal.
 
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r+o reefer

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Ahhh… super helpful!

I’ll try to figure out a similar setup. Care to share your setup screens for reference?
 

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