Topping Up

[Kanga]

Topping Up your tank

Due to evaporation marine tank's require topping up with Reverse Osmosis(R/O)water. As evaporation takes place salinity in the aquarium rises as only moisture is lost and no minerals thus topping-up is done with pure water. This can be done manually on a daily basis, or via an Auto top up unit designed for the purpose.

Auto Top Up Units

Auto top up units are a very effective way to replace water that has evaporated from your system, generally a float switch sensor is attached in the return pump chamber of the sump and if the water level drops it activates the top up pump to fill R/O water into the system.
It is also possible to use a stockman valve to replenish evaporation however the R/O container will have to be higher than the valve.

Kalkwasser

Kalkwasser can be added to the top up/ R/O water to maintain the calcium level of the system.

 

[deepblue]

hey kanga, I have the exact same unit works like a dream! My RO top up chamber is about 20 L so no more running around...........

 

[SchyffS]

how much kalkwasser must be added per litre top up? or is it dependent on your tanks rate of calcium absorption.

 

[LikesFish]

It is irrelevant. You add a couple of tablespoons of kalkwasser, then stir it well. Let it stand for an hour or so in order for all the undissolved kalkwasser to fall to the bottom the container. You only ever want to dose the dissolved, clear water.

 

[Nippy]

Where could I get my hands on a unit like this and what does it cost.

Thanks

 

[butcherman]

using the system above how would one add the kalk ?

 

[Tobes]

Where could I get my hands on a unit like this and what does it cost.

Thanks

Check out the sponsors forums.

 

[Tobes]

using the system above how would one add the kalk ?

The top up pump must pump through a kalkstirrer filled with a bit of kalkwasser. It has a closed loop pump mixing the kalkwasser every few hours.

 

[Stackrat]

Not sure if you can source them in SA but here in sunny London, the Tunze osmolator top up unit is the bee's knees. Cost about £130, so that should be around R1400. Well worth it in my opinion

 

[burt]

i also have the same unit, paid r650 for mine, but im selling mine, in the for sale threads

 

[dizzyg]

I got the same unit for LFS in Durban, was round R600

forgot to mention that the pump is TINY, it will never draw water from ground level to a display tank, its only strong enough to get water to a sump on the same level as water tank.

I dont have a sump so I had to replace the pump with a 12V bilge pump (like used on boats)

 

[SaltyReef]

you can do the same by getting a float switch from RS components in midrand for 80 bucks and a small pump for 100 bucks. thats what i did.

it works like a dream.

 

[LuckyFish]

I would prefer this one:

 

[burt]

ofcourse you would

 

[trad]

I'm using about 3L top up per day in my nano, it seems like a lot is that about normal?

125L so 2.5% a day?

 

[NJH]

Yes it is normal. You will have more evaporation in winter as well. I go through about 40 litres a week.

 

[trad]

Glad I got an RO unit then....

Originally thought to go every two weeks for RO at lfs

 

[Trigger1]

Good to know if i go auto top up