Dosing and Top off for the holidays...

[Reefguide]

I've set up a 5g RO auto top off with float switch in time for my vacation. I will be gone for about 10 days and have nobody to look after my tank. Can I add certain amount of B-ionic to this 5 gal RO resevoir setup so it doses with the top off ??

Thanks...

 

[fishfarmer]

Sure, That's pretty much how I dose kalk over a five day period. My tank's being dosed automatically for six days, though I do have someone feeding daily and make sure the tank is still full of water 8O .

 

[ReefLion]

You can only dose one part of the B-ionic from a single resevoir. I would instead dose some other alkalinity supplement. You could dose the B-ionic alk part, but then you won't have equal parts of your two-part solution.

Tim

 

[bowfront]

I don't know how big your tank is but 5g isn't a whole heck of a lot of water for 10 days unless you are running a nano maybe. I've got a 72g and I evaporate about 2g/day. Just make sure that your FW tank holds enough water to compensate for the entire time you are away. I wouldn't try pre-mixing B-Ionic in a small container like that. Maybe mix up a healthy batch of limewater and rig a powerhead on a timer to stir things up once or twice a day. Success of a setup like that would depend on the float switch not dumping too much limewater for your size tank at one shot. BTW, 10 days is a long time to leave any tank unattended IMO. Sure you can't beg, bribe, pay someone to at least check on things once in a while.

 

[Reefguide]

My tank is a 29g and evaporation is about a little under half a gallon a day. I should have enough for about 10 days...

 

[esmithiii]

10 days is a long time to leave any tank unattended IMO. Sure you can't beg, bribe, pay someone to at least check on things once in a while.

Ditto! I won't leave my tank unattended for more than 24 hours.

Ernie

 

[Reefguide]

I wish I could !! Unfortunatly everybody I know or better yet, everybody I trust will be out of town for the holidays also !! :?

 

[bdelaney]

My tank is a 29g and evaporation is about a little under half a gallon a day. I should have enough for about 10 days...

I have a 29g with a 10 gallon sump. My top-off system contains 4 gallons and typically lasts 9-10 days. I've left my tank for 10 days without incident. You should be fine with this setup, but I don't think you can dose the two part solution. Have you considered mixing up some kalkwasser? It should keep your levels in check until you return. I replenish all evaporation with kalkwasser in my 29g.

 

[Reefguide]

Can the Kalk be added to the top-off water or does it need to drip on it's own ?

 

[esmithiii]

I add mine directly to the top off water.

Ernie

 

[ecoman001]

I would never leave my 300 especially for 10 days. Is there anyone you trust at a LFS or even pet store that deals with any fish? Just write a detailed list of what to do and not to do. Think of anything that could go wrong and prepare them (in writing) for it.

We have someone that watches my tank. One time she kept filling the sump up (as far as possible) with water and my salinity had dropped to .022 when I got home (might have even gotten lower at some point). Now we have a line on the sump and that is all the water she is to add.

Just a thought.

 

[esmithiii]

I have a detailed set of instructions which can be found here:

Ernie's Tank Care Doc for 55g tank (5MB)

Right-click and select "save target as..." to download this file.

Ernie