hi guys.. bout to set up my kalk using auto top off.. i understand that you need to let it settle and clear up and only let the clear water back in the tank... my question is.. where does it settle?!?! the part that is not clear.. top of water colum or bottom!?!? so i know where to place the pump. i will be using a 5 gallon bucket.

The percipitate will settle on the bottom. The easiest way to do it is to mix the kalk in a 5 gallon bucket, or whatever, let it settle, then pour the clear liquid into whatever you're using for your top off container.

Me, I'm lazy. I dump my kalk powder straight into my ATO container, pour in straight RO/DI water and stir it up. I just clean the precipitate out every month or so. I don't see any real problem with some precipitate getting in the tank. People use kalk slurry after all.

I don't use kalk in an ATO so maybe this is not valid in that application but as recommended here What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php#7) I always dissolve the powder in some vinegar first.

Wow, Carmie, that's a great article. I don't know how I've missed it for this long...

I never miss a Randy Holmes-Farley article!

thanks guys