calcium

chrissycomeau · 08/09/2007, 09:51 AM

i have a 40g 8 months running, and i cant get the calcium level up over 320 ppm. I've recently added a pagoda cup, teary star, branching hammer and ricordia. i've been adding liquid calcium and everyday i get the same reading. So i doubled the dose of calcium to 10ml and still the next day calcium is same. should i use kalkwasser? I've heard horror stories of overdosing and the risk of Ph shock. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

rigleautomotive · 08/09/2007, 09:57 AM

there is a balance that needs to kept in check between alkalinity,calcium and magnesium.testing with a quality kit for alk,mg and calcium should be done and these levels should be kept in check.to help you we would need to know what these parameters are along with sg,but i suspect you have low magnesium or high alk.either of these senerios would cause the calcium to become very unstable and difficult to raise to an acceptable level.

rigleautomotive · 08/09/2007, 09:59 AM

also i would only use a balanced supplement for cal and alk such as bionic A and B or C balance,or randys formula.these types of suplements will help to keep ionic balance correct.

Percula9 · 08/09/2007, 04:55 PM

Try reef advantage calcium by seachem

bertoni · 08/09/2007, 06:14 PM

I agree that a balanced supplement is safer. I've used B-Ionic, and the products already mentioned are fine. I'd dose alkalinity and calcium to reasonable levels with a calcium chloride product (like Kent Turbo-Calcium or Dow Flake) and some baking soda, and work from there.

backyardspecial · 08/09/2007, 06:34 PM

If your reefing on a budget take a look at this. I used to use this before I moved on to a cal reactor. Super cheap and effective.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

chrissycomeau · 08/09/2007, 06:40 PM

alkalinity tested 4.5 mEq/L. or 225 ppm.Is this ok? Tested calcium today and was 340ppm

backyardspecial · 08/09/2007, 06:52 PM

Uhhh...how long has your tank been running? That's kinda high.

bertoni · 08/09/2007, 07:40 PM

The alkalinity is a little high. I'd stop adding any buffer products and let it drop to 2.5 - 4.0 meq/L. The calcium level isn't that bad. I'd dose it up to 375-400 ppm or so, and then start a balanced additive

chrissycomeau · 08/09/2007, 08:32 PM

i haven't been adding anything for the alkalinity. Just trying to get calcium up. My corals seem to be thriving though. Will alkalinity drop on its own without adding?

bertoni · 08/09/2007, 08:59 PM

Has a pH buffer been dosed? Those are just high-pH alkalinity supplement, in general, and often cause this problem. In any case, if nothing's been dosed, the alkalinity should drop on its own, but I don't know how it got that high in the first place.

chrissycomeau · 08/09/2007, 09:26 PM

Good ? bertoni. I don't know how it got that high either. No i haven't done anything for alkalinity in the past. What would cause it to reach high levels? I was informed under 5mEq/L is acceptable. Is this accurate? What future problems could arrise if alkalinity doesn't go down? What are the visible signs to watch out for in my tank? Cause so far everything seems ok.

bertoni · 08/09/2007, 09:30 PM

5 meq/L is probably not going to be a problem, so I wouldn't worry that much. Some people report problems with Acropora with an alkalinity level near 4 meq/L, but that's not always the case.

08/09/2007, 09:51 AM	#1
chrissycomeau Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ontario Posts: 29	calcium i have a 40g 8 months running, and i cant get the calcium level up over 320 ppm. I've recently added a pagoda cup, teary star, branching hammer and ricordia. i've been adding liquid calcium and everyday i get the same reading. So i doubled the dose of calcium to 10ml and still the next day calcium is same. should i use kalkwasser? I've heard horror stories of overdosing and the risk of Ph shock. Any suggestions would be appreciated. __________________ Life is too short to worry about the little things. "Don't sweat the small stuff". Treat each day as if it were your last. I love to live and live to love..... Current Tank Info: 40g reef

08/09/2007, 09:57 AM	#2
rigleautomotive Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northeast Pennsylvania Posts: 3,705	there is a balance that needs to kept in check between alkalinity,calcium and magnesium.testing with a quality kit for alk,mg and calcium should be done and these levels should be kept in check.to help you we would need to know what these parameters are along with sg,but i suspect you have low magnesium or high alk.either of these senerios would cause the calcium to become very unstable and difficult to raise to an acceptable level. __________________ Dan Rigle President, * Reef Conservation Society TOTM December 2010 Coral Magazine Sept/Oct 2012 Current Tank Info: 180 gal SPS dominated display, 3 X 250 watt Radiums , lumenarc III minis , with VHO actinics, ETS downdraft skimmers, closed loops and 2 Tunze 6105 & 7095 controller,DIY calcium reactors DIY custom built sumps,since 1992

08/09/2007, 09:59 AM	#3
rigleautomotive Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northeast Pennsylvania Posts: 3,705	also i would only use a balanced supplement for cal and alk such as bionic A and B or C balance,or randys formula.these types of suplements will help to keep ionic balance correct. __________________ Dan Rigle President, * Reef Conservation Society TOTM December 2010 Coral Magazine Sept/Oct 2012 Current Tank Info: 180 gal SPS dominated display, 3 X 250 watt Radiums , lumenarc III minis , with VHO actinics, ETS downdraft skimmers, closed loops and 2 Tunze 6105 & 7095 controller,DIY calcium reactors DIY custom built sumps,since 1992

08/09/2007, 06:14 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I agree that a balanced supplement is safer. I've used B-Ionic, and the products already mentioned are fine. I'd dose alkalinity and calcium to reasonable levels with a calcium chloride product (like Kent Turbo-Calcium or Dow Flake) and some baking soda, and work from there. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/09/2007, 06:40 PM	#7
chrissycomeau Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ontario Posts: 29	alkalinity tested 4.5 mEq/L. or 225 ppm.Is this ok? Tested calcium today and was 340ppm __________________ Life is too short to worry about the little things. "Don't sweat the small stuff". Treat each day as if it were your last. I love to live and live to love..... Current Tank Info: 40g reef

08/09/2007, 04:55 PM	#4
Percula9 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Orange County CA Posts: 3,819	Try reef advantage calcium by seachem

08/09/2007, 06:34 PM	#6
backyardspecial Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Socal Posts: 220	If your reefing on a budget take a look at this. I used to use this before I moved on to a cal reactor. Super cheap and effective. http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

08/09/2007, 06:52 PM	#8
backyardspecial Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Socal Posts: 220	Uhhh...how long has your tank been running? That's kinda high.

08/09/2007, 07:40 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	The alkalinity is a little high. I'd stop adding any buffer products and let it drop to 2.5 - 4.0 meq/L. The calcium level isn't that bad. I'd dose it up to 375-400 ppm or so, and then start a balanced additive __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/09/2007, 08:32 PM	#10
chrissycomeau Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ontario Posts: 29	i haven't been adding anything for the alkalinity. Just trying to get calcium up. My corals seem to be thriving though. Will alkalinity drop on its own without adding? __________________ Life is too short to worry about the little things. "Don't sweat the small stuff". Treat each day as if it were your last. I love to live and live to love..... Current Tank Info: 40g reef

08/09/2007, 08:59 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Has a pH buffer been dosed? Those are just high-pH alkalinity supplement, in general, and often cause this problem. In any case, if nothing's been dosed, the alkalinity should drop on its own, but I don't know how it got that high in the first place. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/09/2007, 09:26 PM	#12
chrissycomeau Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ontario Posts: 29	Good ? bertoni. I don't know how it got that high either. No i haven't done anything for alkalinity in the past. What would cause it to reach high levels? I was informed under 5mEq/L is acceptable. Is this accurate? What future problems could arrise if alkalinity doesn't go down? What are the visible signs to watch out for in my tank? Cause so far everything seems ok. __________________ Life is too short to worry about the little things. "Don't sweat the small stuff". Treat each day as if it were your last. I love to live and live to love..... Current Tank Info: 40g reef

08/09/2007, 09:30 PM	#13
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	5 meq/L is probably not going to be a problem, so I wouldn't worry that much. Some people report problems with Acropora with an alkalinity level near 4 meq/L, but that's not always the case. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni