How to keep up with Calcium in a 90

Dholmblad · 01/24/2012, 09:48 PM

Well I finally got back into the hobby after finishing off college. Started up my 90 gallon tank. It has been up and running fr about six month, been adding slowly so I could acquire the proper equipment this time around. Well I finally started adding corals. I want to keep a mixture of things. At the lower level I will be covering the rocks with zoas and a few soft/lps, and up high I will be keeping sps. I added some sps frags I got at a reefclub meeting and they all are doing great in the tank. But I know once I start adding more it will be difficult to keep up with the calcium needed. I have never dosed calcium because I never kept a ton of coral.

I would like to keep it as simple and relatively inexpensive as possible(few hund). I have an apex unit that I can purchase a ph prob when the time comes to control any system. Do you think calcium additives will even be necessary?

thanks in advance

myaerica · 01/24/2012, 09:53 PM

I would start with kalkwasser.It has even amounts of alk and cal.

Dholmblad · 01/24/2012, 10:06 PM

Should this be done via drip method, or using pumps connected to ph monitor?

myaerica · 01/24/2012, 10:15 PM

Do you have ATO? If so you can mix it with your make up water. Or it can be dripped in.

Dholmblad · 01/24/2012, 10:21 PM

ATO is the next item I am getting, just need to pick it up from a local. So if the ato container has kalk in it, does this water need to be circulated or can it sit stagnant?

travisw30 · 01/24/2012, 10:58 PM

Two toms aqua lifters to dose two part. Easier to fine tune compared to kalk. And when the time comes you can drop a few Benjamin's on a doser.

NatureNerd · 01/25/2012, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dholmblad

....does this water need to be circulated or can it sit stagnant?

Kalk with an ATO works great for me. As far as how... I believe it is best to stir it up to get a good saturated solution then let it settle and pull the kalkwasser (clear saturated fluid) from an inch or so above the bottom of the container. Do not pull up the solids at the bottom and do not pull up the very top surface film. Do not stir until adding more kalk and more water to your reservoir.

There are lots of good how-to's in the Reef Chemistry section.

cordell · 01/25/2012, 07:37 AM

Yep, don't circulate the water except for a good stir right after your add the kalk to the top off water. Whatever pump you use to pump the water (I use toms aqualifter, good reliable, can run dry, slow pump, low power, dead silent, etc..), make sure the inlet for the pump is an inch or two off the bottom of your water storage container so you don't suck up the excess powder on the bottom of the tank. The water will only dissolve 2tsp/gal, so any extra just falls to the bottom until you add more fresh water. It's best to let the water sit for a few hours to let the kalk dissolve and settle. You don't want to pump that cloudy water into your tank.

There is a great article on all of this, but I can't seem to find it this morning.. maybe it's too early! There is tons of info on kalk use though... If it's ok, I do have a link to an article I read on another website, which I think has some great info for anyone starting out on kalk. What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime Lime is exactly the same as kalk, but much cheaper.

Hope that helps... I haven't done any of this yet myself, but I've been reading up on it for the last two weeks and that is what I have concluded after reading several articles and numerous forum threads.

01/24/2012, 09:48 PM	#1
Dholmblad Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Northern va Posts: 563	How to keep up with Calcium in a 90 Well I finally got back into the hobby after finishing off college. Started up my 90 gallon tank. It has been up and running fr about six month, been adding slowly so I could acquire the proper equipment this time around. Well I finally started adding corals. I want to keep a mixture of things. At the lower level I will be covering the rocks with zoas and a few soft/lps, and up high I will be keeping sps. I added some sps frags I got at a reefclub meeting and they all are doing great in the tank. But I know once I start adding more it will be difficult to keep up with the calcium needed. I have never dosed calcium because I never kept a ton of coral. I would like to keep it as simple and relatively inexpensive as possible(few hund). I have an apex unit that I can purchase a ph prob when the time comes to control any system. Do you think calcium additives will even be necessary? thanks in advance

01/24/2012, 09:53 PM	#2
myaerica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Eau Claire,WI Posts: 461	I would start with kalkwasser.It has even amounts of alk and cal.

01/24/2012, 10:06 PM	#3
Dholmblad Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Northern va Posts: 563	Should this be done via drip method, or using pumps connected to ph monitor?

01/24/2012, 10:15 PM	#4
myaerica Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Eau Claire,WI Posts: 461	Do you have ATO? If so you can mix it with your make up water. Or it can be dripped in.

01/24/2012, 10:21 PM	#5
Dholmblad Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Northern va Posts: 563	ATO is the next item I am getting, just need to pick it up from a local. So if the ato container has kalk in it, does this water need to be circulated or can it sit stagnant?

01/24/2012, 10:58 PM	#6
travisw30 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Atascadero Posts: 93	Two toms aqua lifters to dose two part. Easier to fine tune compared to kalk. And when the time comes you can drop a few Benjamin's on a doser.

01/25/2012, 07:37 AM	#8
cordell Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Monroe, LA Posts: 655	Yep, don't circulate the water except for a good stir right after your add the kalk to the top off water. Whatever pump you use to pump the water (I use toms aqualifter, good reliable, can run dry, slow pump, low power, dead silent, etc..), make sure the inlet for the pump is an inch or two off the bottom of your water storage container so you don't suck up the excess powder on the bottom of the tank. The water will only dissolve 2tsp/gal, so any extra just falls to the bottom until you add more fresh water. It's best to let the water sit for a few hours to let the kalk dissolve and settle. You don't want to pump that cloudy water into your tank. There is a great article on all of this, but I can't seem to find it this morning.. maybe it's too early! There is tons of info on kalk use though... If it's ok, I do have a link to an article I read on another website, which I think has some great info for anyone starting out on kalk. What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime Lime is exactly the same as kalk, but much cheaper. Hope that helps... I haven't done any of this yet myself, but I've been reading up on it for the last two weeks and that is what I have concluded after reading several articles and numerous forum threads.