calcium?

[badhand2222]

best calcium on the market?

[demonsp]

Kalkwauser. But not sure if i spelled it right. But only if your weekly RO/DI water changes dont keep wanted readings. Really depends on the salt you use and the stock and amount of stock you have.

[badhand2222]

instant ocean, soft corals, in a 55g with 60 lbs of live rock.

[demonsp]

Soft corals dont need the calcium so much. You are at the minimum amount of LR but thats fine. Your future frags will make that differance. You need to get a calcium test kit to determine if you need a suppliment. IMO i think 10% weekly water changes with RO/DI water or 20% bi-weekly changes would keep readings up to par.

[badhand2222]

i bought the calcium test kit and my calcium is at 345, i do weekly changes of water about 10%, my calcium is low so i need a supplement dont know which one to use.

[LobsterOfJustice]

Calcium Chloride from twopartsolution.com.

But that said, if you just have softies dont even worry about it. That level isnt life threatening to stonies either, you just wont get much growth.

[badhand2222]

thx, i want the calcium for my corals and i want more coralline growth in my tank.

[demonsp]

I think switch salt brands. I had same problem with instant ocean. I dont like putting down other brands just what i experianced. If you can get by without adding any other chemicals that you have to then your ahead of the game IMO.

[badhand2222]

true, i don't know if i can switch salts just yet i get a good deal on the instant ocean from a buddy of mine and it saves me a allot of money.

[tmz]

Originally posted by demonsp
I think switch salt brands. I had same problem with instant ocean. I dont like putting down other brands just what i experianced. If you can get by without adding any other chemicals that you have to then your ahead of the game IMO.

The chemicals are added by the salt manufacturer in those salts claiming high calcium and alkalinity
. I prefer basic salt like coral life or instant ocean and then adding my own calcium and bicarbonate. The problems with Oceanic noted in a number of threads should give pause.

A few other points:
Leathers do need calcium, Although they don't form hard skeletons like stony corals they do form sclerites(Not sure of speeling and its too late to look it up)which are bone like splinters that give them the ability to stand up.
If you wan't coraline growth your calcium could be a bit higher 425ppm or so would not be a bad target.
As for the best calcium,we could debate for weeks.There are3 mainstream choices1) Two part( calcium chloride and bi carbonate) such as bionic or the reciepee found in the Chemistry forum,(2)Kalkwasser(limewater/calcium hydroxide),or(3) crushed coral media in a calcium reactor, They all have advantages and disadvantages. You can use any one two or all three depending on your systems needs.
Whichever,you choose be sure you understand that corals and coraline must have available calcium in a form that they can use. This means you must not only provide calcium but also bicarbonate in proper propotion to the calcium.Kalkwasser and crushed coral media do have both in one part.
There are many threads on the subject of calcium dosing and a number of good articles in the Reef Chemistry forum(look under articles by Randy homes Farely).
Go slowly.It takes work to understand this aspect of reef chemistry but you'll be well served to understand it before putting chemicals in your tank.
Good Luck

[demonsp]

Originally posted by tmz
The chemicals are added by the salt manufacturer in those salts claiming high calcium and alkalinity
. I prefer basic salt like coral life or instant ocean and then adding my own calcium and bicarbonate. The problems with Oceanic noted in a number of threads should give pause.

A few other points:
Leathers do need calcium, Although they don't form hard skeletons like stony corals they do form sclerites(Not sure of speeling and its too late to look it up)which are bone like splinters that give them the ability to stand up.
If you wan't coraline growth your calcium could be a bit higher 425ppm or so would not be a bad target.
As for the best calcium,we could debate for weeks.There are3 mainstream choices1) Two part( calcium chloride and bi carbonate) such as bionic or the reciepee found in the Chemistry forum,(2)Kalkwasser(limewater/calcium hydroxide),or(3) crushed coral media in a calcium reactor, They all have advantages and disadvantages. You can use any one two or all three depending on your systems needs.
Whichever,you choose be sure you understand that corals and coraline must have available calcium in a form that they can use. This means you must not only provide calcium but also bicarbonate in proper propotion to the calcium.Kalkwasser and crushed coral media do have both in one part.
There are many threads on the subject of calcium dosing and a number of good articles in the Reef Chemistry forum(look under articles by Randy homes Farely).
Go slowly.It takes work to understand this aspect of reef chemistry but you'll be well served to understand it before putting chemicals in your tank.
Good Luck

Hmm , So your saying that calcium at acceptable readings from water changes alone is NOT enough to keep a happy healthy reef system ?

[badhand2222]

thx allot, i will look up the articles.

[tmz]

Hmm , So your saying that calcium at acceptable readings from water changes alone is NOT enough to keep a happy healthy reef system ?

If I wanted to say that I would have said it. Many systems can do well at 345ppn depending on bio load and consumption rates.

[demonsp]

You said coraline needs calcium in the form they can except. You make it sound like the water change is not enough.
Look i really want to know as this is the first time i have heard this. I think you took my question the wrong way.

[tmz]

Hi Lance,
The salt mixes contain both calcium and bicarbonate(useable form).
Coral life and Instant Ocean provide levels of calcium and bicarbonate close to natural seawater. Several other good salt mixes claim to add higher levels of calcium and bi carbonate . NSW levels are thought to be low for captive aquariums because we have so much life packed in so little water relative to a reef in the ocean and depletion can become a problem. Frequent water changes and supplements help this.
The only question for me is wether I wan't to supplement a little more or rely on the salt manufacturer's claim. I became concerned when I read and about the problems people were having with Oceanic and alleged imbalances in alkalinity and calcium. My choice is to use a salt with nsw levels and supplement calcium and carbonate. I would have to supplement anyway since I have a high demand system. Some systems can thrive at nsw levels if they have a lower bio laoad.
Until there are independent analyses on salt mixes I worry more about manufacturer errors and bad batches in those that go into relatively higher ranges of calcium and alkalinity than I do those that are lower(A larger margin for error).
To encourage coraline growth you want high calcium and alkalinity,particularly if you have a lot of corals which can outcompete the coraline for what's available so some supplementation may be necessary even with Calcium/alkalinity enhanced salt mixes.
I raised the issue of useable form because It's very important for folks starting to supplement "calcium" to realize that when they use calcium hydroxide a proportionate amount of bi carbonate is needed for the corals and coraline to use it and to avoid creating an imbalnce in the tank"s chemistry.
Sorry if I took your question the wrong way or was unclear.

[demonsp]

Thanks

[llama72]

what is the main source for calcium depletion? I one measured mine at 240 and was adding 2 capfulls of a and b each day.

[tmz]

Originally posted by llama72
what is the main source for calcium depletion? I one measured mine at 240 and was adding 2 capfulls of a and b each day.

Living things absorb it and use it up. Corals and other inverts, clams and many algae. When it's not available to them they can weaken.

[loosecannon]

Mrs. wages pickling lime 2.50$ , @wallmart. We should all have a gramma like Mrs. Wages.

[llama72]

what does the pickling lime do? How to I add it to my 75g rr tank?

[Mavrk]

You should check your alkalinity as well.

[tmz]

Lime is the same as kalkwasser(the german name is used more often). When lime mixes with water it becomes Calcium Hydroxide.Calcium Hydroxide is a balnced calcium and bicarbonate supplement

A good way to add limewater is to mix it with top off water at a rate of 2tsps per gallon. The water won't hold anymore than that and excess will precipitate out.
When adding limewater you can only dose a limited amount in a period of time or it can spike your ph and create problems. Limewater has a ph of about 12.5. For a 75 gallon reef , I would guess top off is about 3/4 galons per day. Maximum amount of limewater in any one hour period would be 1 quart of 2 tsps per gallon mix.

If you pour it in this means you will probably need to dose 3x per day to cover all of your top off.

Limewater is self purifying. Most all of any impurities in it (metals,etc) will precipitate out and fall like snow to the bottom of the mixing container forming a white sludge. This requires you to mix it and let it sit for an hour or two before using it. It will be good for several days. This sludge should not be put in your tank,only the clear limewater.

Since it raises ph, it is best dosed at night an hour or two after lights out. This is when the ph in your aquarium naturally falls because the photosynthetic organisms in it stop producing oxygen and start producing carbon dioxide. The lime water uses the carbon dioxide and can help stabilize ph.

As an alternative to pouring it in you can drip in all of your doses over a 4 to 5 hour(or longer) period at night.

I use a 5 gallon buckett with a piece of rigid airline tubing glued ito the side about 2inches from the bottom. Regular flexible airline tube is attached to the rigin tube and the hose runs to my sump. At the tip there is an airline valve which I use to set the drip rate. I dose approximately 4 gallons of top off at 2 tsps per gallon( for my 400gallons) each nite over a five hour period.Ther are other ways to do this including kalk reactors and dosing pumps.

[llama72]

This just popped in my head. If I do water changes with regular tap water can that be what is keeping my calcium low? I put a and b in it every morning?

[Kannin]

I use Seachem Reef Builder for my Alk supplement and Seachem Advantage Calcium w/ Strontium & Magnesium for my calcium additive.

[plyle02]

Originally posted by LobsterOfJustice
Calcium Chloride from twopartsolution.com.

But that said, if you just have softies dont even worry about it. That level isnt life threatening to stonies either, you just wont get much growth.

Yep, I agree with this one too..... I did use the 2 part, now a reactor.... Much happier now.....
Don't forget Magnesium, so overlooked, under tested, not buffered. IMO there are very few salts that are properly buffered to get you close to NSW for mag.