Never having to add calcium

sixteengallon · 09/25/2007, 03:14 PM

I have a sixteen gallon with a few LPS and soft corals. Since I started the tank about three months ago, the lowest my calcium has ever been is 420. I have confirmed readings using both Seachem and API test kits. I use oceanic salt. I have never added calcium but do change about 20% of the water per week. However I am having to add alkilinity buffer (reef builder) every other day to keep it at 3.5+ m/deq. Is it normal not to have to add calcium for this period of time? I read about people dripping kalkwasser daily and wonder what's the difference between their tank and mine.....

bertoni · 09/25/2007, 03:17 PM

Oceanic salt is very high in calcium, so water changes might be enough to keep the calcium up. I wouldn't worry.

amike5 · 09/25/2007, 03:33 PM

Just wait, the bigger the LPS and SPS get and the more corraline you get, the more calcium you will use.

seapug · 09/25/2007, 05:30 PM

SPS corals and Halimeda algae are the primary calcium consumers in a reef tank. If you don't have many/any you may never need to supplement calcium if you do regular water changes.

DrBegalke · 09/25/2007, 05:41 PM

Use a 50/50 mix of oceanic and IO salt, you won't have to add alk or calcium.

snulma1 · 09/25/2007, 08:23 PM

I use oceanic on my 20H and im in the same boat as you. I'm using B-Ionic alk supplement, and then im stuck with a leftover bottle of Ca, I wish I knew something to do with it. I may sell it.

nlmotoring · 09/25/2007, 08:37 PM

I don't have any hard corals so I almost never have to add calcium to my tank either. Tons of ALK have to be added but very little calcium.

09/25/2007, 03:14 PM	#1
sixteengallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 45	Never having to add calcium I have a sixteen gallon with a few LPS and soft corals. Since I started the tank about three months ago, the lowest my calcium has ever been is 420. I have confirmed readings using both Seachem and API test kits. I use oceanic salt. I have never added calcium but do change about 20% of the water per week. However I am having to add alkilinity buffer (reef builder) every other day to keep it at 3.5+ m/deq. Is it normal not to have to add calcium for this period of time? I read about people dripping kalkwasser daily and wonder what's the difference between their tank and mine.....

09/25/2007, 03:17 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Oceanic salt is very high in calcium, so water changes might be enough to keep the calcium up. I wouldn't worry. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

09/25/2007, 05:30 PM	#4
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	SPS corals and Halimeda algae are the primary calcium consumers in a reef tank. If you don't have many/any you may never need to supplement calcium if you do regular water changes. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

09/25/2007, 05:41 PM	#5
DrBegalke Go Buckeyes! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Phoenix area, AZ Posts: 2,599	Use a 50/50 mix of oceanic and IO salt, you won't have to add alk or calcium. __________________ ~Jason Begalke Current Tank Info: Latest project: JBJ Cubey

09/25/2007, 08:37 PM	#7
nlmotoring Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Northridge, California Posts: 57	I don't have any hard corals so I almost never have to add calcium to my tank either. Tons of ALK have to be added but very little calcium. __________________ Tank: Glass 80g Tall w/ Black stand and Canopy, 2x175w & 36w of Actinic lighting Fish: Damsels, tang, urchant Corals: Zoo's, Mushrooms, Ricordia's, hammers, frogspawn Current Tank Info: Tank: Glass 80g Tall w/ Black stand and Canopy

09/25/2007, 03:33 PM	#3
amike5 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 724	Just wait, the bigger the LPS and SPS get and the more corraline you get, the more calcium you will use.

09/25/2007, 08:23 PM	#6
snulma1 Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: New York, NY Posts: 2,281	I use oceanic on my 20H and im in the same boat as you. I'm using B-Ionic alk supplement, and then im stuck with a leftover bottle of Ca, I wish I knew something to do with it. I may sell it.