Question about calcium

[One fish]

Hey guys. I have a 15 gallon. I just bought a calium test kit. It came out to 400. I read it needs to be about 450. Since it is a nano and I get most my calcium through the salt I mix, do I just need to do another water change to bring it up? And calcium only affects my free trumpet coral and not my yellow star polyp right? Any help or tips would be appreciated. Happy holidays.

[FraggledRock]

you can get pickling lime:
http://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Wages-Pick.../dp/B0084LZU1Q

and dose til your calcium is right. Whats in the bag is Calcium Hydroxide.

changing the water to fix calcium will throw off other parameters if you are not checking those other ones.

calcium affects more than just one thing/organism. Calcium is used by coralline algae (the preferred kind of algae) in the calcification process. Also all corals minus some softies like leather corals have some form of skeleton that needs calcium to grow. low calcium = slow growth.

also what is your magnesium and alkalinity? (of course there is much more to know other than just these 2)

[Stackemdeep]

Calcium at 400 is fine. What salt mix do you use? It is important to use a calibrated refractometer to be sure you are mixing at 1.025 Once you have calibrated your refractometer, make a batch of new salt water at 1.025 and then test a sample of the new water. This should become your target level. Water changes will do most of your work in a nano until your corals take off and then you will need to start dosing. Ms Wages is a fine solution as mentioned above. I use it for my top off water but only to maintain, not move levels. It is wise to do some reading about this method before you begin.

[One fish]

Yeah I need to do waaaay more reading. I am so lost. I shouldn't have even bought the test kit. I just know my ammonia nitrite and nitrates. That's all I text for. Other than salinity and temp. I don't test ph either. Hmm hope my two corals thrive. I have had them for about 5 months and haven't seen any change.

[morleyz]

Originally Posted by Stackemdeep

Calcium at 400 is fine. What salt mix do you use? It is important to use a calibrated refractometer to be sure you are mixing at 1.025 Once you have calibrated your refractometer, make a batch of new salt water at 1.025 and then test a sample of the new water. This should become your target level. Water changes will do most of your work in a nano until your corals take off and then you will need to start dosing. Ms Wages is a fine solution as mentioned above. I use it for my top off water but only to maintain, not move levels. It is wise to do some reading about this method before you begin.

What's important about Ms Wages is that it contains calcium and raises alkalinity...so you need to know your alkalinity as well. You shouldn't dose something you're not testing for. If both Ca and Alk are low because water changes aren't keeping up, you can dose Ms Wages, but otherwise, as mentioned above, water changes should maintain your calcium.

[ViktorVaughn]

The most important thing is stable alkalinity. My corals have been through calcium swings with no ill effects while drastic alkalinity swings can be disastrous. If you only have 2 corals and they aren't large SPS colonies which I'm guessing they aren't, you should be able to maintain your calcium and alk levels through water changes. Test your alkalinity and calcium at the same time for a week or so straight so you can see your tanks consumption level, if any.

[Stackemdeep]

Originally Posted by One fish

Yeah I need to do waaaay more reading. I am so lost. I shouldn't have even bought the test kit. I just know my ammonia nitrite and nitrates. That's all I text for. Other than salinity and temp. I don't test ph either. Hmm hope my two corals thrive. I have had them for about 5 months and haven't seen any change.

That is why I have given you advice for a new guy just starting out. Before you do anything, read this post. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2153097

Once you understand it, then read the more complex "sticky" threads in the Water Chemistry Forum. If you have a question, feel free to pm or post up. I still claim the best pieces of equipment for my reef are my cheap digital kitchen scale I use to weigh my salt and my refractometer. If your salt changes are always perfect, those softies will thrive.