CALCIUM?

[ANGUS]

I started the reef hobby 7 months ago with a 75 gallon, and then a 100 gallon four months ago. I've been fortunate to have steady test results of PH 8.1-8.2, Salinity 1025, average Calcium 400, dKH 10, Nitrate & Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0. I've relied on the INSTANT OCEAN SEA SALT claim, that they have all the necessary elements for the reef tank. But I wonder if I am missing something. Many articles suggest using a calcium supplement. Would you members please share your experience regarding calcium.

[DChemist]

Need a few questions answered first... How often to you change your water? How much water do you change? Do you have many hard corals that are consuming the calcium in the water? How much is you calcium dropping between water changes?

 

By the way... Welcome to the club and forum!

[ANGUS]

Thanks for the response, Darren. I do a 15-20% water change every two weeks. The calcium varies between 360-400. In the 100 there are two crocea clams, mushrooms, plates, lobo brain, bubble coral, acropora cluster, & polyps.

 

The 75 has a plate montipora, fox coral, moon brain coral, hammer, anemone, & xenia.

 

I do not have any fish, only urchins, shrimp & crabs.

[180Brandy]

One Question is what are you feeding your tank? Also are you using Ro/di water when doing water changes?

 

And Welcome to the club!

[reef165]

am i missing something? what was the question? at 400 ppm, that little demand and that much water changes i dont see an issue.

[ANGUS]

Brandy, each tank gets one cube of Reef Plankton once a week. Yes, I do use aged ro/di water.

 

Reef, I guess my main concern is calcium shifts, and am I alone in not using a calcium supplement.

[Michael7979]

Sounds as thou the WC's are keeping up with the calcium needs. As the tank becomes more full of corals and the calcium needs are raised you will then most likely need to use some sort of supplement. I would first look into dripping kalk when you are adding your top-off water.

[DChemist]

I use a two-part calcium and alkalinity supplement. My tank requires about 30 mls of each, each time I top-off (every day or every other day). I try and keep my calcium above 400, I think I see a noticible difference in growth when I keep it up.

 

I learned how much my tank required by testing for calcium and alkalinity real regularly, and adding the supplement when below my minimum (400 for calcium). Most commercial two-part supplements work well if you add them in equal parts. Only rarely have I ever needed to add more of one component than the other.

 

I change my water only once a month, so that if I didn't supplement between water changes I think my calcium and alkalinity would drop too low.

 

Your frequent water changes is a benefit to you. Though if I were you, I would consider adding a two part additive to keep your calcium up above 400. If after doing it some time you see some benefit but don't like the hassle, you might consider dripping in Kalkwasser, using a kalk reactor, or a calcium reactor. I do the two-part additive because I'm adding top-off water manually anyway, so it's not too much of a hassle.

 

I hope this helps. Keep asking for advice, keep listening to and evaluating the advice, and do alot of reading. And most importantly, have fun with it.

[ANGUS]

Thanks for the expert advice. Looks like I'm going to learn a lot from this forum. It has been fun so far, but in the long run I'll need all the support I can get.

[dsoz]

I cannot add anything to the discussion because I am also wondering this. I did want to welcome you to the club

[Twitterbait]

until you have a good population of LPS, SPS, or more clams i would not worry about it.

[Nyles]

am i missing something? what was the question? at 400 ppm' date=' that little demand and that much water changes i dont see an issue.[/quote']

 

I agree, keep doing what your doing, if you are having trouble keeping cal at a level you are comfortable with try kalk or kent liquid calcium in the future, but for now, all looks good.