reeffreak07
New member
looking for an easy way to add calcium.using kent marine tech-cb but was thinking there must be a better way to go about it.
adding calcium
- Thread starter reeffreak07
- Start date
Fishcrazy06
New member
Yup there is a 2 part solution that is DIY. Or other people use Kalk in their top off for calcium. Theres a couple of ways to do it. Here is the article for the DIY 2 part!
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
Eric
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
Eric
johnanddawn
New member
i dosed a version of 2 part but just started with the bulkreefsupply.com stuff
the Ca part is really cheap from them the ALK part comparable to good old baking soda
no results yet am mixing my first batch as soon as my last gallons are gone
one comment though - i find that it is easier to test ALK then Ca so what i do is dial in my exact ALK quanity per day and add the same amount of Ca. i test Alk regularly but don't test the Ca but every once in a while, never did like the "end point" on Ca tests - too liberal on the color change
the Ca part is really cheap from them the ALK part comparable to good old baking soda
no results yet am mixing my first batch as soon as my last gallons are gone
one comment though - i find that it is easier to test ALK then Ca so what i do is dial in my exact ALK quanity per day and add the same amount of Ca. i test Alk regularly but don't test the Ca but every once in a while, never did like the "end point" on Ca tests - too liberal on the color change
reeffreak07
New member
looks great but is it hard to get the ingredients locally
MrSquid
New member
another 2-parter from bulkreefsupply.com here. Had troubles getting my Ca numbers decent, but once I started dosing, no troubles. Still trying to keep my alkalinity above 3.5 meq/l, but since it simply doesn't want to go higher, I'm not gonna try to force it. The 2-part finally got my magnesium to where it needed to be too.
I'd highly recommend it!
I'd highly recommend it!
johnanddawn
New member
bulkreefsupply.com
reeffreak07
New member
what do u use to dose do u use a drip
johnanddawn
New member
i drip kalk with a simple IV doser - 2.5 gal per day
i add 1/2 cup of Ca every night and 1/2 cup of ALK every morning -every tank will be dif though - you may need more or less
ALK ~ 9.1 - 10.5
Ca ~ 405 - 435
depending mostly on the # of SPS and clams - these are your real consumers of CaCO3
softies and even LPS don't need much if any in terms of dosing
i add 1/2 cup of Ca every night and 1/2 cup of ALK every morning -every tank will be dif though - you may need more or less
ALK ~ 9.1 - 10.5
Ca ~ 405 - 435
depending mostly on the # of SPS and clams - these are your real consumers of CaCO3
softies and even LPS don't need much if any in terms of dosing
reeffreak07
New member
bulkreefsupply has a premix
reeffreak07
New member
so i still have to add kalk how big is your tank
johnanddawn
New member
i don't know where you are at in experience level, the type of corals you have, or your tank specs so it is hard to say anything but i hope this helps:
i have a 125 full of SPS and yes i need to dose kalk but as i said your tank may be dif.
for 15 years when i had a mixed garden reef mostly softies, zoas, shrooms, and a few LPS, i DIDN"T dose anything - simple monthly water changes were enough.
today though my tank will drop .7 to 1.4 DKH in a day if i didn't dose. you need to test to see what your tanks consumption is and then adjust the dosing requirements to match it. there is no way to simplify this answer - every tank will be diferent
test your ALK today and then tomorrow and then the next day and see what happens. use a reef calculator like this one as a guide:
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
it may take a while to get your dosing scheme worked out but do it slowly at first till you hit the sweet spot where your daily consumption equals your addition. then realize as corals grow/tank changes you still need to monitor and adjust
for example i recently allowed my ALK to fall because i didn't increase my dose to match my demand as my tank grew
i have a 125 full of SPS and yes i need to dose kalk but as i said your tank may be dif.
for 15 years when i had a mixed garden reef mostly softies, zoas, shrooms, and a few LPS, i DIDN"T dose anything - simple monthly water changes were enough.
today though my tank will drop .7 to 1.4 DKH in a day if i didn't dose. you need to test to see what your tanks consumption is and then adjust the dosing requirements to match it. there is no way to simplify this answer - every tank will be diferent
test your ALK today and then tomorrow and then the next day and see what happens. use a reef calculator like this one as a guide:
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
it may take a while to get your dosing scheme worked out but do it slowly at first till you hit the sweet spot where your daily consumption equals your addition. then realize as corals grow/tank changes you still need to monitor and adjust
for example i recently allowed my ALK to fall because i didn't increase my dose to match my demand as my tank grew
reeffreak07
New member
level with corals is only a month. system been running just over a yr(ninty gal. with about a hundred pounds of rock) one rock has several shooms a softball size colony of starbursts a small colony of yellow polyps and a small pom-pom zenia. several inverts and five small fish. im dosing 10ml each of the cb a and b a day and my ca at 275-300 alk at 2.8
johnanddawn
New member
those levels seem low but acceptable for those few corals
1) test kits - what brand are you using
2) salt - what brand are you using
your CaCO3 demand is extreamly low/almost nonexistent with your bioload - with a good salt mix you should not have to dose anything yet = just do water changes - - my rec for your system would be 10% twice a month for now with a good salt like reefcrystals and then 10% monthly once stable
coraline algae will consume some though so your 10ml per day should be fine as long as your testing with good kits, your coraline growth is good and your results are reasonable
not to hijack your thread with my pics but this may help:
small tank, a ton of zoas, monthly water changes about 20% NO DOSING of any kind
34 gal tank softies only minimal water changes and NO DOSING of any type
125 SPS tank weekly 5% water changes dose 1/2 cup 2 part per day and all top off water kalkwasser
1) test kits - what brand are you using
2) salt - what brand are you using
your CaCO3 demand is extreamly low/almost nonexistent with your bioload - with a good salt mix you should not have to dose anything yet = just do water changes - - my rec for your system would be 10% twice a month for now with a good salt like reefcrystals and then 10% monthly once stable
coraline algae will consume some though so your 10ml per day should be fine as long as your testing with good kits, your coraline growth is good and your results are reasonable
not to hijack your thread with my pics but this may help:
small tank, a ton of zoas, monthly water changes about 20% NO DOSING of any kind
34 gal tank softies only minimal water changes and NO DOSING of any type
125 SPS tank weekly 5% water changes dose 1/2 cup 2 part per day and all top off water kalkwasser
reeffreak07
New member
using instant sea and red sea tests
johnanddawn
New member
i would switch to reef crystals salt and instant ocean test kits - some say salifert is better but they had issues with their ALK test kit so i have been using the instant ocean ones they seem to be amongst the best on the market today
but i think a good salt like RC will solve all your Ca issues for now
but i think a good salt like RC will solve all your Ca issues for now
reeffreak07
New member
ok thanx
lostdragon
New member
i've tried it and don't like it. still have almost a full bottle.
