calcium

[jfbhd4]

I havent added any yet. (i know its bad)
What problems will a lack of calcium cause?
If I add, will more coraline algea grow, or is that not related.

What product do you recommend?
thanks

 

[Chelsey]

Do you have SPS? If not, at least to the best of my knowledge, the salt you use in your tank should have enough calcium for softies and most LPS. SPS suck the calcium out of the water like nobody's business because that's what their skeletons and basically the whole structure is made of. Softies are fleshy and don't have a "skeleton" per se, so they don't use it as much.

 

[Dert42]

i add purple up. as far as i can figure out, it's calcium. and man the coraline takes off!
i put in far less then the recommendated dosage though and things seem super.

 

[frenchie]

same here purple up, but i use dosage every other day. all softies here

 

[jfbhd4]

I see- purple- up. I have seen that around.
How much would you use on a 90 gal?

 

[frenchie]

capful per 50 gallons

 

[sirreal63]

Before you blindly add anything to the tank, get a salifert test kit and measure the calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Errant dosing can cause issues.

A simple rule to remember is you aren't testing for it don't add it.

 

[frenchie]

yes it is important to test calcium levels using purple up.