badhand2222
In Memoriam
best calcium on the market?
calcium?
- Thread starter badhand2222
- Start date
badhand2222
In Memoriam
instant ocean, soft corals, in a 55g with 60 lbs of live rock.
demonsp
In Memoriam
Soft corals dont need the calcium so much. You are at the minimum amount of LR but thats fine. Your future frags will make that differance. You need to get a calcium test kit to determine if you need a suppliment. IMO i think 10% weekly water changes with RO/DI water or 20% bi-weekly changes would keep readings up to par.
badhand2222
In Memoriam
i bought the calcium test kit and my calcium is at 345, i do weekly changes of water about 10%, my calcium is low so i need a supplement dont know which one to use.
LobsterOfJustice
Recovering Detritophobe
Calcium Chloride from twopartsolution.com.
But that said, if you just have softies dont even worry about it. That level isnt life threatening to stonies either, you just wont get much growth.
But that said, if you just have softies dont even worry about it. That level isnt life threatening to stonies either, you just wont get much growth.
badhand2222
In Memoriam
thx, i want the calcium for my corals and i want more coralline growth in my tank.
badhand2222
In Memoriam
true, i don't know if i can switch salts just yet i get a good deal on the instant ocean from a buddy of mine and it saves me a allot of money.
The chemicals are added by the salt manufacturer in those salts claiming high calcium and alkalinity
. I prefer basic salt like coral life or instant ocean and then adding my own calcium and bicarbonate. The problems with Oceanic noted in a number of threads should give pause.
A few other points:
Leathers do need calcium, Although they don't form hard skeletons like stony corals they do form sclerites(Not sure of speeling and its too late to look it up)which are bone like splinters that give them the ability to stand up.
If you wan't coraline growth your calcium could be a bit higher 425ppm or so would not be a bad target.
As for the best calcium,we could debate for weeks.There are3 mainstream choices
1) Two part( calcium chloride and bi carbonate) such as bionic or the reciepee found in the Chemistry forum,(2)Kalkwasser(limewater/calcium hydroxide),or(3) crushed coral media in a calcium reactor, They all have advantages and disadvantages. You can use any one two or all three depending on your systems needs.Whichever,you choose be sure you understand that corals and coraline must have available calcium in a form that they can use. This means you must not only provide calcium but also bicarbonate in proper propotion to the calcium.Kalkwasser and crushed coral media do have both in one part.
There are many threads on the subject of calcium dosing and a number of good articles in the Reef Chemistry forum(look under articles by Randy homes Farely).
Go slowly.It takes work to understand this aspect of reef chemistry but you'll be well served to understand it before putting chemicals in your tank.
Good Luck:rollface:
demonsp
In Memoriam
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11023246#post11023246 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tmz
The chemicals are added by the salt manufacturer in those salts claiming high calcium and alkalinity
. I prefer basic salt like coral life or instant ocean and then adding my own calcium and bicarbonate. The problems with Oceanic noted in a number of threads should give pause.
A few other points:
Leathers do need calcium, Although they don't form hard skeletons like stony corals they do form sclerites(Not sure of speeling and its too late to look it up)which are bone like splinters that give them the ability to stand up.
If you wan't coraline growth your calcium could be a bit higher 425ppm or so would not be a bad target.
As for the best calcium,we could debate for weeks.There are3 mainstream choices
Whichever,you choose be sure you understand that corals and coraline must have available calcium in a form that they can use. This means you must not only provide calcium but also bicarbonate in proper propotion to the calcium.Kalkwasser and crushed coral media do have both in one part.
There are many threads on the subject of calcium dosing and a number of good articles in the Reef Chemistry forum(look under articles by Randy homes Farely).
Go slowly.It takes work to understand this aspect of reef chemistry but you'll be well served to understand it before putting chemicals in your tank.
Good Luck:rollface:
Hmm , So your saying that calcium at acceptable readings from water changes alone is NOT enough to keep a happy healthy reef system ?
badhand2222
In Memoriam
thx allot, i will look up the articles.
Hmm , So your saying that calcium at acceptable readings from water changes alone is NOT enough to keep a happy healthy reef system ?
If I wanted to say that I would have said it. Many systems can do well at 345ppn depending on bio load and consumption rates.
If I wanted to say that I would have said it. Many systems can do well at 345ppn depending on bio load and consumption rates.
Hi Lance,
The salt mixes contain both calcium and bicarbonate(useable form).
Coral life and Instant Ocean provide levels of calcium and bicarbonate close to natural seawater. Several other good salt mixes claim to add higher levels of calcium and bi carbonate . NSW levels are thought to be low for captive aquariums because we have so much life packed in so little water relative to a reef in the ocean and depletion can become a problem. Frequent water changes and supplements help this.
The only question for me is wether I wan't to supplement a little more or rely on the salt manufacturer's claim. I became concerned when I read and about the problems people were having with Oceanic and alleged imbalances in alkalinity and calcium. My choice is to use a salt with nsw levels and supplement calcium and carbonate. I would have to supplement anyway since I have a high demand system. Some systems can thrive at nsw levels if they have a lower bio laoad.
Until there are independent analyses on salt mixes I worry more about manufacturer errors and bad batches in those that go into relatively higher ranges of calcium and alkalinity than I do those that are lower(A larger margin for error).
To encourage coraline growth you want high calcium and alkalinity,particularly if you have a lot of corals which can outcompete the coraline for what's available so some supplementation may be necessary even with Calcium/alkalinity enhanced salt mixes.
I raised the issue of useable form because It's very important for folks starting to supplement "calcium" to realize that when they use calcium hydroxide a proportionate amount of bi carbonate is needed for the corals and coraline to use it and to avoid creating an imbalnce in the tank"s chemistry.
Sorry if I took your question the wrong way or was unclear.
The salt mixes contain both calcium and bicarbonate(useable form).
Coral life and Instant Ocean provide levels of calcium and bicarbonate close to natural seawater. Several other good salt mixes claim to add higher levels of calcium and bi carbonate . NSW levels are thought to be low for captive aquariums because we have so much life packed in so little water relative to a reef in the ocean and depletion can become a problem. Frequent water changes and supplements help this.
The only question for me is wether I wan't to supplement a little more or rely on the salt manufacturer's claim. I became concerned when I read and about the problems people were having with Oceanic and alleged imbalances in alkalinity and calcium. My choice is to use a salt with nsw levels and supplement calcium and carbonate. I would have to supplement anyway since I have a high demand system. Some systems can thrive at nsw levels if they have a lower bio laoad.
Until there are independent analyses on salt mixes I worry more about manufacturer errors and bad batches in those that go into relatively higher ranges of calcium and alkalinity than I do those that are lower(A larger margin for error).
To encourage coraline growth you want high calcium and alkalinity,particularly if you have a lot of corals which can outcompete the coraline for what's available so some supplementation may be necessary even with Calcium/alkalinity enhanced salt mixes.
I raised the issue of useable form because It's very important for folks starting to supplement "calcium" to realize that when they use calcium hydroxide a proportionate amount of bi carbonate is needed for the corals and coraline to use it and to avoid creating an imbalnce in the tank"s chemistry.
Sorry if I took your question the wrong way or was unclear.
Living things absorb it and use it up. Corals and other inverts, clams and many algae. When it's not available to them they can weaken. :rollface:loosecannon
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Mrs. wages pickling lime 2.50$ , @wallmart. We should all have a gramma like Mrs. Wages.
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