calcuim

[puffer21]

how do you get calcuim to a good level. right now my calcium is at 300 how do i get it up.
thanks for any help puffer21

 

[narow37]

calcium reactor which would be overkill for your current tanks, two part additives which would probably be your best solution, and/or regular water changes

 

[Paintbug]

any idea what your alk and magnesium levels are?

 

[Lucky Dragon]

Kent Turbo Calcium works for me. As Paintbug stated, check your Alk and magnesium levels. All 3 have to be balanced for proper chemistry. You can get combo buffers for Ca and Alk, but I wouldn't recommend them personally. I prefer to have control of each independantly. Bring them up slowly so as not to shock your system.

 

[puffer21]

ok and no i dont know what my alk and mag is.

 

[starmanres]

I'm with Paint.

I wouldn't buffer Calcium until I knew what my ALK level is. If ALK is low and you increase your Calcium, it could drop your ALK to critical levels. If your Magnesium is in the 1200+ range, your ALK should be ok and then you can buffer your Calcium without worry.

Just my .02

HTH

Robert

 

[puffer21]

ok thanks i will go and get a test kit for those two levels

 

[Sk8r]

Yes, Puffer: if you get alk and mag, get your alk to about 2.79, get your cal to about 400, and your mag to 3x the cal. Use the appropriate supplements: you already know you're low in cal, so you can buy that supplement (Kent is good) and add that. Wait 24 hours to test. And keep a journal of water chemistry, listing how it tested and what you added and when you did a water change. This will show you a lot. Once you get it in balance, which may take a number of days---you can learn which marine critters warn you of trouble. A fish that's particularly shy when alk is low. Mushrooms that contract when cal is down. ---And no matter how tempted, do not add more additive than is recommended on the container. You cannot rush it: wait 24 hours before testing, and test before adding more. Chemistry is a futzy thing, and though you may think you don't need to test before adding---sometimes a change will cause another chemical to come 'out of solution' and your tank will magically seem to manufacture something you thought you were short of. Test, test, test.

 

[cristhiam]

here is the calculator to help you dose.
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html
and when you get you chemistry right I recomend using limewater to keep your levels
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

 

[puffer21]

thanks for all the replyes. when i get test kit i will post what the ca, alk, and mag is. again thanks this was very helpful.