dusters good or bad?

[gusmanda]

If dusters are duplicating quite a bit over the tank, could this be used as a sign that the water quality is good? I'm not familiar as to how picky dusters are as far as quality is concerned, so I'm not sure if I can use them as a "go ahead" to move into LPS like candy cane coral. Pickling lime is on it's way, so calcium will be ok soon.

 

[six.line]

I would say that provided your water parameters are stable, i.e. ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 0, ph ~8.2, and provided your lights are decent enough, you're fine to put in candy cane coral.

Feather dusters are hardy worms, and I wouldn't necessarily reccommend using them as a gauge as to how well your tank is doing.

 

[theop]

Re: dusters good or bad?

Pickling lime is on it's way, so calcium will be ok soon. [/B]

Dripping limewater is often not the best way to raise calcium if it is low, but it will help maintain levels. Check your alkalinity too and take a look here to see how to get to the desired levels. Basically if your calcium is low and alkalinity is normal, then kalkwasser wont solve the problem.

 

[gusmanda]

I'm getting a calcium test kit as well. So should I get some other form of calcium to raise the levels, and then use the pickling lime to mantain it high?

 

[sidjam]

you could get kents turbo calcium to raise it. or you can use dowflake from randy's diy receipe in the chemistry forum.

 

[ledford1]

Those little dusters will help filter out the water, so think of them as a filtration boost. They're a good thing, but may be unsightly to some especially as the populations start to encroach on corals.

 

[grupper]

I have a 55 with a candycane and torch frag. When I initially checked my calcium it was at 500. Over time, this has gradually dropped, but its still not to the point where I would worry about adding calcuim. I think I could probably maintain my calcium levels with just water changes.

Point is, if gusmanda is just starting with a single LPS frag in a 55 his calcium requirements will be rather small. Its definately time for him to pick up the calcium test kit, and pickling lime, but to automatically assume that his tank is low on calcium with normal alkalinity is a little extream.


That reminds me, I should probably test my calcuim again sometime soon.

 

[theop]

Re: dusters good or bad?

Pickling lime is on it's way, so calcium will be ok soon.

It was based on this comment that I thought his calcium level was low. I agree that water changes might be enough (especially if using Oceanic salt) and that he may not need to add anything to keep a normal calcium level.

 

[gusmanda]

thanks for the feedback, I really don't know what I'd do without RC. I'll wait for the test kit and hope levels are good enough to only have to use pickling lime to mantain levels. Thanks!!!