Calcium / Alk supplements question

L

latuttle

Member
I have been monitoring my calcium and alkalinity in my 24 gallon tank. I've read an article in our knowledge base about this - the one with that wonderful chart with the two lines that shows the target zone for calcium and alkalinity. I have been to the left of the target zone and trying to get into the zone.

The article said one way I could add more calcium to try to get in the zone by adding the calcium only part of a two-part supplement. I've been doing that for the last 3 days, using the maximum daily single dose on the bottle (I'm using the Aqua-C brand two-part supplement).

Anyway, I'm not really getting anywhere.

Day 1: Calcium 325 ppm Alkalinity 5.0
Day 2: 340 4.0
3: 340 4.0

I could keep adding 25 ml of the calcium stuff every day until I get to the target zone, but calcium's not all I'm adding when I do that. The calcium part has the trace minerals in it as well.

Should I use something else to raise calcium? Am I doing something wrong? Suggestions?

It's a 24 gallon tank with argonite live sand bed, 30 lbs live rock, 4 snails, a shrimp and some small mostly soft/leather frags.

Thanks,

Laura
 
B

billyr98

Well-Known Member
you could always just get Liquid Calcium or Turbo Calcium from Kent.. They make that chemical.. I never had a calcium level as low are yours... What salt are you using?
 
Woodstock

Woodstock

The Wand Geek was here. ;)
RS STAFF
A low calcium level that will not respond to ca supplements is probably due to very low magnesium. Test your magnesium levels and adjust as needed to 1250-1350 ppm.

Water Parameters
 
L

latuttle

Member
Ahh magnesium you say?

I was using Instant Ocean, but after reading the bad reviews here I switched to Oceanic. However, I haven't done a substantial water change since I switched - it's mostly an IO brew at this point.

Thanks for the recommendation - I will do the magnesium testing and see how that looks.

Laura
 
R

reefrelief

RS Sponsor
In addition to using a reef blend of salt, I would use both Kalkwasser and "purple up". I have seen people s aquarium level go to where desired from this practice.
 
KMP

KMP

Active Member
...and if you do use purple up do not use any other ca supplement. if you do you'll be double dosing. not good.
 
B

billyr98

Well-Known Member
Be careful with your phosphates when using Purple up... It can drive them up.. it did to me, and i stopped the use and went with all kalk for topoff...
 
T

tatuvaaj

Member
Like Billy98 suggested your best option is to dose CaCl2 based calcium additive until you get your Ca up and alkalinity down.

You can't really avoid dosing trace elements, everything you add into the aquarium has more or less trace elements ;)
 
L

latuttle

Member
Okay I got my Mg test kit, and it is low - like 1120 ppm. I'm using Kent's Mg supplement to raise it up before I worry too much about my Ca/Alkalinity being out of "the zone".

Thanks everyone!
 
L

latuttle

Member
Okay got my quantities from the calculator.

Would I not be in this position if I had used a better salt? I started out with Instant Ocean (didn't know any better), then switched to Oceanic. Should I be using Reef Crystals? Would doing so minimize the amount of supplementation I need to be doing?

Thanks
 
Woodstock

Woodstock

The Wand Geek was here. ;)
RS STAFF
All salt mixes are different. I have used IO, Oceanic, Seachem Reef Salt, Tropic Marin, and many others. I had to supplement every one with either calcium, alk, or magnesium (or a combination). :rolleyes: Try doing a search on this forum for more information.

Always, ALWAYS, test your newly made salt water PRIOR to using it and supplement as needed. You should test the salinity, temp, ca, alk, mg and temperature. Make sure to log your results for future use.

Billyr98 has recently tested the Tropic Marin PRO REEF salt. My lfs has agreed to begin stocking Tropic MArin Pro Reef salt!! :bigbounce It is the best. Use it if you can but know it is expensive. I will be paying $75 for a 200 gallon bucket.
 
L

latuttle

Member
Hey everyone...

I took your wonderful advice and checked my Magnesium - it was low. I supplemented daily until I got around 1350 ppm, then went back to trying to get my calcium/ alkalinity in "the zone". I also switched to Tropic Marin Pro Reef formula salt - I did my first 10% water change with that today.

I'm still having trouble getting calcium where I want it to be. Here's the parameters I've been testing:

8/10: Amm/Nitrate/Nitrite 0, pH8.1 Sal: 1.025, Alk: 3.5, Ca: 325 ppm
8/11: Mg 1170 (add Mg supplement)
8/12: 1185 add Mg supplement
...
8/17 1290 add Mg Supplement
8/18 pH 8.1 Ca 335 Alk 3.0, Mg 1305 add Ca supplement
8/19 Ca 380 Alk 3.5 add trace elements
8/20 Ca 330 Alk 3.5 add calcium supp
8/22 Alk 3.0 Ca 305 add calcium supp
8/25 Ca 315 Alk 3.0 add calcium supplement
8/26 pH 8.05 Alk 3.5 Mg 1395 Ca 310 add calcium
8/27 Ca 335 alk 3 add calcium supplement

I'm seeing a lot of suspended particles in the water column - I don't think it quite qualifies as a snowstorm, but I do have white dust in the water. Is something causing the calcium to precipitate out?

The calcium supplement I'm using is the calclium part of the Aqua-C two-part Ca/Alk supplement. I've gone through half a bottle in my little tank over the last month, and I've yet to get Calcium at a level "in the zone" for my 3-3.5 alkalinity which seems quite stable.

Any thoughts on what is going on here?

My tank has 2 small fish, a few hermits, five snails, an uninvited crab who eludes my best attempts to exile him to the refugium, and several xenia, two small zoo colonies, and several soft coral frags of various types. I do have a trumpet coral frag in there that's growing, but it's a small frag and I just can't imagine it's using the calcium I'm adding.

It's a 24 gallon aquapod with 150W MH lights, 3 gallon HOB refugium with some sort of macro algae, 27 lbs of live rock, a few pounds of live sand.

Thanks!

Laura
 
Woodstock

Woodstock

The Wand Geek was here. ;)
RS STAFF
I would stop the dosing and correct all levels via water changes only. Do 20-30% water changes every 3-4 days until the ca/alk/mg are correct. Using TM Pro, you will not have to supplement at all :)
 
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