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FAQs on Calcium, Supplements involving Calcium 7
Related Articles: Calcium, The Use of Kalkwasser by Russell Schultz, Understanding
Calcium & Alkalinity, Live Sand,
Marine Substrates, Reef
Systems,
Refugiums, Related FAQs:
Calcium, FAQs 1, Calcium FAQs 2, Calcium
FAQs 3, Calcium FAQs 4,
Calcium FAQs 5,
Calcium FAQs 6. & FAQs on Calcium:
Rationale/Use, Calcium Measuring/Test
Kits, Sources of Calcium,
Calcium Supplements, Dosing,
Chemical/Physical Interactions,
Troubleshooting/Fixing, &
Calcium Reactors,
& FAQs on Calcium Reactors: Rationale/Use,
Selection, Installation,
Operation, Media,
Measuring, Trouble-Shooting,
By Makes/Models, & Calcium
and Alkalinity, Kalkwasser
& FAQs on: The Science of Calcium &
Alkalinity, Importance,
Measure, Sources,
Use of Additives, Troubleshooting/Fixing,
Products, All biomineralizing life
(including algae) require calcium (and alkalinity)... | 
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too much CA, insufficient reading 8/26/08
Hi All
I added a liquid Calcium additive to my marine aquarium and it is now
too high around 640ppm. how can I lower it?
<Dilution is your best
solution here>
time and a water change seem to have had no effect.
<Check your checker... your test kit/s>
dKH 7, ph 7.9. I have
discarded the additive and plan to use Kalk when I get this under
control.
thanks again.
Jim
<... read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/maintenance/maintindex.htm
scroll
down... Calcium, Calcium and Alkalinity, Calcium & pH. Educate yourself.
Bob Fenner> Water Parameters -Ca/Alk
5/24/08
Hi crew,
<Hello.>
Had a question about my
water parameters.
<OK>
I took some tests on my water parameters
and wanted to go over a few things with you guys. I always and forever
have 500 Calcium in my tank. After doing some investigating I realized
that the salt I use has some Calcium enhancement which is why I never
had to battle with Calcium (actually its a bit high in my opinion).
<It is, very high.>
Anyway, my Alkalinity is 7DkH. I wanted to get
this a bit higher. <Yes> I took a test of my Ph today I would say around
1PM (lights were on for about 2-3 hours) and the results were between
7.8-8.0. The colors were very close to each other and it was hard to
tell. My girlfriend said it was more like
8.0. Regardless, I was
aiming for the 8.3 area. I picked up some Seachem Marine Buffer.
Supposedly, this stuff raises to a target Ph of
8.3 while steadily
increases Alk. I figured this is perfect considering I just wanted to
raise them both a bit. I used the suggested dosage.
<OK, sounds
fine.>
My question is, after reading about supplements, I only hear
people complaining that they are just constantly dumping solutions into
their tank to raise a parameter and then have to go back to debuff
another and it's a catch 22 cycle that I don't feel like getting
involved with.
<Not an issue when done correctly, with testing. Some
people blindly dump stuff into their tanks for days at a time and then
test. Until you reach a balance on what your tank requires you will need
to test frequently.>
I started reading up on Calcium Reactors and it
appears that these are basically an Alkalinity Reactor.
<More or
less, yes.>
I actually have a Calcium Reactor that I have laying
around that I just cleaned up. I was thinking of hooking this thing up
but I am worried that this might make my already high Calcium shoot up.
I don't want to end up with Calcium deposits all over my equipment (one
of my newb mistakes that happened once for dosing "Purple Up" and not
testing my Calcium before hand) I do, however, wish to benefit from the
higher Alk that the reactor would provide. What is your take on this?
<Calcium reactors are great, just expensive. If you have one I do
encourage you to use it. The problem being that your Ca/Alk will need to
be in balance first, the calcium reactor will not change this. With such
a high Ca reading you may have trouble raising your Alk. You may need to
switch to a different salt if it is what’s causing the high Ca. For more
information regarding this check out Anthony Calfo’s “marble” analogy:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm >
Thanks
<Welcome, good
luck, Scott V.> Water Parameters 5/27/08
Okay, thanks
Scott. I was already looking into getting a new salt.
<And/or source
water, you will have to test your Ca/Alk to see what you get.>
So
when do you think it is safe to install this Ca reactor?
<Anytime
you have a need for Ca/Alk supplementation. You can install it now,
running it at a lower capacity whilst you get your numbers in balance
with supplements/water changes and then use the reactor to keep it
there.>
I have a MTC mini-calcium reactor. I'm going to change the
salt ASAP. I'm going to keep dosing the Seachem. Thanks for your help.
<Welcome, Scott V.>Ca Salt Mix Help 2/24/07
I noticed about two months ago that the calcium levels in my tank
started to drop (from 380s to 310s). I do weekly 20% water changes, and
I've had trouble keeping alk above 8 as well.
<Mmm... this sounds
very familiar some how...>
Both alk and calcium are low. I assumed
that I had an increased demand for bio minerals in the tank.. just a
couple of softies and coralline. As such, I just purchased Aquarium
Systems Reef Crystals - attempting to switch from Tropic Marin - and
made up a batch of Reef Crystal. I aerated the RO/DI water for a day.
Buffered with Reef Builder, and let it aerate another 12 hours.
<Good>
Mix in the salt and let that sit another day. The first batch
of Reef Crystals measured up:
SG: 1.023
PH: 8.43
dKH: 11.2
Cal: 320
<... weird... low Calcium. Wait... how much ReefBuilder did
you add? This is the most likely cause of Calcium loss here... read the
label... a level teaspoon per ten gallons of water is about all I'd
use... never more than twice this>
I was concerned that the calcium
was so low with a product I thought would be closer to the 400 range. I
used a Salifert and Aquarium Systems calcium test and confirmed the
calcium number three times. I concluded that maybe the buffer I used
might have driven down the calcium
<Yes... my guess as well>
so
I made another batch of Reef Crystals in a different bucket without any
buffer and got a calcium reading of 325. I am very confused.
<Mmmm... this is about the sixth report this month of troubles with the
formerly tried and true, steady formulations of Aquarium Systems
salts... I would write the company directly re this... Perhaps have your
LFS test this bag...>
Both calcium tests are about 1 year old. I
suspect the Tropic Marin was having low calcium readings before ever
going in the tank as well.
<Really? Now... I would definitely test
this as well... if you have any left. Perhaps "it" is your test kits>
I know these are both fine salt mixes so I must be having some issue in
the mix process???
<Not from what you relate>
I add the salt to
the water not the other way around. I've done the same process for a
year without low calcium readings. One of the mix buckets is spotless
and the other has a few white crystallization patches on the inside. The
only commonality is the power head, pump, and air stone which have some
crystallization on them from adding too much buffer several months ago.
Any thoughts?
<Yes... either the mix/es (not the TM though...) or
your test gear>
I am completely puzzled. Do the calcium test go bad
in only a year?
<No>
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
<Test the testers... have your best store make up a small batch... Write
AS if inherent trouble, please report your findings back to me/us. Bob
Fenner> High Calcium Levels 2/22/07
Hi...crew,
<Hello Mike>
I have a 54 gallon corner bow reef tank that has been
up and running for about 9 months now. My problem, for which I haven't
been able to find an answer to, is this. I seem to have a very high
level of calcium. It's over 600 on two different test kits. Despite this
high level of calcium I have very little coralline algae growth. My LFS
thought I might have low levels of magnesium but I tested it and it is
extremely high over 1500. Any thoughts about what's going? I'm using a
RODI unit and buffering the top off water. Also, for what it's worth, my
lighting is a 250w metal halide with a 20k bulb on for 12 hours a day.
Thanks for taking time to read this and thanks for such an outstanding
website.
<A few questions Mike. What brand salt are you using,
which brands of test kits did you test with, and, are you presently
dosing calcium and magnesium? And, for the halibut, do you read any
calcium level on your RO water before mixing the salt? James (Salty
Dog)>
Mike Reef tank problems Calcium, Alkalinity,
Magnesium – 2/20/07
Hello,
<Hi Bryan, Brenda here>
I
have a 90 gallon saltwater tank that has been set up for almost eight
years. For the first seven years I used 4x96W PC with actinic/white
bulbs and never had any major problems. My tank had a lot of mushrooms,
polyps, xenia, leathers and a few hard corals like cup corals/pagodas.
Then I switched to 250W MH lighting with 14K bulbs. Over the course of
18 months I lost almost all of my coral. I found out that my calcium and
alkalinity were really low (due to the MH lighting I guess).
<No,
Not the lighting.>
I had been dosing just Kalkwasser up to this
point, which apparently wasn't enough to meet the needs of my reef.
<Are you testing for Magnesium?>
I have since started using B-ionic
two-part solution. This has helped my calcium and alkalinity to some
degree but I cannot seem to keep the Ca over 380. My Alk is usually
around 3.8 to 4.2. I had acquired some new corals awhile back (polyps
and Montipora) and they are starting to look washed out and the polyps
aren't opening up much now. My tank has very little coralline and what
is there looks really washed out. I'm not sure what the problem is, but
I'm about to give up on MH and go back to PC since I never had trouble
before. My MH lights are 8 inches above water surface and I run them
10-11 hours a day. Do you think my tank is getting too much light or not
enough?
<Not a lighting issue>
The bulbs are only a few months
old (ordered from Hamilton). Why can't I keep my calcium above 380? I've
even been doing double doses of B-ionic and it doesn't seem to make much
difference on the Ca levels. I started adding Fiji Gold on top of
Kalkwasser and Bi-ionic. My sand bed is only about one inch deep and is
kind of old. Is there a possible buffering problem? I do 7-10 gallon
water changes every 5-10 days using r/o water.
<Sounds like you are
low on Magnesium. Purchase a Magnesium test kit. Magnesium should be
in the 1300 – 1500 range. Here is an article to help you understand the
importance of Magnesium, and its relationship to Calcium and
Alkalinity. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm >
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
-Bryan
<Any time Bryan! Good
luck! Brenda>
Obscenely high calcium 2/20/07
Hello WWM Crew,
I have been using your site for 6 years now
<Whew, tempus fugit; time whips>
and I thank you for your effort to
keep my animals alive. I can always find what I need by searching the
e-mail caches and articles, until now.
I have a 125g reef (180g
total system volume) that I took down for 6 months while we built our
home. I kept the corals in a jetted bathtub in the sun for that period
of time. Shortly after setting it up again, I did a bad thing. After 10+
years in the hobby I thought I had idiot-proofed myself with all I've
read and experienced; apparently I'm not there yet.
I overdosed
turbo calcium...to 1400.
<Yeeikes!>
I was thinking about
something else and put in a heaping cup. I now know what a snowstorm
looks like. I figured I had a couple water changes in the future to
solve it, but no. I started out by doing 3X50% water changes and when
that only got it down to 800 I did a 100% change.
The day after
that change my calcium was at 600. Three days later, today, my calcium
is at 740. So it's rising.
<Interesting>
During that 100% change
I siphoned and mixed up all the aragonite substrate just in case some of
the calcium precipitated out of solution and stuck in the sand.
<Good move>
I mixed it with my hands and the siphon very thoroughly.
I rinsed the live rock in saltwater before replacing it, too.
I
can't find anyone at my LFS or aquarium society who has heard of calcium
so high or the anomaly of rising calcium. I use Instant Ocean, not Reef
Crystals to mix my water.
My alkalinity is at around 8dkh but it
fluctuates lower.
<I'll bet... in fact... I would raise this... the
best way to precipitate out the remaining excess Calcium... and do
get/use a Magnesium test kit... these two processes will rectify the
situation here in good time>
Obviously I can't keep alk up with
calcium this high. I had tried to drive the alk higher so the calcium
might be driven lower.
<Oh! Good... how?>
As you can imagine,
some of my SPS are not happy with rapid tissue necrosis. Coralline
algae: not happy and receding. LPS: very happy and growing well for some
reason. The local fish store was accommodating enough to take a few of
my favorite SPS until I get this figured out.
<All can/will likely
straighten itself out in time... Life is slow/er to respond to the
insult, correction... expect a lag... sort of like auto traffic; Iraq
and the U.S. economic collapse>
Any ideas that would help me
finally solve this 2 month dilemma?
And no, my Salifert test kit
is not inaccurate. The fish store came up with the same test result.
Thank you,
Dan
<The Magnesium (cheap supplementation with
Epsom Salt, over time...), and the single part or equivalent of two-part
alk/Alk. earth supplements (carbonates, bicarbonates... perhaps with a
little borate)... Time going by... Bob Fenner> Dosing Question
– 2/8/07
<Hi Scotty, Brenda here tonight>
First of all, let
me say you guys are the best!!!
<Thank you!>
Now, I searched the
forums and got some of my answer to this question, but need you to
finish it.
<I’ll try>
I add part 1 and part 2 of the Oceans
Blend calcium and alkalinity supplement. I have added over 48 ml in the
last 72 hours, but my test kit is showing no increase in calcium (stays
at 350ppm). My pH has been rising, even though I have added an equal
amount of part II (alkalinity).
<I need actual results
of pH>
I do not have an alkalinity test kit yet (will get one soon),
so I have no idea to see where that is, and am basing any decision I
make on an unknown.
<Yikes! Please stop! You will also need a
Magnesium test kit. Mg should be in the 1300 – 1500 ppm range for
everything to balance properly.>
So my question is should I continue
with both parts until my calcium gets to 400 ppm.
<No>
Should I
use one for a few doses without the other as a way to balance out the
pH? Or should I just sit tight and let things get settled?
<Sit
tight until you get some more test kits.>
Best idea is to listen to
what you guys <or gals> have to say.
<Never dose calcium, alkalinity
or magnesium into your tank until you know what your levels are. Please
read for a better
understanding: www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.htm
www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm
www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-03/rhf/index.php#3
Also,
here is a calculator to help you with dosing. It sure makes my life
easier: http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
>
Scotty, NY
<Good luck Scotty, and be patient! Brenda>
Low Calcium... lack of chem. understanding... 2/1/07
Hello all. Attached (I hope - I am learning about computers as well as
reefing)
<Good. I see it>
is a spreadsheet in Excel format. I
hope you can open it to help me with my question: low calcium. I have
done a lot of reading about calcium and alkalinity and the process may
even be evident in the spreadsheet.
<It is>
My calcium level
rarely goes over 235meq/L.
<Mmm, yes>
At one point I was using
too much buffer in my top off water which would explain it (marbles in a
jar),
<Yes>
but I have since mended my ways, let the alkalinity
drop, but with no improvement in the calcium level. I use a calcium
reactor (effluent 280meq/L) and for a while tried Kalkwasser for my top
off, but the tubing became regularly clogged.
<... a few comments to
be made at this point... the Kalk needs to be made and delivered
differently... likely... at night time/in the dark... or for now, not at
all...>
For the last two weeks I have been adding a Kalkwasser
slurry (1 tsp/pint RO/DI shaken not stirred) added to the sump at the
return pump inlet first thing in the morning when the pH is lowest.
<Better to do during the dark/night...>
The pH jumps up 0.2, then
climbs slowly with the lights on, rarely reaching 8.2 by lights out.
<This is okay>
My tank is a one year old 65 gallon with a 17 gallon
sump, 150Wx2 10K MH, 4-5" DSB, in-sump skimmer (LifeReef) producing a
cup of tea-green skimmate daily, weekly 10% water changes with aerated,
buffered RO/DI and Tropic Marin ProReef salt. No refugium yet - on
order. There are 10 small fish (1.5-2.5"), three small struggling SPS
(1") frags, a large Savona (5") and scattered softies and
mushrooms. There is a pretty hefty encrustation of coralline on the
live rock (94#) and back wall.
Water parameters are: ammonia:0,
nitrite:0, nitrate:0, 79-80 degrees, s.g. 1024 and calcium, pH and
alkalinity per spreadsheet (Salifert). What am I missing?
<Mmm, too
many variables being manipulated at once mainly... along with a lack of
basic (pun intended) chemistry... Can you visualize the chemical species
you're adding, the simple ionic and covalent reactions you're "doing"
here?>
Should I turn up the CO2/output on the reactor (I worry about
excess CO2/algae/low pH)?
<I'd "practice" here... with a measure of
effluent pH... down to 6.8 or so during the day/light hours>
I can't
increase the amount of Kalkwasser or the pH will jump too much,
<I'd
cut out the Kalk period for now...>
unless I add more then once
daily. Please advise. Like all, I am most appreciative (and addicted
to) you patient answers to our questions. Best, Hugh.
<Please
re-read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm
and the linked files
above. Bob Fenner> Cyano in Ca 800ppm??? Not likely 1/4/07
Happy New Year to my friends in fish!
<Hopefully not *in* fish!>
I am having one heck of a time developing coralline algae growth.
<If you don't have any to start with, you won't get it in the end
either. Do you have at least some on the rock?>
I have had the live
rock for 1 1/2 years. I have a 125G pentagon shaped tank that is 27"
deep. I have one 96W 10,000K bulb and one 96W actinic in my power
compact that are on for approx. 12 hours each.
<That's a lot of
light if this is FOWLR. Try 8-9hrs.>
My dKH
hovers around 10, my pH is fine at between 8.2 and 8.4,
<Have seen
coralline make an easier go in 8.6 or so until development is
accelerated.>
but my calcium is off the chart at around 800!
<Woah! You must have dust EVERYWHERE!>
I have been told by the LFS
that the high calcium level is the reason why I am growing Cyano instead
of coralline algae.
<I'm not sure about that... Cyano usually
doesn't do well in high concentrations (or precipitations, in your case)
of Calcium, like 420+ Also, Cyano is a strong flow hater.>
My
bad...I was dosing without monitoring.
<Bad! Lay down! No TV for you
tonight!>
I realize that coralline can be the same color as Cyano,
but I can remove it from the rock with a toothbrush, so I think that it
is Cyano.
<If it *is* Cyano, then the coralline will not compete.
Usually, red coralline is just as tough as any other encrusting algae,
but you should make sure you actually have red Cyano before scrubbing...
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/cyanocontrolfaqs.htm but I digress. We
need to get to the bottom of your over the top Ca levels. If you use tap
water and the "just wait" method of chemical removal, then you need to
test your premix when you do a water change. I would recommend an RO/DI
or at least an inexpensive DI ($30 online price) to purify your tap
water.>
Please let me know if the high calcium is the reason for
my failure to develop coralline and my success in growing Cyano. I would
appreciate your advice to get me on the right track to developing the
good stuff.
<Don't think so, but let's start with trying to
replicate the reef eco-system a little more closely first: 400-460ppm.
Then read these:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm and
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corlineidfaqs.htm I think you will find a
few blurbs about coralline's preference for actinic.>
Sincerely,
Mitch Poris
<Graham T.> Calcium and
more... 12/28/06
Hello Crew,
<Zoilo... are you
aware that there is a genus of Cypraeids, Zoila...?>
I been using
B-Ionic for almost a yr now, and I just found out that this is not good
for long term use?.
<Mmm, according to whom? Is fine IMO/E>
So, the plan is to switch to Tropic Marin calcium...
reading the
instruction it says that I have to sprinkler it on top of the water in
the sump. But then again , I have read (on this site of course) that it
is not advisable to follow that instruction for it will or might damage
the pumps, and the calcium powder will not completely dissolve... should
I just dissolve this first in fresh or salt water ?
<Best to
dissolve all such materials in/with new seawater, allow to mix, store
for a few to several days ahead of use>
then pour it directly in the
sump or in the tank?
How will you guys rate the performance of this
product (Tropic Marin Calcium)?
<Is a good product, but really is
only "half" of the B-Ionic product...>
I know they're great in their
salt ($$$) but I have no idea on calcium.
Also will this be a good
or bad move?
<Myself? I'd use B-Ionic... and perhaps add some of the
TM calcium product if this were too low...>
I used to drip Kalk when
I first started this hobby (about a yr ago) but seems like my sand gets
compacted and gets really hard so I stop using it. Do you know what's
causing this and how will I prevent it.
<Yes... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm
and the linked files
above>
I would really like to use Kalk If I could only prevent
this from happening.
Does anyone try this new or maybe I should say
top of the line Chemi Pure "Elite" that just came out ?
<I have not>
it says they add something to it to reduce phosphate, nitrate and Cyano
problem?
<A chemical filtrant of some sort... are the
ingredients listed?>
Another question, on Clown Fishies, I have a
pair of True Perculas...do they really have a habit of wiggling their
tails in the sand?
<Yes>
and do they ever sleep?
<Mmm,
yes... in a manner>
seems like they're always moving their body even
in lights out or anytime I check my tank in the middle of the
night. Also, does anyone have any plan of getting a Midas Blenny? I
have one myself (8mos),
and I tell you, this is the most amazing
fish that I have ever owned...what a character & what a great addition
to your reef.
<The genus Ecsenius are indeed curious, intelligent
animals>
Thanks again for this great site ... the patience &
understanding.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS.
Nemo1
<And to you and yours
my friend. Bob Fenner> Lowering Ca - 12/07/06
Thank you for your quick response. Is there anything I can do to lower
Calcium levels? I use Instant Ocean reef mix, and don't use any
additives currently.
Daniel
<Mmm, oh yes, dilution, interaction
with alkaline materials... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/CalciumFAQs.htm
and the linked files
above. Bob Fenner> Best time to add calcium
10/2/06
Crew,
<Mark>
I have a 60 gallon DAS tank with
65 pounds live rock and 110 pounds live sand. We also have a hammer
coral and a xenia. When is the best time to add my calcium, iodine and
strontium? Right now we add these in the morning but my wife would like
to not have the cloudiness from the calcium so I am curious if there are
any ill effects if I added these at night after the lights go out? Also
we currently use Purple up liquid calcium. I add 7 ml a day.
<Calcium is best added when the tanks pH is at its lowest. This is
usually hours after the lights have been off and can be determined with
a quick ph test or monitor. I suggest using a two part liquid calcium
system as these will give you easy control over your calcium and
alkalinity.>
What are your suggestions?
<Concerning dosing
iodine and strontium you need only add these when testing dictates. You
may be holding at acceptable levels with regular water changes, and
might actually do harm/waste money by dosing without testing. Please
test for anything you add to your tank. Testing may not be the most fun
aspect of our hobby (for most people), but it can save your tank as well
as you wallet.>
Thanks,
<You're welcome, wish you the best!
Emerson>
Mark Calcium Supplementation in a Small Tank -
09/03/06
Hello.
<<Howdy>>
I've read in your articles
that with frequent water changes supplementation of calcium, strontium,
magnesium and other trace elements is not necessary in salt water tanks.
<<Many times this is true...but it is highly dependent on the amount of
calcium assimilating life in the system and the frequency/volume of the
water changes>>
I am thinking of slowly changing my FOWLR tank into
a reef tank. Would the above still be the case in a reef tank or is
supplementation required when you begin adding corals?
<<Will depend
on the quantity and the species...but it is easy enough to perform water
tests to determine a need for supplementation>>
Just to give you
some info on my tank it is a 10 gallon with 15 lbs of live rock and 50
watts of power compact lighting.
<<Ah, I see...a tank this size
rarely if ever requires supplementation as it is quite simple and
inexpensive to perform adequate water changes to keep up with mineral
demands>>
Thanks for your time.
<<Quite welcome. EricR>>
SeaChem Calcium Supplements 8/16/06
Hi there!!!
<Hello>
I have a question regarding two SeaChem calcium products,
Seachem Reef Complete and Seachem Reef Calcium. The latter one is a
polygluconate base calcium. I have read somewhere that calcium chloride
can mess up water chemistry in the long run. My question is, is the
SeaChem Reef Calcium the same thing as calcium chloride? Just says
polygluconate on the bottle so Am not so sure.
<This is from the
horse's mouth;>
Reef Calcium™ is a concentrated
(50,000 mg/L) bioavailable polygluconate complexed calcium intended to
maintain calcium in the reef aquarium without altering pH.
Polygluconate complexation confers several benefits: it increases the
bioavailability of the calcium, it provides a rich source of metabolic
energy to help maintain peak coral growth, and it prevents calcium
precipitation/alkalinity depletion. Polygluconate contains no nitrogen
or phosphorous, thus it is biologically impossible for it to lead to
algae growth in a properly maintained reef system.
Reef Calcium™ may
be used alone to maintain calcium but will provide enhanced levels of
coral growth when used in conjunction with an ionic calcium supplement
(Reef Complete™, Reef Advantage Calcium™). Reef Calcium™ is intended to
maintain calcium levels; if calcium becomes seriously depleted one
should either perform a water change or use an ionic calcium supplement
to restore the depleted level of calcium.
<If more info is desired,
I suggest you go to the SeaChem site and contact them. I'm also
thinking this calcium is a chelated form and you need to
ensure your
test kit will read this. Correct me here Bob, if necessary. James
(Salty Dog)>
Anemone System/Calcium Levels/Faulty Test Kits -
08/14/06
Hello There;
<<Howdy!>>
We
are looking into converting our 92 gallon FOWLR tank to a more
invertebrate type tank, specifically bubble tip anemones.
<<Mmm,
indeed creatures best kept in a "species specific" system>>
We've
been researching lighting, compatibility, feeding, and water quality.
<<Excellent...have you been through our articles/FAQs? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/bubbletipanemones.htm
>>
Our LFS gave us a Nutrafin calcium tester as well as magnesium
tester so we can start tweaking our levels as we learn more about what
we should know to adequately care for these guys.
<<Hmm...balanced
and excellent water quality is a must, but I think you should
concentrate more at this stage on ammonia/nitrite/nitrate and
getting/keeping all at "zero"...the calcium and magnesium will
balance/be supplemented adequately through frequent water changes. An
"anemone" system will not have need for high levels/usage of these>>
We happen to have beautiful coralline growth on all of our live rocks as
well as what I assume to be "mini" bright-orange tube worms, so we
imagined our calcium levels wouldn't be too bad.
<<Are likely fine,
yes>>
Well, to our surprise, our calcium levels were well over 700,
we stopped at 760 as to not waste our newly purchased test kit.
<<I
seriously doubt this is correct...I would try a better test kit
(Salifert, Seachem) and see what you find>>
My question is; is too
much calcium bad for the anemones, and also just out of curiosity how do
you think we've managed to have such an overwhelming calcium level to
begin with? Any information you can give us is greatly appreciated.
<<An elevated calcium level shouldn't bother the anemone, but I honestly
think your test kit is in error. Try one of the brands I suggested and
retest...likely the reading will be/is much lower...I would also obtain
a kit to test your alkalinity to validate the calcium reading as these
two components are mutually exclusive (please read here for better
understanding:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm)>>
-Thanks
<<Happy
to assist. Regards, EricR>> High Calcium Low
pH 7/15/06
Hi,
<Hello>
I have a question I hope you
may be able to help me with. I tried searching your database but
couldn't locate an answer there. I have a new 120 gallon
saltwater
setup. The only things in it right now are 120lbs of Caribbean live
rock and 120 lbs of live sand. I use R/O water and Kent's Sea Salt to
mix the water. The calcium reading I am getting is almost 600
<Way
too high...>
with a pH of some were between 7.8 and 8.0.
<A bit
low... and not surprisingly... the overly high concentration of
biominerals is depressing (precipitating) the alkalinity...>
A
couple of weeks ago approximately 2.5 gallons of Kalkwasser solution was
inadvertently put into the tank in about 6 hrs.
<...>
(The
adjustment on the Aquadoser was rolled the wrong way accidentally.) I'm
not sure what the calcium reading was before this but the pH has never
been above 7.8 since
<... yes>
I began testing it just after
the live rock cured in May. The exception being when I tested it just
after the Kalkwasser incident when it was at 8.4, but it quickly
dropped down again within a week (not good I know). I am adding
Seachem's Marine buffer to try to raise the pH put am seeing little
affect after 4 days of use. Is the high calcium level preventing the pH
from going up (I know calcium and alkalinity go hand in hand and
alkalinity affects the pH somewhat)?
<Oh yes>
Also is that
calcium level dangerously high or is it OK for now unit it comes down
over time. The coralline algae has taken off with it at this level and
is gradually lowering the
calcium level at it uses it, the level
was at 660 just after the accident with the Kalkwasser.
Thanks in
advance for you help,
Brandi
<You need a bit
of practical chemical knowledge, understanding... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm
and the linked files
above... You'll soon know what went on, your possible courses for
improvement. Bob Fenner>
Calcium will not rise.
Calcium/Alkalinity 7/8/06
I have a 100 gallon SPS
reef aquarium that has been set up for a few years. Recently I have been
having a great deal of trouble maintaining
my calcium
and alkalinity level. I have around 30 colonies of SPS coral and many of
them are starting to look pale, like they are
bleaching.
I had been keeping the calcium at around 420ppm by adding Kent Marine
Liquid Reactor every few days, along with some Kalkwasser
with the RO replacement water. However, within the last month
the calcium has fallen to 360ppm.
No matter how much calcium
supplements I add the calcium level will not rise and maintain. For the
past week I have been putting in 3-5 times the recommended dose of
calcium, along with LARGE quantities of Kalkwasser. Right after adding
these additives the calcium will be around 400ppm but within six hours
it is
back down to 360. The alkalinity will be around 9
or 10 after the additives, will sometimes include Kent Marine Coral
Builder, but about
six hours later is around 7. The
coralline algae, which did grow extremely fast is now looking pale, just
like my coral. What should I do? I really have no clue what is going on
and why the levels keep dropping. So for the length of this email, I
just wanted you to know the whole situation. Thanks for you help.
<Andrew, do read here first, and get an understanding of
calcium/alkalinity relationship to one another. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm
You mention nothing of water changes, are they carried out on a regular
basis? Is strontium and magnesium being dosed along with
iodine? Excess CO2 in the make-up water can cause this also. Do aerate
the freshwater 24 hours before mixing the salt. Then let the mix
stabilize for 24 hours before using. James (Salty Dog)>
Andrew
Tank Problems/Sketchy Info...Look To The Water Changes - 06/18/06
Dear Crew,
<<Chris>>
Just when I thought I was getting the hang
of things, disaster strikes.
<<Uh-oh>>
I have a light fish
load--a sleeper goby, a yellow tang (small) and a cleaner shrimp. I
just found the shrimp dead, and I am very surprised since it seemed okay
as recently as this morning.
<<Was there some sort of
trauma/environmental issue involved? May be nothing more than "old age"
here>>
My pH is a consistent 8.5-8.6, and I'd been dosing
twice a day with calcium to get levels up to normal (it had been
hovering around 180 but even with twice a day dosing only went up to
220).
<<Mmm, though not deleterious in my opinion, your pH is a bit
on the high side with no clue/explanation as to why. And what is your
alkalinity reading? Be careful that you don't mal-affect/disrupt the
balance between your alkalinity and calcium by dosing the calcium
product only. It is best in my opinion to "dose" calcium and a buffer
(alkalinity) together as a two-part system unless making a "one-time
adjustment" (monitored with a reliable test kit) at which time a calcium
chloride or calcium gluconate supplement is effective>>
Anyway, I
also added a nice zoanthid at the same time as the goby, about two and a
half weeks ago. I'd written earlier that it never
fully opened like
it had in the store. You suggested moving it lower in the tank (it had
been near the top). Since doing that a week or so ago, the zo's are
slowly disintegrating, and even the pods that were opening are no
longer.
<<Likely something environmental other than your lighting at
play here>>
This is pretty bad--I don't know what to do or what
information I could offer that could explain things. Many thanks...
here are my specs for your review--please let me know if there are any
other specs which would help with a diagnosis.
Tank: 37G high w/ 10G
sump and skimmer
Lighting: 130W CF
Water (RO): Salinity .022 /
pH 8.5-8.6 / Calcium 220 / LOW nitrates / Temp 83-84
<<Okay, a few
things to mention here. Firstly...STOP dosing! On a tank this size it
should be a simple matter to keep the water elements in appropriate
concentration/balance with simple water changes (20% twice
monthly). Are you buffering your RO water before adding the salt mix
(can be done easily with plain baking soda)? Do you let the mix
stabilize a "minimum" of 24-hours before adding it to the tank? What
brand of salt mix are you using? Perhaps a change to one of the more
consistent mixes (in my opinion) would help...Instant Ocean and Tropic
Marin get my top votes. Your salinity is a factor as well and may be a
contributor to the demise of the zoanthids...increase this to natural
seawater levels (1.025-1.026 s.g.). Next..."LOW nitrates" is of no
help...what is the specific reading? Anything much over 5ppm is likely
also a contributor to your coral/invert's failing health. Again...water
changes will help with this too. Lastly, the water temp, while at the
upper limit, should not have been a direct problem if the animals were
properly acclimated. But that's not to say you shouldn't do something
to bring it down a bit...you don't have much "buffer zone" here if
something should drive it up further>>
My water temp is obviously
high. I don't have air conditioning and keep the room dark all day long
to avoid sun-heating. I'm sure this is a cause, but is it THE cause?
<<Hard to say...maybe just a/the catalyst>>
If not, what else could
it be?
<<Likely a combination of things as I've alluded>>
I know
a chiller would help but would a room air conditioner be an option?
<<Indeed, yes! As would adding a small fan to blow across the water's
surface for some evaporative cooling>>
Thanks again for everything.
<<Always welcome>>
Sadly,
Chris
Los Angeles, CA
<<Chin-up mate! Buffer your RO water, verify the efficacy of your salt
mix, increase the salinity, perform a large initial water change
followed by frequent partial water changes as outlined, and reduce water
temperature by a few degrees and you'll likely see an improvement in
overall tank health rather quickly...though it may be too late already
for the zoanthids. And not to pour salt on a open wound...but this tank
is way too small for the continued good health of the yellow
tang. Please do consider trading it back to the store for a more
suitable inhabitant. EricR, Columbia, SC>>
Question on Substrates part 3... actually calcium 5/31/06
What
it the fastest way to raise calcium levels? I've been using ESV B-Ionic
but my levels are still below 200ppm. I do monthly water changes, 20 gal
at a time. I have a 135 gal tank.
<<You can use calcium chloride
products like "Turbo Calcium" but do be sure that the calcium stays in
balance with the alkalinity. You can also use more B-Ionic, especially
if the alkalinity is also low. With levels that low, I would also
verify the results on another test kit. Best Regards. AdamC.>
Kalkwasser Reactor versus Calcium Reactor - 05/26/06
** High
Priority **
** Reply Requested When Convenient **
Please help.
<<I shall try>>
I am getting bombarded with "best practice"
suggestions. I've read that some run both units (Kalk reactor/calcium
reactor) -- using the elevated pH effect of the Kalkwasser addition at
night to offset the reduction in pH caused by CO2.
<<This is one
approach. I have/use both reactors...but mine are in operation 24/7>>
Others suggest getting either unit to supplement calcium levels.
<<If I could only use one, it would be the Kalk reactor>>
Others
maintain that Kalkwasser is the better option with noting but benefits
provided it is administered correctly (i.e. limited to night only when
pH levels are usually depressed)
<<I disagree on the
application. When using a Kalkwasser reactor in conjunction with an
auto top-off unit there is little (if any!) danger/more benefit to
letting it operate "'round the clock" in my opinion>>
I have started
using a Kalkwasser stirrer with a dosing pump to add all my RO top-up
water to the tank at NIGHT ONLY.
<<Truly no need for this
hassle...hook it up and let it operate 24/7>>
I have been naively
adding 2 tablespoons of Kalkwasser to the unit every 2 weeks and leaving
it to run on an automatic float switch.
<<Mmm, is this per the
instructions with the unit? You likely need to add more than this for a
two week period>>
Now I have just been told that this is dangerous
and can stuff up pH levels and in the long term drop alkalinity!!!
<<Not when used merely for top-off/evaporation replacement...as long as
you are "dosing" small amounts on a frequent basis and not waiting till
you need to add a gallon of water to top up the tank>>
I am totally
bewildered -- please advise what is best practice when using Kalk
Stirrer?
<<Just as I've stated...but feel free to write back to me
if you need further clarification>>
And would you advise that I look
at getting rid of the stirrer and replacing it with a calcium reactor
instead?
<<Nope...use both if you have them>>
Or is having both
units better?
<<I think so, yes...but is not a necessity>>
Regards
Rayven
Durban, South Africa
<<Cheers, Eric
Russell...Columbia, South Carolina>> Calcium Hungry Tank -
05/21/06
Dear Crew,
<<Hello Jim>>
I am a (moderately)
experienced reefer of 5 years and have a lot of hard coral in my tank.
Porites
Pavona
Several Caulastrea
2 Euphyllia
1 Merulina
2 cup corals
1 Acro frag
<<I see>>
The tank is 130 gallons
and is lit by halides. I have a calcium reactor running but it seems to
just replenish magnesium and carbonates (which is fine).
<<I imagine
it is also adding calcium...though maybe not enough to keep up with
demands. Or perhaps a matter of better "tuning" the reactor. Have a
look here and among the indices in blue:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcreactors.htm >>
I am struggling
to keep this tank fed with Kalkwasser additions. I currently top off 2
litres of 2 teaspoons Kalk and its very hit and miss.
<<Mmm a bit
much, I doubt all the Kalkwasser will dissolve in this volume of
water...try backing off to roughly half what you're using now>>
I
currently mix a bottle up at the start of the day and dose with a
peristaltic pump in the evening but it only gives me a 30ppm increase
(this is done by lots of shaking of the bottle). Sometimes if I’m in a
rush there is no calcium addition at-all (I add the Kalk and leave the
bottle standing). Do I shake the bottle up and poor the slurry in
direct?
<<This can be done...start with about 1/8th of a teaspoon
mixed in cold RO water, and make adjustments from there. The idea is to
add as much as you can without increasing pH more than two tenths of a
unit (e.g.- 8.2 to 8.4)>>
Or shake the bottle up through the day and
top off the clear solution through the pump?
<<This is much how a
Kalkwasser reactor works (easy enough to DIY), and perhaps your best
answer here>>
Thanks
Jim
<<Welcome, EricR>>
WWM
Question on Substrates part 3 4/16/06
How much turn over do you
recommend for a tank? Is that filtered or just movement?
<<For a
reef tank, turn over of at least 10x the tank volume is ideal. Some
aquarists use 20x or more. Those figures apply to the amount of water
movement within the tank. This can be provided by return pumps,
powerheads, power filters, etc., but in-sump protein skimmers don't
count.>>
What about Aragamite or Aragamilk?
<<These products are
nearly useless for maintenance of calcium and alkalinity since like
aragonite sand, they are practically insoluble at normal reef tank
pH. Best Regards, AdamC.>
pH and Calcium supplements 4/10/06
What product do you recommend to raise pH and calcium levels?
<<Be
sure you understand and test for Alkalinity. pH measures how acidic or
basic the water is. Alkalinity measures the buffering capacity of the
water, or in other words, the ability of the water to resist changes in
pH. Both are very important, and alkalinity is widely
under-appreciated. In any case, Kalkwasser is very useful in supporting
pH, Alkalinity and calcium. It is cheap and easy to use. Grocery store
pickling lime can be substituted for cost savings. B-Ionic by ESV,
C-Balance by Twolittlefishies and TechAB by Kent are all two part
preparations (one part calcium, one part alkalinity) that work extremely
well and are extremely convenient to use, but are somewhat
expensive. There are recipes for "home brew" two part additives
floating about the internet, but are probably best followed only by
those with some chemistry background. Last, but not least... you can
use commercially available dry calcium and alkalinity additives. They
are cheaper than two part additive systems but require a bit more care
in their use. Tropic-Marin makes a great dry product called BioCalcium
that adds calcium and alkalinity in one product. Any of the above can
work very well. Best Regards. AdamC.>> Calcium Additives For
Marine Aquarium - 03/15/2006
I have a 55 gallon tank recently
setup with 25 LBS live rock, CPR dx6 protein skimmer, cs150 CPR
overflow. I have 2 inches of live sand and other sand for substrate. No
fish yet. I also am using RO/DI water for water changes and maintenance.
I am looking into calcium and its effects. Your site is great and a
little overwhelmed by information. My question is Kalkwasser, which is
the best supplements to use?
<Unless you fully understand the
effects of Kalkwasser, you would probably be better served by another
choice. The Kalkwasser would change your chemistry "ball game".
Can
you suggest which way to go with using Kalkwasser or just straight
calcium products and which has had more success.
<Too much to try
and cover in e-mail. Try studying here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm
and the related links above. Bottom line though, if you feel
uncomfortable with it don't use it. A good frequent water change
schedule (with properly prepared water) would be best. Eliminates the
need for much of these.>
Thanks
Cary
<You're welcome. -
Josh> High Calcium and Nitrates in a Reef Tank - 3/8/2006
Hello,
<<Hello Adrian.>>
HELP! I'm facing few problems with my
saltwater reef-fish 55-galon tank.
1) High calcium
level. It's ~600. I tried the baking soda method but no help. I used
the red sea and another brand of test kit to test the calcium level and
both yield similar result.
<<What salt mix do you use? Are you
adding calcium? Try doing several water changes using Instant Ocean, or
another high-quality salt mix.>>
2) High nitrate. It's ~100. I
already reduced the quantity of food. Hopefully that will bring it
down. Do you know any other quicker way? I'm already changing 15-20%
of water biweekly.
<<Test your source water. If it has low/no
nitrates, change the water more often to bring it down. Also, look into
refugiums, covered on WWM.>>
3) Red algae on rocks. I see patches
of red algae everywhere sometimes even on the sand. See attachment. I
read articles on your site and the algae sounds like bacteria.
<<Likely Cyanobacteria/BGA.>>
Hopefully reducing the quantity of
food will minimize or get rid of this problem. Do you know any other
way?
<<Physical removal, limiting nutrients through food, and adding
a refugium are a few that come to mind. Read on WWM.>>
4) Hair-like
plant/things on rocks. See attachment. The plant is few millimeter
long, yellowish/beige. What's it? And how to get rid of it?
<<Your
picture is unclear.>>
I checked the water condition:
Ph 8.0-8.3
Nitrite, 0
Ammonia, 0
Alkalinity, high (good according to the
kit)
Specific gravity, 1.024
Temp, 77 degree
Nitrate, ~100
Calcium, ~600
Thanks,
Adrian
<<Glad to help. Lisa.>>
Dosing/Overdosing - 03/04/06
Hi all.
<<Howdy>>
I have a
problem and it is concerning me. I am trying to get my coralline to
grow faster so I've been treating my water with Seachem Reef, Buffer,
Calcium, and Plus.
<<Mmm...are you sure you need all this? Have you
performed water tests re? The Reef Calcium alone will help with
coralline growth.>>
I was using Calmax by WM research till it ran
out now I'm using the Seachem products. Only have a small Hammer Coral
and some
Green Button polyps. I added the Reef Calcium, Reef Plus
and Reef Complete today and a few hours later the water is becoming more
and more cloudy white.
<<Indeed...likely an overdose/mixing of too
much alkaline material.>>
The ALK tests high and cal says 440. I
assume this has something to do with precipitation
<<yes>>
but I
was hoping I could do something to fix it now. I just got a Long Nose
Butterfly and I'm concerned for him.
<<Perform a large partial water
change and only dose (according to the manufacturers recommendations)
the Reef Calcium going forward. Continue to do frequent partial water
changes to maintain your alkalinity, magnesium, et al.>>
Thank you
for all your help!
<<Regards, EricR>>
Calcium - 2/28/2006
Hi, <Hi Dan> this is my first time submitting a question and hopefully
you can help. <We'll try.> I've read a lot about raising calcium off
your website but I still feel like I am running in circles. I have been
experiencing trouble in maintaining a healthy calcium level. I will
give you some background and where I currently stand. I have a 7 month
old 120g reef tank with somewhere around 100 lbs or so of rock
(approximately 40 lbs live and 60 lbs base). My corals include:
Xenia
Toadstool
Frogspawn
Zoanthids
Mushrooms
Orange
Fungia
Candy Cane
I think the Frogspawn, Fungia and Candy Cane
are the only ones requiring calcium.
Anyway, my calcium was really
low (200 ppm) even though I was using B-ionic two part calcium. I
started experiencing calcium precipitation which I think was due to
using Kent's super buffer for two weeks prior to the B-ionic in order to
get the ph up. I was measuring the alkalinity and my reading was around
5 meg/l but at the time I thought it was a dKH reading (DOH!). I kept
adding the super buffer because I was trying to get the alkalinity
between 8 - 10 dKH. I quit using the super buffer once I realized the
reading was in meg/l and started with the b-ionic and that's when the
precipitation started. I cleaned up the mess and started using Kent
turbo calcium and nothing else except weekly water changes. I use
Instant Ocean salt mix. The highest the calcium reached was 380 ppm. I
was adding 3/4" teaspoon of turbo twice a day which seems like a lot. I
tested the instant ocean before adding it and it was reading 360 ppm so
my 380 reading wasn't much higher than the salt mix. I stopped with
the weekly water changes about two weeks ago to see what would happen
and the calcium has slowly been falling and that's with the continued
use of the turbo. My ph is stable (8.3) and my alkalinity is 3
meg/l. I have since been adding the turbo (still ¾ teaspoon twice a
day) and super buffer once a day (trying to get the alkalinity up
again). My magnesium is 1200.
So, do you have any ideas
on what could be causing my calcium levels to fall? <First, I would
compare dKH readings with another test kit. I'm thinking your dKH is
higher than what you indicate as high dKH levels will cause calcium to
precipitate.> Do you have any recommendations on getting the calcium to
a healthy level? <Well I'm not a race car driver so I don't like the
Turbos, superchargers, etc. I'm also not impressed with the two part
additives, you never end up using equal amounts of each. I've been in
this hobby 35+ years and the best calcium/alkalinity combo I've use is
Sea Chem's Reef Advantage Calcium and Reef Builder (both in powder
form). Anyway, another area to check is the dKH of your make up
water. If this is high it will add to the precipitation of the calcium.
Do concentrate on getting the dKH balanced and then work with the
calcium. In a healthy system you shouldn't have to add buffer on a
regular basis.> Some people have suggested the salt mix as being a
problem but I see too many people have success with instant ocean. <Not
the problem.> Also, I have only been using the turbo and super buffer
together (adding about an hour apart) for a few days so it may be too
early to know if it will make a difference. <You should never add
buffer and calcium together within a 24 hour period (powder form that
is). The buffer can cause calcium precipitation before it
stabilizes. Do buffer, then 24 hours later do calcium, or vice versa.>
Let me know if you need more information.
Thanks, <You're
welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Dan Re: Calcium problem -
3/1/2006
Thank you for your quick response. <You're
welcome.> I'm going with your suggestion and purchased the reef
advantage and reef builder (both powder form). I performed a 15 gallon
water change last night and will check the calcium and alkalinity
today. What are your suggestions in using the products? <Same as on
container> Can I add a serving of each, once or twice a day until my
levels are ok? <As below, would not dose both products together, do
one, then 24 hours later the other if necessary.>
Thank you, <You're
welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Dan Re:
Calcium problem 3/3/06
Thanks again. <You're welcome,
Dan.> Last night, I tested the alkalinity and calcium to see if I could
notice a difference with the Seachem products. The alkalinity has moved
from 3 to 4 meg/L but the calcium has dropped from 280 to 250ppm. The
magnesium level is 1190 and PH is 8.26. I will continue adding the
supplements on a regular schedule. My question regards the rock. I've
noticed lately that I am starting to get many purple coralline algae
spots over most of the rocks. <Good.> Is it possible for the rocks to
be depleting my calcium faster than I am supplementing? <Sure, you need
to supplement for the needs of the tank, some will require less, some
more. Dosage levels on the bottle are just a starting point.> Thank
you. <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Dan Carstarphen, ASA, MAAA
Calcium at 780 - 02/27/06
Yes, LFS verified it
today. Inherited a 29 gal Eclipse 3 that was FO that had sat in a
garage for 2 weeks last summer. Started reading and
have not
stopped. Ordered from GARF.org, janitor special, 10 lbs Garf Grunge, 2
lbs Garf Grunge Plus.
<... drop this stuff>
Received on 7/21/05
and that is when this journey began. Used Seachem trio, complete @ 2
caps/wk for 2 mo.s,
carbonate and reef plus 1 cap/wk. Stopped using
the Ca when the snails started to proliferate and I started get Ca
snowstorm from a cap of
carbonate. Have still added 1 cap of Reef
Plus/wk since last July. Found your website and have spent endless
enjoyable hours perusing it
and learning. Reef tank is now 7 months
old, the red-legged hermit crabs slowly met their demise after several
months, probably from lack
of food. As I will be moving this Fall,
I have kept the tank pretty primitive, 10# base rock, 5# live rock, one
of which has a dozen green
pimple mushrooms. Now have a dozen red
Gracilaria and 7 green cup macroalgae growing, 1 Nassarius, a dozen
cerith and red turban and
Nerite snails (after handpicking a couple
hundred small baby snails out of the tank). It appears I have coralline
algae starting and I am very
excited and decided to start testing
the water parameters, ugh! As of today: SG 1.0225, PH 8.0, Alk, 180
ppm, nitrate, nitrite 0, Ca 780,
whew! LFS told me not to worry
about the Ca level, but I am concerned,
<Me too... dilute over
time... through water changes...>
as there is not much in the tank
to use it up. I did buy two yellow watchman gobies a week ago and they
are simply terrific little fish and
seem to be right at
home. Bought RMF's Conscientious Marine Aquarist and the new Reef
Invertebrate books and am devouring them now. I feel I
am headed
for trouble with the Ca being so high and not much of a bioload to use
it up. Should I be concerned with trying to lower the Ca?
<Not
overly... just dilute...>
At this point I am very happy with the
tank and if the coralline algae grows, that is all I ask. BTW I have
not experienced any bad
algae blooms since I started. Any help you
can give would be appreciated....Dave in NYS
<You'll do fine by
stopping the GARF garbage, making partial water changes over time. Bob
Fenner>
Calcium, Alkalinity, and pH question
2/17/06
Hello WWM crew,
I want to thank you for tanking time
<Heee>
to help me out. After searching extensively to find an
answer, I opted to beg for your advice!
My problem is
this: My calcium level is in the 550 range, which is getting much
higher than what i would like.
<...!>
I am guessing that it
is effecting my Alkalinity since it is reading at about 150 ppm
(measured from a dip test
strip...I know, not the best in measure
but I'm getting an alkalinity kit.). My pH is currently at the "fair"
mark for a reef tank at about 8.0.
I don't know how my
calcium got that high, I used Oceanic salt,
<Ding ding ding!
Winnah!>
which i was told was usually a little higher in calcium.
<And inconsistent at that>
I did supplement using Seachem Reef
Complete only twice in 1 1/2 months. I also put 45 lbs of base rock in
from Reefer Rocks.
<... also a likely contributor>
It was
supposed to maintain alkalinity and pH, could it also be giving off
calcium?
<Oh yes>
I don't know where the calcium came from, but
my question is this: What should I do to get my calcium count down and
my
alkalinity up before my problems get far worse?
<... posted
on WWM... First off, switch salt mix brands...>
Also, I have tried
Seachem Marine buffer 8.3 to get it back up, and that was to no avail.
<Don't "worry" re pH, or try to adjust at this point>
Was it just
precipitating out with the calcium?
<Mmm, yes>
What can I do to
keep my tank from crashing?
<Read...>
Does calcium
and carbonate precipitate hurt fish or corals, or does it just cause a
snowstorm?
<Can, yes to both>
Would it be safe
to use Seachem Reef Carbonate to restore what is lost?
<... One
approach... but dilution would be my first wave/approach>
I
really appreciate your time, any help is greatly appreciated!
Thanks again!
<Read so you understand what you're doing, your
choices here... on WWM re pH, alkalinity, calcium... Bob Fenner>
Re: Calcium, Alkalinity, and pH question 2/18/06
Hello
again WWM, <Hello DHD>
Ok, so after reading all the questions asked
to you in the FAQ's pretty extensively, I changed 20 gallons out last
night, which by water volume is about
20% or so. Would
have loved to have done more, but my equipment didn't permit it.
My Ca came down to about 500 ppm as my eyes could see. After testing
alkalinity, it seriously helped bringing it up to approximately
10 dKH. Is my alkalinity likely to stay up for long given the Ca
level, or is this still unbalanced? <Wouldn't expect it to go down much
now.> If it is still unbalanced, I'm guessing calcium is going to win
right? <Yep>
I plan on doing several more water changes to dilute it
out more. How does a couple more 20 gallon changes sound over the next
week? <Sounds good to me.> I appreciate your help, and I read the
FAQ's well even before I E-mailed you, <Bless your heart.> I was just
simply trying to get the best possible course of action from
the professionals if you know what I mean. <Understand.> Being in the
hobby only a year, I was hesitant to do
anything without first
seeking direct advice. <Do continue reading my friend, you will learn
much about this hobby.> Any more input would be great!
Thanks again WWM! <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Calcium
levels 1/30/06
Dear WWM crew, <Cindy>
Sorry to
bother you again. I followed your advice to get testing kit for
alkalinity, calcium, and phosphate. Here are my water parameters
following a 5
gallon water change:
specific
gravity?/salinity 125 <1.025???>
pH 8.3
ammonia .25
nitrite 0
nitrate .20
phosphate 2.0
KH 179 <17.9dkh or
what??>
calcium 480-520 tested 4 times I am very worried about
the high level of calcium. <No need to be.> I use Instant Ocean Salt
Mix. The only additives I have used in this tank is CoralVite-very
sparingly-2x a month. I have been investigating what could be causing
this high level. The sound you hear is me kicking
myself...When doing water changes I have not been aerating or aging the
new water before adding it to the tank. I NOW know better. I suspect
this is causing my high calcium levels. <No> My fish and
mushroom/zoanthids all look great and no one is showing any signs of
stress (but what do I know?? I can't even be trusted to make up their
water correctly).
Should I do small water changes to
bring the calcium under 500? <I'd just do your normal 10% weekly water
changes, keep your dKH between 8 to 12 and calcium levels should lower
gradually.>
I will follow the directions in CMA (just arrived
yesterday) regarding water preparation from now on. I purchased a
powerhead, heater, Rubbermaid
container and saltwater storage jug
today. <Sounds good.>
Thank you for all your help. <You're
welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Cindy Calcium levels
2/2/06
Dear WWM crew, <Cindy>
Sorry to bother you again. I
followed your advice to get testing kit for alkalinity, calcium, and
phosphate. Here are my water parameters following a 5
gallon water
change: specific gravity?/salinity 125 <1.025???> sorry-1.025 is
correct
pH 8.3
ammonia .25
nitrite 0
nitrate .20
phosphate 2.0
KH 179 <17.9dkh or what??> 179 ppm
calcium 480-520 tested 4 times I am very worried about the high
level of calcium. <No need to be.> I use Instant Ocean Salt Mix. The
only additives I have used in this tank is CoralVite-very sparingly-2x a
month. I have been investigating what could be causing this high level.
The sound you hear is me kicking myself...When doing water changes I
have not been aerating or aging the new water before adding it to the
tank. I NOW know better. I suspect this is causing my high calcium
levels. <No> My fish and mushroom/zoanthids all look great and no one is
showing any signs of stress (but what do I know?? I can't even be
trusted to make up their water correctly).
Should I do
small water changes to bring the calcium under 500? <I'd just do your
normal 10% weekly water changes, keep your dKH between 8 to 12 and
calcium levels should lower gradually.>
I will follow the directions
in CMA (just arrived yesterday) regarding water preparation from now
on. I purchased a powerhead, heater, Rubbermaid
container and
saltwater storage jug today. <Sounds good.>
Thank you for all your
help. <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
I was so confused about
KH testing results. I have since read so much about this I have Pop Eye
Disease. Now I am only slightly confused. My testing
results were
actually 179 ppm or 10 dKH. I apologize for the confusion, the LFS told
me 179 and I wasn't sure what they were talking about and they were not
able to clarify (imagine that).
Thank you for your time and
patience. <You're welcome.> I have learned so much from this site.
I
missed getting to see Bob and Anthony in action in Dallas last weekend
at the DFWMAS meeting. From all reports it was excellent and everyone
felt they learned so much. <Good to hear. There may be another time
Cindy. James (Salty Dog)>
Cindy Calcium products
Hello, <Hello James, nice name.>
I was just going to order
a Seachem calcium product. I am confused as there is reef advantage
calcium, reef calcium and reef
complete. They all seem
to do the same thing. Which one should I use? I already have an
AquaMedic Kalkwasser stirrer but need to top
up the
calcium level now and again and I also need to add calcium to my new
water. <Reef Advantage Calcium is a ionic blend of calcium that also
contains the needed supplements of magnesium and strontium. Reef
Calcium is a polygluconate based product used to maintain calcium
levels. It enhances growth of corals, coralline algae, etc. The Reef
Calcium will have little effect on actually raising the calcium
level. Reef Complete is basically the same as Reef Advantage but in a
liquid form. Hope this helps. James (Salty Dog)>
Kind Regards,
James.
Reef Calcium conundrum, Captive-prop'ed BTA
12/9/05
I have a question for you...imagine that, I have a 55gal
w/ 4" DSB that I've started with a few zoo's frags, some Kenya tree, and
a Ricordea. I just got a wild hair and decided to test my alkalinity and
calcium levels. My calcium came out to a whopping 560ppm and the
alkalinity to about 180ppm. I've been using B-ionic 2 part calcium/alk.
supplement and Kent's SuperBuffer dKH weekly as my source water is
extremely soft (about 10ppm).
I am seriously considering putting in
an anemone (BTA to go with ocellaris clown---I love anemone/clownfish
systems!), but don't want to do so until I'm sure my water quality is
just right...not to mention that I'm at a loss as to where to find a
captive produced clone in my area (N. CO) I have about 60 lbs. LR and
about 15 lbs. coral skeletons. I'm not sure if these levels are OK and
if I should stop/scale down my dosing? Any help? Oh, also, what is your
opinion on using bleach to clean out QT tanks/equipment?...I've always
used vinegar, but was recommended to use bleach...Thanks, Branon.
<If
your levels and water quality are rock-solid and stable, you're probably
fine, assuming other parameters are met (lighting in particular). Your
LFS should be able to procure a captive-cloned BTA for you, or you may
be able to find one via internet mail-order.
Good on you for
demanding captive prop'ed livestock. Bleach is definitely better than
vinegar for sterilizing equipment. You can dilute it 1:2 or 1:3 bleach:
water and spray it with a spray bottle (KEEP IT OUT OF YOUR EYES, OFF
SKIN, FAVORITE BLUE JEANS, ETC) on large stuff like tanks. Just be sure
to rinse everything very thoroughly. Lastly, try to buy the most basic
bleach, without perfume, etc. Happy Holidays, Lorenzo>
<<It helps
to keep a bit of dry sodium thiosulfate on hand, can be found online
through chemical supply houses at incredibly cheap prices!
Marina>> Re: Reef Calcium conundrum... 12/13/05
Thanks for the advise re: the bleach, I'll definately be making the
switch. Thank you also for the encouragement to buy captive propagated
specimens...sometimes it is so tempting to buy the WC stuff at the LFS,
but I just keep telling myself I'll be happier in the long run. <And so
will the rest of the hobby, and the livestock too!> However, I'm still
not sure about the dosing ??? (I know, I asked way to many questions in
that last e-mail...sorry.) Should I continue at current levels, stop,
reduce, or what? <If you do make any changes, do so very gradually. Some
folks say, when it comes to aquariums, anything that happens fast - is
bound to be bad.> Also, will these softies, and maybe a GSP and/or xenia
be alright with a BTA? LTA? <It is ALWAYS a risk, to mix corals with
anemones, no matter the size of the aquarium. But stick to generally
hardy species, keep fresh carbon in a powerfilter, and keep the whole
environment stable, and it's certainly possible.> Thank you. Branon.
<You're always welcome, Zo> Calcium additions 12/8/05
Mr. Fenner, First, I'd like to say I'm a big fan, I have enjoyed reading
both your Conscientious Aquarist book and articles for some time now. I
currently have a 24 gallon nano cube aquarium, up until this time I have
only a limited experience with dosing and do not feel very comfortable
with it. However, I have begun keeping more stony corals and realize
their need for sufficient calcium.
<And Alkalinity! Calcium and
alkalinity should always be added in a balanced fashion. Kalkwasser is
one of the best ways. In many cases, simply using Kalkwasser to replace
evaporation will meet all of the needs for calcium and alkalinity. Other
options include two part additives like B-Ionic or C-Balance. Two part
additives are very convenient and easy to use, but are relatively
expensive. Calcium reactors are also an option, but are not practical
for such small tanks.>
I would feel most comfortable with a crushed
coral/aragonite substrate to provide both a buffer and calcium source
for my tank, but I currently have an established tank with a thin LS
substrate.
<Crushed coral is a poor choice for many reason. Fine
grained aragonite is better, but no calcific substrate will meet all of
the needs for calcium and alkalinity. They simply cannot dissolve fast
enough, even deep in the bed.>
I have read as much as possible but am
still confused by the seemingly endless options before me. What I am
considering is establishing a considerable aragonite DSB in my refugium
or possibly mixing the substrate directly into my LS. Am I getting this
all confused or will either of those solutions work? Sincerely, Derek
Rooney Silver Spring, MD
<It is quite easy to get confused!
While
there are many benefits to DSB's (I recommend them, especially in
refugia), including some modest support of Ca and Alk, they usually
cannot meet all of the needs of the corals. Kalkwasser and two part
additives are your best bets. Lots of information about their use is
available at WWM and elsewhere on the web and better brands include
excellent instructions for their use. Best Regards. AdamC.>
Making Calcium 8/3/05
Hi Crew,
You guys are doing a great job
to keep this hobby going. Keep up the good work.
This is my first
mail to WWM and I am thinking how to put this "silly" idea of mine.
Let me try. I’m from a country (Maldives) where buying of Kalk and other
marine aquarium related items are a big problem due to lack of stock at
the market.
<I have visited your country... mainly the Ari Atoll>
So I read WWM a lot and came up with this idea of making my own Kalk.
Since you (WWM) guys have given lots of information on how to make calc
reactors, I tried to make one of my own but failed to complete one when
I couldn't get a CO2 cylinder. Then came up with this new idea. We get
sand and dead coral for free from the beach, but to dissolve them to
water will take ages.
So I thought I would try something soft like
the shell people use to feed the parrots. Its squid shell I think which
have lots of calcium.
<Yes>
Question 1: Do you think that it is
possible to make calcium from this shell?
<Possibly>
Question 2:
If so, will that calcium is good enough to give calcium for my 70g
tank with lots soft and some LPS?
<Should be>
Question 3: I know
I will have to do the math on how much to give, but can you give me a
rough suggestion on how much to add.
<Mmm, I would try whatever
means you have in mind to "melt" the carbonate, see the resulting
concentration (and pH) of the solution, drip in and see what happens (by
testing) to the water quality...>
Oh, I forgot to tell you how I’m
going to make my calc. I’m thinking of putting little pieces in water
and keep it for like a week and then pour that water to tank. I know its
hard, but you see I have done it and it worked. At the end of the week I
found there were couple of pieces that didn’t dissolve, so I shook the
bottle for a while and it became soluble which gave me lots of calc. But
I don’t know whether its the "real" calc, as far as I know its white and
raised my Ph high.
<Should be fine doing this>
I hope you didn’t
lose your patience in reading this mail of mine, cos its bit long, if so
I’m very sorry about it.
Thanks
Ahmed
<I think you have hit
upon a very good idea, practice. Bob Fenner>
Water Quality on
Water Changes 8/2/05
Hello, I have what I hope will be a quick
question. In regards to the water used to perform a water change to my
reef aquarium, I was wondering if I should be adding calcium to that
water while it is being stored.
<Mmm, not likely, but...>
I
currently am storing it in a 30 gallon tank with a power head. I add
the RO/DI water, salt and PH buffer and was not sure if I should also be
adding calcium to that as well. Thanks for your help.
<Depends...
on how much calcium you want/need... most all salt mixes have "extra"
biomineral content... if you find (by testing) that your system is
deficient (usually 350 ppm calcium is a good minimum), you can bolster
new water... in a few ways... These are discussed in places on WWM...
can be searched... Bob Fenner>
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