I STILL need help with Calcium

[Juck]

Over the last couple of months I've had a real problem maintaining Ca in my 75g reef. Specs are:

Setup 12 Months
100lb Fiji LR
2x175w 10k Ushios + 4x55w PC's Half 10k, half Actinic.
3" Aragonite Sand Bed
IO Salt, 10% water change every 2 or 3 weeks
3 Stage RO/DI Water, TDS 2ppm
Euroreef ES5-2 Skimmer
Large (5lb) bag of carbon changed every 2 months or so
30g Fuge w/ Chaetomorpha & 3" Arag DSB, 65w LOA PC Lighting 24/7
9 Small Fish (6 clowns, 2 firefish, Redlip blenny)
Mainly Zoos & SPS corals,, nothing fancy,, Acros, Montis, Millep. and 2 Pachyseris
3 Anemones (condy, Carpet, BTA)

A,N,N 0,0,0
PH 8.2 pretty much all day and night
Alk 8.9
Ca 200
SG 1.023
Temp 80-82

I don't test for anything else,,, I use the Salifert and Seachem kits for testing Ca.


I don't dose anything except Kalk (mrs Wages Pickling Lime), which is dripped into the sump next to the return pump.

Until the ca levels start dropping about 3 months ago, I used to drip about 2 litres of Kalk daily and that kept the Ca level around 450,,,,, now I'm replacing all evaporated water with kalk,,,, over 1.5 gallons a day and the Ca still won't rise above 200.

The corals are healthy but their growth rate has slowed considerably in the last 2 months. I'm tearing my hair out here,,,,Any ideas? Sugestions? I don't have room for a Ca Reactor on this tank.

 

[Anonymous]

I had the exact same problem. I ended up using 2-part supplements to bring the level back up.

 

[tenshi]

I believe Kalk never raises calcium, just maintains it. So here's where I think the problem is. Have you ever taken a measurement of how much calcium is in the water you just mixed with IO. I did once and found out that with me it was never over 400, but always over 250. So that means you slowly watered down the amount of calcium in your system. What you need is a salt that will constantly mix at or above 450. I've been using Oceanic Salt for a little over 5 months and I'm yet to get a batch that will mix with less than 450. It's usually at 460 to 490. Now you could just do your water changes with a higher calcium salt for the next few months and that would eventually bring it back to a more acceptable level. So I think you should use a 2 part supplement like Kent or B-Ionics or use a calcium restorer like Seachem's Reef Complete or Reef Advantage or Kent's Turbo Calcium to bring the level back up and then switch to a salt mix with a more constant calcium level. When using the one part calcium additives you'll have to watch your Alk though because it tends to come down as you add calcium only, but that might not be a factor since your using Kalk, which helps maintain Alk.

 

[Anonymous]

the two part cal/alk kits are a good idea.

I brought my ca up from 250-300 using crushed oyster shells and circulating 5x/hour water through them. Ca has been 400+ for months now and the last three weeks 435. without dripping kalk or dosing. And a similiar calcium load to what you have.

 

[Fatal Morgana]

>...And a similiar calcium load to what you have....

I don't know how applicable your method will be to Juck's, since he got some real calcium suckers like hard corals. See his livestock list.

If daily topoff with kalk does not keep up with the calcium demand, you need to add other calcium supplement (some are junks, but two part additive and calcium chloride are fine) to boost the calcium up. Many reefers has to spike vinegar to kalk in order to get enough kalk to topoff water, and it is possible that you are in that situation too.

 

[ChrisRD]

Juck,

I'm not surprised that you can't maintain calcium levels with just kalkwasser in a tank that has SPS corals and coralline algae.

A 2-part and/or a Ca reactor combined with your kalk-topoff should do the trick.

As mentioned, using a salt mix that is low in Ca could also be contributing to the problems. You can always use a Ca supplement to boost levels when you mix up a batch of saltwater to counter that (if you don't want to switch to a salts).

Needless to say, the oyster shell thing won't work.

 

[Juck]

Thanks for the advice guys,

I really would prefer not to switch to another additive (geez,,I sound like Bartleby). But I think it's my best bet,,, just thought someone out there might have a cool trick to solve my problem.

I don't think changing Salt brands is the answer either,, heard too many horror stories about that. I may try a couple of large water changes though.

Bob,,, I flat-out don't believe you are maintaining that Ca level using the pointless method you describe. Unless you have a massive PH drop somewhere along the line to dissolve the Oyster Shells, all you have there is a detritus trap. Don't bother replying,,, I'm not interested.

 

[ricky1414]

Bob,,, I flat-out don't believe you are maintaining that Ca level using the pointless method you describe. Unless you have a massive PH drop somewhere along the line to dissolve the Oyster Shells, all you have there is a detritus trap. Don't bother replying,,, I'm not interested.

Daaaaang, that was kinda harsh.

On a serious note- Have you thought about testing your CA right after a water change? I tried dripping Kalk on my 20, but ended up going to a two part. Less hassle to increase calcium levels that way. I'm sure that you'll get it all straightened out soon enough.

 

[ricky1414]

oops...double post

 

[reeforme]

I also have a 75G and had the same problem. After trying many different additives, I finally was able to maintain a CA level of 375 using B-ionic and once a week adding turbo calcium. I'm using a gallon of B-ionic every 45 days or so. Alittle on the expensive side but, well worth it! I'm adding 2oz of b-ionic daily and 1/2 a tablespoon of turbo calcium per week. It works for me. I have a couple of clams so I'm sure they use quite a bit of CA.

 

[Tackett]

my calcium level stays about 450 with oceanic salt, but you guys have me kinda worried, I dose kalk also, but wondering if i should hit the two parters myself.

 

[tenshi]

my calcium level stays about 450 with oceanic salt, but you guys have me kinda worried, I dose kalk also, but wondering if i should hit the two parters myself.

You really only have to worry if you have a reef, and even then you only have to worry when keeping critters with high calcium demand. What do you stock in your tank?

 

[Tackett]

I have two torches and a maxima clam about 1" long (little fella)

 

[tenshi]

Alright then, you have calcium demand. The other things you have to factor in is the volume of water you have in your system vs your calcium demand and the frequency of water changes vs your calcium demand. If you have a large water volume then it takes a longer time for your critters to deplet the calcium that they would in a smaller water volume. Think of this as they can only take in so much calcium at once. If your doing frequent water changes, then your supplementing calcium by doing the water changes.

 

[Anonymous]

Junk

You could also suppliment calcium with Dow flake. It is a brand name for calcium chloride. Sold in 50 pounds bags for $12-24 or so. check out hardware stores on concrete redi mix locations. Just mix a little up an a jar with water and add to the tank until calcium is the right level.


Then to get alk up use baking soda.

So you got kinda a diy two part system.

And of course go slow.

But then I'll just keep using the crushed oyster shells.

 

[ChrisRD]

But then I'll just keep using the crushed oyster shells.

And as long as you have little to no calcium demand maybe that will work out for you...

 

[Tackett]

I tried that dowflake mix up for a while and hated it. It kept the alkalinity and ca levels up but had some MAD chalk buildup man, i mean crap that I couldnt get off the tank even after I took it down and scrubbed it with bleach. I dunno if I was the only one who tried the flake and had that particular problem with it, but it was nasty man, just plain nasty.

 

[Ikarus5150]

I am just a rookie, but according to what I have read you can't maintian good CA level if you magnesium level are low - Kalkwasser is basically used to maintian CA levels while where liquid CA accually raise CA levels - Make your water changes more frequently in small volumes (constistancy).

 

[Garry thomas]

You can put as many CA additives in your tank as you want, and you WONT raise your calcium. All of you seem to be missing one vital ingrediant. Calcium is part of a complex chain of natural buffers, linked to your alk ph and the most important factor MG(magnesium) If you have a low MG level you are P***ing in the wind so to speak. What is your MG level have you tested?

 

[Juck]

Nope,, not tested for MG,,, ever. I'll get a kit and check it out.

Cheers Taff