I'm helping someone out with his office tank. Just fish in there now...I added some Live rock. Tank been running for more than a year. Tested water and Calcium is abt 220. I want to turn his tank into a reef so need to raise the calcium. Any ideas how to do that and over how long a period of time?
Raising Calcium from 220 to 400
- Thread starter topmav1
- Start date
240 Gal. Not really gonna do the WC'S. Gonna leave that to the service company but I will ask what salt they use. From what I remember there's 3 Ocellaris, a Hippo, and that's all i remember. There's a couple more. Took home some water and tested. Has a sump with bio balls so that would explain the nitrates but I'm going to correct that in the next couple weeks.
Nitrates are like 50!
Ammonia 0
Salinity 1.024
Thats all I tested for so far.
Nitrates are like 50!
Ammonia 0
Salinity 1.024
Thats all I tested for so far.
Question is what's the most liquid calcium I can add at one time without causing a problem? At the rate that the calculator gave me I'll need to add 866 capfuls! lol.
DrHarryLopez
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Ozone Park, Queens
I would ck my Ca test kit before i react to any results. I always ck results even if things are good. I also look at my corals to see how they are reacting.
after i am sure that what i am reading is accurate then i act.
after i am sure that what i am reading is accurate then i act.
There are no corals in the tank yet. Its a fish only right now. Added LR about 3 weeks ago.
DrHarryLopez
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Ozone Park, Queens
I just cant see Ca getting that low without faulty test kits. What is the Alk? You really need to know both.
I see your in Bklyn, i'm on the borderline and would be glad to test all your parameters.
LMK
Harry
718 640-3367
- Location
- Union Square, NY
Raise it by 15ppm per day. That will get you to the target over the course of 2 weeks. Since there are no corals in the tank its not such a big deal but major changes in alk, ca, mag can have strange effects on livestock. For example, magnesium can be used as a anesthetic for snails and if you try and bring up your mg levels too quickly your snails will start acting like they are drunk. I would imagine doing the same thing with Ca could have similar results that we might not know about. So raise it slowly according to the rate I listed above.
- Location
- Elizabeth, NJ
You don't want to do it, but say water changes. If your calcium is down to that level, in a tank with no calcium demand, who knows what else is way off.
As for the nitrates, you're going to have much fun trying to remove them. They've become inbeded in the liverock and it's almost impossible to get it out. I did see a product called "Zero Nitrate" in the FAMA magazine this month. It did say reef safe. But since you don't have invertabrates in the set-up, it would be better to do the treatment before you add them. Another thing you can possibly try doing, is those bio-pellets everyody's raving about.
As for the nitrates, you're going to have much fun trying to remove them. They've become inbeded in the liverock and it's almost impossible to get it out. I did see a product called "Zero Nitrate" in the FAMA magazine this month. It did say reef safe. But since you don't have invertabrates in the set-up, it would be better to do the treatment before you add them. Another thing you can possibly try doing, is those bio-pellets everyody's raving about.
DrHarryLopez
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Ozone Park, Queens
Bio pellets work to control nitrates and Phosphates!
- Location
- Elizabeth, NJ
It's because of your results, that I recommended it.
- Location
- Elizabeth, NJ
Even if he does a weekly water changes, it's still not going to resolve the nitrate issue. Like I said before, "it has inbeded itself in the rock" and he's going to have to go with an advance method of removing it.
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