Calcium Levels Really Low, How Can I safely increase

[MikeyNYC]

Calcium levels are really low, 150mg/l

I started dosing ESV 2 part B-Ionic this saturday, 26ml for my 93 gallon bow. According to the direction, it states 1ml per 4 gallons.

Do I continue to dose recommended level and eventually I will meet a decent level, 400mg/l?

Or should i dose greater amounts to reach the correct level, and then back down to the recommended level to maintain levels.

I've visited the site with the Reef Chemistry Calculator. Hopefully you'll know what I'm referring to. With the given variables of current cal @ 150 and desired level @ 400, it recommended that I dose approx 3 hugh doses of supplement. Is this safe?. Each dose followed by testing to monitor levels.

Thanks in advance for the information. Mike

 

[Deanos]

You need to test your alkalinity and magnesium if your calcium is that low.

 

[loismustdie]

Tough call. I'm dosing 2 ml per gallon on 2 part. I think ESV is trying to play it safe for those who do not test. As Deanos said, test your alk and Mg. Ca, Mg and alk are related. If one is out of whack, it's possible that you can get some incorrect readings on others.

 

[MikeyNYC]

Alk level is good, 4.0. Not sure Mg, don't have the test kit yet.

I've been good with water changes, but haven't dosed calcium up to this point. With water changes, should I be able to hit calcium levels up around 400 or does the water need to be supplemented to get it that high?

 

[loismustdie]

What salt are you using?

 

[MikeyNYC]

The tank was originally setup with Instant Ocean, switch over to reef crystals about a month back.

 

[loismustdie]

IO and RC tend to be a little low on Ca Mg and alk. I would test all 3 and go from there. I'm not a big fan of the reef calculator. Increase your doses slightly and test. Too low, dose more, too high, dose less. The reef calculator is a guide. It is there to help, but it is about as good as using watts per gallon when choosing your lighting. Don't dose if you don't test.

 

[reefman]

i believe IO n RC is usually at around 350-400. try doing a ca test on freshly made IO water to verify the validity on the test kit. 150 seems ridiculous low.

 

[Manny]

I started dosing ESV 2 part B-Ionic this saturday, 26ml for my 93 gallon bow. According to the direction, it states 1ml per 4 gallons.

*not giving advice*
just saying, I have to dose 20ml of both daily to keep my parameters where I want them in my 30 gallon... pretty stocked up though

good luck

 

[alrha]

you might want to double check that with another test kit to make sure it's not the kit that is faulty.

 

[meschaefer]

150 seems really low. Retest.

That being said, you will need to take corrective action to bring your levels back up. Dosing the reccomeneded amount of B-ionic will, in theory, maintain your levels not raise them.

Water changes could solve the problem. When I make a five gallon bucket of saltwater with IO, I also use a tablespoon of Kent Turbo Calcium (Or an equivelent substitute). If I remember correctly, when I am aiming for 1.026 salinity the IO has a calcium level of 380(Once again generally speaking), and the addition of the turbo calcium should bring it close to 450. Enough water changes will bring your levels into line.

You could also bring your levels up by increasing the dosing of B-ioninc, using the reef caculator as a guide. You may need to dose them in unequal parts untill your parameters are in line. Then dose equally, as needed to maintain levels.

Always change your levels slowly, and retest inbetween dosing.

 

[alrha]

When I make a five gallon bucket of saltwater with IO, I also use a tablespoon of Kent Turbo Calcium (Or an equivelent substitute). If I remember correctly, when I am aiming for 1.026 salinity the IO has a calcium level of 380(Once again generally speaking), and the addition of the turbo calcium should bring it close to 450. Enough water changes will bring your levels into line.

why not just add the calcium directly to your tank (dissolved in RO/DI of course)?

 

[Harif87]

I know it was already mentioned, but it seemed to be ignored. I think you should test your magnesium before trying to supplement with more calcium.

 

[meschaefer]

why not just add the calcium directly to your tank (dissolved in RO/DI of course)?

Beacuse I am attempting to get the water parameters for my waterchange, to be consistent with my tank water paramters. I could add it directly to my tank, but it seems just as easy to mix it in along with the salt. He was asking if he could fix his levels using water changes. This is only in reference to making fresh saltwater, in order to maintain my calcium I dose calcium directly into my tank everyday.

For what its worth, if his calcium parameters are really that out of whack he probably has other problems as well, and could use some good old fashion water changes to bring everything slowly into line.

 

[alrha]

i see what you're saying matt.
but if his Ca really is at 150, it would require a 100% water change to be at the proper level. a 10% water change for example, with a Ca of 400 would only raise his Ca to 175.

 

[MikeyNYC]

Thank you everyone for the input. I'm going to purchase some test kits, and see where I stand. I perform weekly water changes, but I may not be replacing enough water with each change, I probably will increase volume as well. Anyway, thanks again. Mike

And oh yeah, one last thing, I tested my Seachem Calcium test kit. I made one 5 gallon buck of rodi water, mixed salt up to 1.025 and came out with 200 reading. Perhaps the kit is bad, I have a salifert kit on the way, time will tell.

 

[tomzpc]

Sounds like a faulty measurement. I'm not sure that it's even possible to have a calcium level that low.

 

[alrha]

sounds like a bad kit. their Ca kis come with a reference solution, have u tried it? u might also want to contact seachem, maybe they send you a replacement kit.

 

[MikeyNYC]

Test Results

I received a few new salifert test kits today, and from what I've read, levels are not that bad after all.
Ca
Originally, Ca levels consistently tested as 150ppm using the Seachem test kit.

With Salifert, Ca levels came in at 320ppm

Mg
1170ppm

KH/Alk
KH 12.8 dKH
4.57 meq/L

Now after all has been said and done, how do my levels stack up. I have a tank with only small softies, about 10 total. Where do I need to make improvements?

 

[prattreef]

This makes more sense Now you can simply add just the calcium component for a few days until it raises to the 400-450 range and at the same time the alk will drop--- shoot for 3-3.5 meq/L. Then you need to resume adding both parts in equal proportions and test regularly to see what your system needs to maintain these levels.

Randy