calcium Question?

jimandlynnette · #1 06/28/2002, 05:00 PM

i have a 37 gal. reef that has been running for 2-3 yrs. I've never added calcium. The best thing to do would to go out and buy test kits and go from there. Funds wont allow that right now,and i have a good amount of kent turbo cal. The tank is mostly live rock w/ some shrooms and some pollops. Very light load. Question: I wanna start putting calcium in tonight if possible, How many table spoons should i dose each day?

ReefSharkDudeGuy · #2 06/29/2002, 04:32 AM

I have Reef Advantage Calcium supplement by Seachem and they suggest adding it twice a week. The dosage they recommend is 1 teaspoon for every 40 gallons. However, your calcium supplement may be more or less concentrated than mine so the dosage may be slightly off. The directions also strictly say you must mix each dose with at least 1 cup of FRESHWATER (dechlorinated) to dissolve the calcium, so make sure you do that. Depending on how high you want your calcium level, this dosage could take quite some time to raise it to what you want. You can add more than the recommended dosage, but don't add more than twice the recommended dosage per day or else it will take down the alkalinity level. If I were you, I would just add 1 teaspoon every day until you've reached the calcium level desired.

Dash

rshimek · #3 06/29/2002, 09:19 AM

Hi,

This is a better forum for this question.

Randy Holmes-Farley · #4 06/30/2002, 06:27 AM

It is rather difficult to decide how much calcium supplement to add without knowing the calcium level in the tank and the ongoing demand (which in your case will be fairly low depending on the rate of coralline algae growth).

So I'd strongly suggest either getting a calcium test kit, or using limewater (or other balanced additive system) to supplement both calcium and alkalinity (since they are more forgiving in dosing amounts than independent calcium and alkalinity additions).

DO NOT just add calcium. If calcium is low, alkalinity is also likely low. In that case, adding just calcium will make the imbalance worse.

jimandlynnette · #5 06/30/2002, 09:39 AM

thanx for clearing that up for me!

Randy Holmes-Farley · #6 07/01/2002, 07:20 PM

Anytime!