Is using Calcium Chloride bad?

[F8LPONY]

I am having problems keeping my calcuim up and am learning more about dosing with Kalk which is supposed to be the safest method aside of using a 2-prat setup.

But I have a giant bottle of Kent Calcium Chloride that I can use before I go buy Kalk and a dosing system.

Will the Kent stuff even help? I have been using the normal 1tsp/day and it has not moved my levels one bit. I am still at 315. I am not 100% sure what my PH and Alk is but I am going to the store to get a test kit today to make sure it's normal. I have been using Kent Super Buffer once a week but again I am not sure of my PH & Alk.

I always thought though that if your calcium is low then your Alk is high?

Anyway, once I get the PH and Alk where it needs to be can I use the Calcium Chloide or will it cause problems or simply be futile?

[HydroPhile]

Will the Kent stuff even help? I have been using the normal 1tsp/day and it has not moved my levels one bit. I am still at 315. I am not 100% sure what my PH and Alk is but I am going to the store to get a test kit today to make sure it's normal. I have been using Kent Super Buffer once a week but again I am not sure of my PH & Alk.

Yes it will be fine, but the calcium chloride pellets will be more effective in raising you calcium levels. You may have to add a lot of concetrated liquid to get your calcium levels up.

I always thought though that if your calcium is low then your Alk is high?

Not necessarily, but if your alkalinity is too high then you calcium will drop. However, it is not likely that you alk is too high if you only add buffer once a week. So did you get the test kit? Your calcium levels probably fell because the organisms in your tank are using them at a faster rate than you are replenishing it.

Anyway, once I get the PH and Alk where it needs to be can I use the Calcium Chloide or will it cause problems or simply be futile?

Calcium chloride is fine to use. BTW, I used to use calcium chloride pellets and baking soda to keep up my levels before I got a calcium reactor. But be careful because baking soda will lower the pH of the tank. HTH

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As mentioned above, calcium chloride is a perfect choice when you need to make a corrective change in calcium levels, as you need to now. You'll need to add a lot. Check out the calcuilator that Andy Hipkiss put on his site to determine how much:

http://www.andy-hipkiss.co.uk/index.....uk/cacalc.htm

This article describes the balance between calcium and alkalinity:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.htm

[F8LPONY]

Thanks for the rsponse guys.

I checked all mylevels at the same time and they are as follows:

Salinity: 1.026
dKh: 12 or 4.28 meq/L
Temp: 82
Ca: 315
Nitrate: 5-10ppm
Nitrite: too low to register.

I am reading the articles posted and I think those with your help will help me solve my problem. I just didn't realize it would require so much liquid Ca chloride to raise it. I guess my LFS was right when they said the SeaChem pelleted Ca chloride was better.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It will still take a lot of the solid!

[F8LPONY]

Thx so much for the help.

My Ca levels are now rising but damn it takes a lot of the the liquid.

[brhibler]

I have the same problem. 2 days ago I checked my Ca and it was at 180. And instead of getting advice I just bought the kent liquad calcium. My bottle's almost gone. Yesterday I had buffered my Ca up to 420ppm(perfect), I checked it today and it was at 340ppm. So I added 3 cap fulls. I think I'm going to try a different way, maybe the pellets.

I have a new 65watt PC and since I bought it Saturday my coralline algee has taken off.
Also I'm wondering if my corals(leather, green polyps, and colt)
are using all that calcium. I have a 29gal w/4" DSB and 30lbs of live rock.
I wouldn't think I'd be haveing calcium problems.

[brhibler]

Just read something and now I know why I'm haveing these results.

I've been trying to buffer my pH with ALKALIZER. This stuff sux. I've been slacking on my weekly tests and haven't been checking my KH, now it is at 21dKH, yeah 21dKH!!!
I'm going to do a 20% water change tomorrow. I was adding the ALKALIZER to my top off water, and when I tested the water left over in the milk jug, the KH was above 35dKH. So I've been screwing up my KH.

What caught my attention was that I read if the KH is too high, then the Calcium won't stay where it's needed. and -Vise versa-

So I learned my leason the hard way, but with out doing any major damage.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What caught my attention was that I read if the KH is too high, then the Calcium won't stay where it's needed.

Yes, that is quite true. Hopefully you are now on the road to calcium success

[F8LPONY]

21dKH!!!

WOW!


And I thought my 12dKh was a bit high. LOL

Glad you got it figured out bro. Ohh, I had to use 4oz+ to get mine to 400ppm. I'll check it again and see what my dKh and Ca is and if it is going to somewhat stabilize.