Raising calcium?etc..

[kidk3]

Ya I threaded this before ,but I am affraid Im still a bit confused. I dont dose anythign right now.Micro vert on occasion is all.

What do I need to do to get my calc up to 400 or so? I hear 2 parts are best,but do I need to drip also? I jsut dont get it maybe you guys can explaina bit easier for me.

Thanks in advance
JAke

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You need to think about maintaining calcium and alkalinity. For a lightly loaded aquarium there are several good ways to add calcium and alkalinity.

Two part systems and limewater (aka kalkwasser) are among the best choices for lightly loaded tanks. Limewater is dripped in, or pumped in slowly. The two part systems are dumped in each day or two (maybe even less, in very light loads).

I use limewater myself.
This article compares many of the options:

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm


This article provides more general advice:

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters (a summary general article)
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

[kidk3]

thanks , mine is a "young" tank almost 6 months old now.All the small colonies are doing well , but I think they would be served better with a higher saturation of calc more than they are depleting the tank of it. I ordered some c-balance to try.AS well as some coral-vite not sire if it is needed or not though.Reef products are similar to snake oil ya know

[Trek Rider]

I don't mean to highjack this thread but my question may be relevant. I've mixed pickling lime with RODI water. It's been two days and the water is still slightly cloudy. How clear does the water have to be to dose? Should I actually filter it to eliminate "all" solids?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

mine is a "young" tank almost 6 months old now.All the small colonies are doing well , but I think they would be served better with a higher saturation of calc more than they are depleting the tank of it. I ordered some c-balance to try.AS well as some coral-vite not sire if it is needed or not though.Reef products are similar to snake oil ya know

The C-balance is a fine way to go. I don't know that I would recommend Coral-vite as I do not know what is in it.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't mean to highjack this thread but my question may be relevant. I've mixed pickling lime with RODI water. It's been two days and the water is still slightly cloudy. How clear does the water have to be to dose? Should I actually filter it to eliminate "all" solids?

If you've let it settle overnight, that is long enough for most of the larger particles to settle out. Some limewater is slow to clear, and some stays cloudy due to ongoing precipitation of CaCO3 throughout the water column due to CO2 entering it. Be sure to keep it covered. :)

[Trek Rider]

It is covered. It is in a 2L bottle.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK, then it should be fine to use after a few hous of settling. :)

[Trek Rider]

Thanks

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

You're welcome.

Good luck! :)

[kidk3]

might try a diff brand of juice then might settle better.

Randy I've been talking to a few buds that use lime and they are saying it is hard to overdose. Do you have simple terms to explain what happens to unused lime water? is it jsut converted over to nuetral substance?

Thanks for the help once I get it going .I'll post some update ot the situation

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree that it is hard to overdose limewater from a calcium and alkalinity perspective, but it is easy to push the pH too high.

As you add limewater, the calcium, alkalinity and pH rise. Each of those rising also increases the liklihood of precipitating calcium carbonate on heaters, pumps, live sand, etc. So the excess calcium and alkalinity in the water column is limited in that fashion (via precipitation).