Maintaining calcium levels

[ashnat]

I am relatively new to the hobby and have a 55 gal reef tank. I have been using AragaMilk for my calcium addition. Recently I read several negative comments about it in other threads, however, my calcium levels seem to stay consistent at around 360-375ppm using it. I decided to try Kent's Kalkwasser Mix based on what I read in those threads and learned that you need to add it slowly. It even recommend a drip bottle. I don't have a sump so the only way I could use a drip bottle would be to have it above my tank which wouldn't look to good. Can anyone give me advice on a good way to add it. I was adding small amounts of it about 3-6 times a day for a week and checking my calcium levels it never really increased.

I know you should be around 400ppm on calcium but my corals seem to do fine. Should I be concerned about raising my calcium level closer to 400?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What is your alkalinity level?

What sorts of corals do you keep?

Insufficient addition of calcium and alkalinity via Aragamilk (or any other balanced additive) will primarily manifest itself as low alkalinity. Calcium cannot really drop much if alkalinity is not supplemented because the pathway to reducing calcium is to deposit calcium carbonate,and without carbonate (alkalinity), that cannot happen.

It is true that I think that Aragamilk added directly to the tank is not a very useful product for most reef aquaria. I review it in this article:

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement (Aragamight; Liquid Reactor)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/chem.htm

This article details lots of info on what limewater is and how to dose it:

What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.htm

It is a much better method, and is what I have used for 9 years.

[ashnat]

I knew the first question I would get would be alkalinity. I don't have a test kit yet but I am planning to get one soon. Right now I have a cup pagoda, yellow pollyps, 2 zoos, palythoa, woods polyp, blue and red mushrooms, 2 gorgonians, green stars and either a colt coral or a capnella.

Thanks for the links, I'll check them out.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Most of those do not use much in the way of calcium or alkalinity, so they may not be a good indicator of either.

How is coralline algae doing?

[ashnat]

The coralline algae is doing great. The back wall of my tank is probably 50% covered and I have to scrape it off of the sides every couple days. I had an open brain coral that was doing great and then suddenly stopped opening up and now is either dead or close to it. There is still a significant amount of flourescent green color in it but I haven't seen the tentacles in about 3 months.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If the coralline is growing well, then the alkalinity may be fine, but I'd suggest getting a kit to be sure. :)