n00b question about supplements

[benhere]

I'm a n00b with a 55g tank and I don't really know WHAT I should be adding to the water ... I'm planning on setting up the 55g as a reef with mainly corals and peaceful fish ... I KNOW that calcium is important, but just what brand of calcium supplement would you recommend I use? And are there any other supplements I should know about and be adding to the tank? I would appreciate any help you can give me.


----Ben

[Boomer]

Ben, start here then come back for questions ;)

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

[benhere]

holy. crap.

it's 12am and I just finished reading that artical..... my head hurts! there were sooo many large words and I was too tired to look up the ones I didn't know (which were most of them), but I think I've narrowed it down to two things, either

1) limewater (using a drip method), or
2) an all-in-one supplement that I can add directly to the tank

I'm probably not going to have THAT many corals in my tank, being as it's only 55 gallons, so i'm leaning towards something simple like the all-in-one, on the other hand, my father can get me lime (most likely enriched with calcium) for free cuz he works at a water treatment plant... help me out here, what do you crazy reef keeping people think I should go with?!

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I choose to use limewater for my system, but the best overall methods, IMO, are limewater, CaCO3/CO2 reactors, and two part calcium and alkalinity additive systems. :)

This article may also be useful:

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

(most likely enriched with calcium)

I'm not familiar with such a thing, but if there is, I wouldn't use it. Lime already has a perfect balance of calcium and alkalinity. :)

[benhere]

ya, I would love to have a calcium reactor, but I have no money :P it's gonna take every penny I can earn just to get live rock and the necessities.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If cost is a big issue, then limewater and/or my DIY two part additive are the best ways to go. Here are the recipes for the latter:

A Homemade Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Additive System
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm

Location: Massachusetts.
Occupation: Student.

I see you are local to me. Where are you a student? Are you in the Boston Reefers club?

[benhere]

no I'm out in western mass by Springfield (live in Holyoke), I'm doing a correspondence course for high school and I will be graduating in the fall (because my retarded school has to be different than the others, grrr), after that I'll probably be going to HCC (Holyoke community college) or UMass.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK. :)

Good luck and Happy Reefing . :)