purple up vs. kent marine calcium

[DetectiveTofu]

Is there a benefit to dosing Kent Marine Concentrated Calcium verus Purple up?

I know if you OD on just calcium, in the long run your alk will be whacky. But since purple up has calcium, and magnesium, and strontium (and other things I am sure) will this help to keep alk in check?

[sunfish11]

rythmicfire,

They are two totally different things. Go back to the diatom post and read what I just posted. I can't type it all again...

[UnderCoverDork]

2 part bufer

[DetectiveTofu]

what is a two part buffer?

[UnderCoverDork]

i would reccommend using a 2 part buffer to keep alk and Ca levels in check. check reefkeeper mag for this topic in the past issues (u can do a serch) and they will explain all you need to know

[sunfish11]

Also if you OD on calcium it will precipitate all over the place and you will have a little calcium snow storm in your tank. Having the propper levels of Mag will help to keep this from happening. Depending on your ALK and Mag levels you could cause precipitation at different calcium levels. I once precipitated calcium in my fresh mixed water by bringing the alk up to high by accident and it wasn't a good time getting it off of everything so I don't recomend the experience to anyone.

Lisa

[Sk8r]

rhythmicfire, to give you a good answer, the tank you're talking about is a FOWLR, right? You need a good reading in ph, alkalinity, nitrate and ammonia, salinity and temperature. Calcium dosing pertains to reefs: corals eat the stuff, plus light.

Calcium is part of your sea-salt: your water changes help replenish it. But consider this: your fish also use a bit, for bones and such. If you want to keep your water very high quality, it IS worth considering the balance of alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium, which reefkeepers do with corals. The balance we strive for is 8.3 or so alk, 400 or so cal, and 1200 mg, with 1.025 salinity and 80 degree temps. Alkalinity is one thing a fish will feel: if it drops too low, the fish is unhappy---and alk and cal and mg form part of a chemical triad that 'locks' the readings at a certain level. You may want to read more about that, if you want to get into other branches of this hobby. But certainly keeping your alkalinity and ph in good shape will increase fishy health.

[WaterKeeper]

rhythmicfire,

As a rule of thumb never does materials unless you know they are truly low from test results. See What Chemicals Must be Supplemented (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php) for a comprehensive article on the subject.