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coryaquarium101
10/30/2008, 10:35 PM
I have a 37 gallon tank with about 40lbs live rock. The only filter I have is a HOB aqua c Remora skimmer. I do a 5 gallon water change every 2 weeks, sometimes maybe 3 weeks. I use RO water for top offs and water changes. 2 clowns, 1 big blue/green chromis, 1 sexy shrimp, 8 hermit crabs, about 12 astrea snails, a few nasarius snails. 1 fighting conch. 1 small yellow gobie. About 20 green and healthy looking button polyps. I have compaq fluorescent lights on about 8 1/2 hours a day.

Temp 80-81.
Salinity tested with refractometer 1.025
ph 8 to 8.2
dkh 8
Nitrate 0
amonia 0
phosphate 0 or lil more.
Calcium 340.

I have been adding calcium and some purple up, but calcium does not want to go higher than 340 it seems. My skimmer kinda sucks, mostly tea colored water, but my water is very clear. I think calcium should be around 400? How should I get it up to that?

cory.

tmz
10/30/2008, 11:12 PM
You can dose 2 part additives of balanced calcium and alkalinity.Or you could just dose calcium chloride such as Kent's turbo calcium. Depleted magnesim may make it harder to deep high calcium levels. You could also consider a salt mix higher in calcium. There is a thread taht compares them in terms of levels of calcium, alkalinity and magnesium at the begging of the reef chemistry forum.

Toddrtrex
10/30/2008, 11:30 PM
What are your Alk and Mag levels? All three work together (( too put it simply ))

coryaquarium101
10/30/2008, 11:37 PM
I don't have alk or mag test kits yet. Is turbo calcium better than seachem reef calcium? Thanks TMZ and Todddrtex.

cory.

Playa-1
10/30/2008, 11:41 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13654396#post13654396 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
What are your Alk and Mag levels? All three work together (( too put it simply ))

I agree.
I would first test the Mag and Alk before you do anything else.

jdieck
10/30/2008, 11:54 PM
Turbo Calcium is pure calcium chloride and it is ideal to make adjustments to the calcium levels as it does not afects anything else and is very safe.

Seachem Reef Calcium although used to maintain and only to maintain the level of calcium it should never be used to make adjustments to the level. It is based on Calcium polygluconate. The gluconate will provide some alkalinity but being a source of organic carbon (like sugar) it will feed the bacteria. If added in the amounts required to make an increase in calcium the gluconate added will potentially cause a bacterial bloom creating clowdiness and starving the aquarium from Oxygen.

You do not seem many calcium consumers in your system, as such I would doubt your calcium could be that low.
I will recommend taking a sample of your water to the local fish store and ask them to run alkalinity, calcium and magnesium tests to it.
Try maintaining magnesium at around 1250 to 1350 ppm level to maintain stable calcium. Target a calcium level at around 420 ppm and alkalinity between 8 and 10 dKh.

If the low calcium is confirmed use the calcium chloride (Kent's Turbocalcium or ESV calium chloride) Dissolve the required amount in some RO/DI water before adding it to the system.
If you need to increase alkalinity you can use good 'ol Arm&Hammer baking soda (not baking powder) from the supermarket, dissolve the required amount in RO/DI and add it to a high flow area in your aquarium. For magnesium I would recommend Kent's Tech-M

To calculate the amounts you need for an specific increase, you can use the chemistry calculator at:

http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chem_calc3.html

Enjoy!

jdieck
10/31/2008, 12:03 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13654413#post13654413 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coryaquarium101
I don't have alk or mag test kits yet. Is turbo calcium better than seachem reef calcium? Thanks TMZ and Todddrtex.

cory.
How did you tested your dKh? That is alkalinity.

coryaquarium101
10/31/2008, 12:11 AM
ok thanks jdieck. I will stop adding calcium and get some alk and mag tests to see where I'm at. Then I'll put my parameters in the reef calculator. And I'm gonna buy some kent turbo calc. I heard that is some great stuff.

coryaquarium101
10/31/2008, 12:13 AM
Oh ya i did test alkalinty. its 8 dkh. I guess I just need a mag test kit.

Playa-1
10/31/2008, 12:16 AM
Yep DKH is an ALK reading. So you just need a Mag reading.

Toddrtrex
10/31/2008, 12:19 AM
I missed that you posted your alk levels ( darn pain pills making me look more stupid. ;) )

What salt and what test kit are you using? Like was mentioned, you don't have anything too cal using in your tank.

coryaquarium101
10/31/2008, 12:20 AM
so if my mag reading is low and i add something for that. will that raise or lower my calcium level?

GoBigOrGoHome
10/31/2008, 12:22 AM
My bad, double post

GoBigOrGoHome
10/31/2008, 12:23 AM
Ill give you half of my water, you give me half of yours! Mine's in the upper 600's:lol: :eek1:

coryaquarium101
10/31/2008, 12:23 AM
I use Instant Ocean. I heard that the calcium level is low in it. maybe I should reef crystals. I use the cheap api test kits. alk is at 8, but I don' t really like the api alk test kits. they are kinda hard to read.

Playa-1
10/31/2008, 12:24 AM
If your Mag is too low then you will not be able to raise your Calcium. By bringing the Magnesium parameter to the proper range, that should allow you to adjust your Calcium. It does sound like your salt mix might be working against you.

Toddrtrex
10/31/2008, 12:27 AM
These are the levels of IO ( Cal, Alk Mag )
Instant Ocean 350 12 1070.
(( From, http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1287118 ))

I have never used the API test, so can't comment, but I believe it was mentioned above, see if you can get a fellow reefer ( or LFS ) test your water. Hopefully with a different brand, not saying that you made a testing error ( or that the kit is bad ), but just to make sure that the testing isn't the issue.

coryaquarium101
10/31/2008, 12:28 AM
Would my skimmer be taking out calcium?

Playa-1
10/31/2008, 12:31 AM
I believe IO is low in Calcium and Magnesium. Here's an interesting article regarding Calcium and ALK.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Toddrtrex
10/31/2008, 12:39 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13654540#post13654540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coryaquarium101
Would my skimmer be taking out calcium?

The only way that I could see it taking it out is if you are adding the calcium right to your sump where the skimmer inlet is.

jdieck
10/31/2008, 12:40 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13654540#post13654540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coryaquarium101
Would my skimmer be taking out calcium?
No, it does not even if you pour it right in the skimmer pump inlet. It will be taken in, mixed and drained out of the skimmer. Neither calcium nor chloride ions are attracted to the water-air interface in the bubbles so neither can be removed by skimming. In large concentration it even inhibits the bubble formation.

jdieck
10/31/2008, 12:49 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13654515#post13654515 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coryaquarium101
so if my mag reading is low and i add something for that. will that raise or lower my calcium level?
No it will not. Although some commercial calcium supplements contain some magnesium, magnesium supplements normally do not contain calcium.
Magnesium by itself does not add nor reduce calcium but will help prevent the calcium coming out of the solution.
Because the calcium is supersaturated in the aquarium it will tend to precipitate in the form of solid calcium carbonate. Magnesium reduces the tendency of calcium to precipitate thus maintaining it as ions in the water column. In other words, having magnesium at the proper level will help maintain the calcium level.

coryaquarium101
10/31/2008, 12:51 AM
I only have a HOB skimmer. So it must be my salt that is low in calcium thats what I think. I'm gonna get a Mag test kit and maybe a new calcium test kit and check it all out again friday. Thanks everyone.

jdieck
10/31/2008, 12:57 AM
Good Luck, keep us posted.