Calcium Questions

[patrick76]

What should my calcium levels be at? Right now they are at 280. I raised them a little bit with b-ionic 2 step stuff they were at 240. How much should i raise them every day? Also i can't seem to get them to raise any higher than this. This is my first day dosing.

[kkdoughboy]

Your Calcium should be between 400-500 for optimal corals growth. What size tank, lighting,salt, etc. Give us some info on your setup so people on the site can help you better. Chris

[marqlaw]

I am not an expert but I have read that for a Fish and Coral tank you should have between 400-500.

[Flipper62]

You realy want your Calcium level around 450 / 500.... somewhere in that area. The Calcium level is realy needed for corals

If your using a good salt mix, you realy shouldn't need to dose for Calcium.

What salt mix are you using ?

[Sooners]

Flipper62 - What salt do you use?

[HighlandReefer]

Randy recommends a calcium level between 385-450. Natural saltwater is around 385. I see no reason to keep your water parameters much higher or lower than those found in nature.

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

Your salinity should be between 1.024-1.027 for coral. Hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate. I would recommend using a properly calibrated refractometer. Natural salt water is around 1.0264, which is where I like to keep my salinity.

Since your calcium is low, then probably your magnesium is low also, which should be between 1150-1250. This will effect keeping your calcium level at the proper range if mag. is too low.

You can use the Reef Chemical Calculator to determine how much alk, calcium and mag you need to add to raise your levels to where you want them. I believe you may have a low salinity level.

Reef chemicals calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

Perhaps these article will be of interest:

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 1: The Salt Water Itself
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-03/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 2: What Chemicals Must be Supplemented
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/rhf/index.php

The "How To" Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners, Part 3: pH
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-05/rhf/index.php

The “How To” Guide to Reef Aquarium Chemistry for Beginners,
Part 4: What Chemicals May Detrimentally Accumulate
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-09/rhf/index.php

[tmz]

Nice summary Cliff's.

FYI a minor change: magnesium nsw levels are 1285ppm and the recommended target range is 1250ppm to 1350ppm.

[HighlandReefer]

Thanks Tom.

Brain Dead. :D

[patrick76]

Im using Instant Ocean Sea Salt. I have a 29 gallon tank. Lighting Power Compact USA 130 watt. I bought some b-ionic 2 part stuff and I used the caculator thing and it says i need to use half of the bottle to get my calcium up to par is this right? Right now my calcium is at 280. Can i dose that much in a day? Also if i get it up to 400-500 how often will i have to dose that much?

[HighlandReefer]

Where you enter the info into the calculator, it will have another box below that which states, "Warnings and Usage". In your situation it will state, "Do not dose all at once. Although it may be ok to do so, I don't recommend it. Dose 1/3 to 1/2 and the next day test. Check your levels and then dose another portion."

Depending on your salt mix, you will not have to dose as much to maintain your level of calcium. Some salt mixes like IO are low in calcium and it is easier to adjust the water change mix up in calcium.

www.bulkreefsupply.com sells bulk calcium cloride to adjust your calcium with which is much cheaper. You can use baking soda to maintain and increase your alk with which is much cheaper.

Randy goes into more details in the cheaper Do-It-Yourself chemicals in these articles:

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

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

[David Grigor]

Calcium becomes a limiting factor in calfication below 360ppm so for sure keep above that.

Somewhere around 400-425ppm is fine and will help account for test kit variation/errors.

Keeping higher than 425ppm, I've never seen any benefit in my 13 years of reefkeeping.

[patrick76]

Under then calculator what option do i chose if i make my own using http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php recipe 1?

[HighlandReefer]

What will you be using to supplement your calcium with? Calcium chloride, Dowfake....etc.

[patrick76]

Not sure i don;t think home depot will have dowfake. Right now i have b-ionic 2 part system.

[Billybeau1]

Patrick, first I would check your specific gravity to make sure you are at least around 1.025 to 1.026. I doubt you are.

Next, In the short term, I would pick up a concentrated calcium chloride like Turbo Calcium or Reef Complete. This will get you level up quick. Then use the B-Ionic to maintain it according to the calculator.

Your calcium will get up it no time.

Also make sure your calcium test kit is not outdated and giving you false results.

Many things to consider here. :)

[patrick76]

Gravity salinity 1.022 so this could be the problem? My lfs store said that was were i needed to be.

[bertoni]

For a reef tank, we generally suggest something around 1.0264, which is the canonical average seawater. In reality, seawater varies from place to place, but 1.022 is low enough that I'd raise it over a couple of weeks or so. Also, be sure that your SG device is accurate. A refractometer calibrated with the PinPoint salinity solution is usually accurate enough.

I agree with stopping the calcium dosing. Keeping alkalinity a bit low is a reasonable safeguard, too.

[patrick76]

Could that have a lot to do with my calcium being low?

[bertoni]

Raising SG .004 points will raise calcium about 20%, so the low SG is only part of the problem.

[tmz]

BTW are you keeping corals and other inverts or just fish?

[patrick76]

Corals, fish, snails, live rock, hermits & a crab why?

[Billybeau1]

Then you will want to get your tank slowly up to at least 1.025. 1.026 would be better IMO. I'm afraid the lfs gave you bad advice. :)

[tmz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15513770#post15513770 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by patrick76
Corals, fish, snails, live rock, hermits & a crab why? :) Because invertebrates are isotonic . Their internal sg conforms to the water around them . They can't osmoregulate. Significant differences in sg change their internal chemistry and their ability to maintain homeostasis. Marine fish can osmoregulate and maintain their internal sg of around 1.008 by hydrating primarily by drinking copious amounts of water and passing concentrated urine. So a lower sg is more harmful short term for the invertebrates than marine fish.l.022 is much too low for most corals and other invertebrates.

[patrick76]

Working on getting it very slowly.