Seachem Calcification Smells like vinegar and is yellow/orange

[tastydog]

I have been using Calcification for a while now, the new bottle I bought today seems bad. It smells like vinegar and looks yellowish/orangish, not the clear/whiteish I have seen before. I already dumped 2 capfuls in my 90 before deciding this was not good.

Suggestions or thoughts anyone?

Brandon

[HighlandReefer]

SeaChem Calcification has polygluconate in it, which will brake down into acetate, hence the vinegar smell. Polygluconate can be broken down by bacteria if contaminated. If you experience a sulfur smell (rotten egg smell), this would indicate anaerobic break-down and would result in adding sulfur into your tank, which is not good. Sounds like the discoloration is due to bacterial break-down of the polygluconate.

Calcium polygluconate will add alk to your tank as well as calcium, like dosing calcium acetate (a one-part additive for both alk and calcium).

If you want to use a 1 part alk/calcium supplement, I would use calcium acetate.

If you want to use just a calcium supplement along with using an alk supplement, then I would use calcium chloride for the calcium part or if you want to bump your calcium level up, then calcium chloride would be better to use, since it would have little effect on your alk level. ;)

[bertoni]

I'd pitch it. I agree that the product might have started to decay, if it has polygluconates in it. Some of the decay byproducts might be a problem.

[tastydog]

I took it back to the store. They took it back and they pulled another from the shelf. It wasn't good either, not as bad. I didn't really smell, but it was yellowish. So he gave me a little from what he had in back and I traded it for FUEL. I have ordered some of the powdered seachem product online that will be here beginning of next week anyway.

Thanks for the replies.

Brandon

[bertoni]

You're welcome! I think that the powder should keep longer.

[tastydog]

Update on this, I have been using the Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium and it is WAY more economical than using Calcification. It also works way better and is easier to control the dosages.

Just wanted to fyi. I think calcification is kinda a rip. Although, I love their new salt, Salinity, and use some of their aquavitro products.

Brandon

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, I have a problem with that product and others like it that contain calcium polygluconate.

Neither Seachem (when I asked) nor anyone I know of can tell you how much alkalinity is provided to an aquarium using calcium polygluconate. It may depend on the specific aquarium and what happens to the polygluconate in it (skimmed out, bound onto media like GFO, broken down by bacteria, etc.).

Consequently, it seems a poor choice of a way to provide calcium and alkalinity, IMO.

[bertoni]

I used the polygluconate product for a while, but it led to a lot of cyanobacterial problems, in addition to the other issues with it. A bulk calcium chloride source should be a lot cheaper, in any case.

[tegee]

JFYI.....their Salinity salt and their Fuel also has a very noticeable smell. Should I be concerned? I contacted SeaChem direct several times about this very issue and they reassured me that it is a non-issue. Unfortunately I am not a chemist and had to take them at their word.

Should I be concerned???

[bertoni]

Well, if they say the smell is fine, I wouldn't worry about it.

[tastydog]

JFYI.....their Salinity salt and their Fuel also has a very noticeable smell. Should I be concerned? I contacted SeaChem direct several times about this very issue and they reassured me that it is a non-issue. Unfortunately I am not a chemist and had to take them at their word.

Should I be concerned???

Both have a very distinct smell and are fine.

Brandon

[tastydog]

FWIW, I have a problem with that product and others like it that contain calcium polygluconate.

Neither Seachem (when I asked) nor anyone I know of can tell you how much alkalinity is provided to an aquarium using calcium polygluconate. It may depend on the specific aquarium and what happens to the polygluconate in it (skimmed out, bound onto media like GFO, broken down by bacteria, etc.).

Consequently, it seems a poor choice of a way to provide calcium and alkalinity, IMO.

Well, for me... I have to make large daily additions of reef builder to maintain my Alk levels. So, I do not have any problems with it affecting alkalinity, as that is easily adjusted for. What concerns me more, is the comment by bertoni. I have recently begun to have a cyano problem on the sand again. I have been adding a lot more Advantage Calcium to get my CA levels stabilized to ~430. I am still working out the exact dosing regiment to maintain my Alk and CA levels perfectly with these two ingredients. I am very close. However, if the advantage calcium is what is creating the cyano problem, then I will use it only as a supplemental product and find pure calcium chloride supplement. However, I do not understand how to do that safely as bertoni has recommended and I also believe you have. If someone could point me in the right direction that would be great. I have read stories about how hard it is to find pure calcium chloride in bulk for cheap. It is always like 80% pure or something. I know that seachem products on the whole seem to be fairly safe to use. Any more info on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

Brandon

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is always like 80% pure or something.

Don't take that number to mean anything significant, as most of the remainder is water. That is also true for many super pure hobby and pharmaceutical grades of calcium chloride. It is often present as a dihydrate where there are two water molecules in each calcium chloride unit (CaCl2 2 H2O).

That said, making sure it is also adequately pure (like a food grade assures to some extent) is potentially important. :)

[tastydog]

It is always like 80% pure or something.

Don't take that number to mean anything significant, as most of the remainder is water. That is also true for many super pure hobby and pharmaceutical grades of calcium chloride. It is often present as a dihydrate where there are two water molecules in each calcium chloride unit (CaCl2 2 H2O).

That said, making sure it is also adequately pure (like a food grade assures to some extent) is potentially important. :)

Okay, thank you for your reply.

Brandon

[cjcmcheek]

stick with their powders.

[bertoni]

For calcium chloride, the BRS chemicals seem to be fine, as does the current Dow Flake.

[tastydog]

stick with their powders.

Not much info there. I cannot assign validity to any comments that do not have some basis to back them up.

Thanks bertoni I will take a look at it. I have to figure out at least a test to find out if the cyano is associated with the Reef Advantage so I need to find another way to raise the calcium. I was thinking it was the small amount of phyto I added, which still may be the case. But I have done a couple decent water changes and quite a bit of time has gone by. I have only increased the Reef Advantage doses too and the problem appears to be getting worse not better.

Brandon

[bertoni]

You're welcome! Good luck!

[tastydog]

You're welcome! Good luck!

Thanks :) -- I will update this thread when I have something of interest.

Brandon

[cominatyalive]

FWIW, I have a problem with that product and others like it that contain calcium polygluconate.

Neither Seachem (when I asked) nor anyone I know of can tell you how much alkalinity is provided to an aquarium using calcium polygluconate. It may depend on the specific aquarium and what happens to the polygluconate in it (skimmed out, bound onto media like GFO, broken down by bacteria, etc.).

Consequently, it seems a poor choice of a way to provide calcium and alkalinity, IMO.

I used this Sea Chem Reef Complete for months and could not get my Ca level to rise because of suspicion of it being skimmed out of the water. This Polygluconate does nothing but harden on your pump's impellers and also will skim right out of your tank. You are better off using Calcium Chloride or Kalk.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

[welcome]

And thanks for the info. :)