Looking to buy calcium gluconate online--for coralline algae?

[cherubfish pair]

I've read it's good for coralline algae growth. Is this true?

[disc1]

Calcium is, I don't know that it has to be the gluconate.

Be aware that adding gluconate is the equivalent of dosing sugar, which IIRC has some important caveats.

[disc1]

A quick Google search turned up a number of shopping results.

[cherubfish pair]

A quick Google search turned up a number of shopping results.
I found quite a bit of stuff on Google shopping too, but nothing specifically for aquarium use.

The use of this supplement was briefly mentioned in one of Anthony Calfo's books.

[seapug]

Dosing calcium alone will throw your parameters off. A good two-part Calcium - Alkalinity supplement will contain calcium, buffer and magnesium in the proper proportions to support the growth of corals and coralline algae without throwing other parameters out of whack.

[HighlandReefer]

A quote from Randy regarding calcium gluconate:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1785817&highlight=calcium+gluconate

"It would be like dosing calcium acetate in that it will add calcium and a balanced amount of alkalinity, and will also drive bacterial growth and potentially reduce O2. If all of those are what you want, and it does not include other additives in it (as excipients, etc), it is a fine product for this purpose.

Just to be sure, this is calcium gluconate, not calcium polygluconate, right?"


A balanced amount for alk and calcium would be about 7.14 ppm calcium for every 1 dKH of alk added. ;)

[HeadlessRoland]

Is there a reason as to why calcium chloride could perhaps not be dosed instead?

[bertoni]

I've never believed or noticed that calcium <b>polygluconate</b> will help coralline algae. Having dosed it a number of times, it does seem to fuel microbial blooms like cyanobacteria. Of course, I'm assuming that the calcium level is maintained properly.

I'm similarly skeptical about calcium gluconate. I am not sure why fixed carbon would help an autotrophic organism, which is what I've assumed coralline algae are.

[cherubfish pair]

HeadlessRoland,

LOL, your signature is the sickening truth. I painted the back of my tank and a year after getting it running I drilled a hole and installed a bulkhead fitting. Needless to say, the paint balled up behind the gasket and actually caused a crack. :(

[cherubfish pair]

Just to be sure, this is calcium gluconate, not calcium polygluconate, right?"
Yeah, it is calcium polygluconate not calcium gluconate. Thanks HighlandReefer.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I recommend against calcium polygluconate. It is a calcium supplement that adds an unknowable amount of alkalinity at the same time, providing an unbalanced calcium and alk addition, and there is no reason to think the polygluconate itself helps coralline algae.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you still want it, Seachem sells it. :)

[cherubfish pair]

Well then if it doesn't help coralline algae, then I won't waste my money on it.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I do not think it will help any more than otherwise maintaining calcium and alkalinity and especially also magnesium, and keeping phosphates and organics low. :)

[cherubfish pair]

If you still want it, Seachem sells it. :)
I decided to try it. Do you know the name of the product?

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Reef Calcium:

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/ReefCalcium.html