Dosing Calcium?

[dweebikus]

I've finally started regular testing of my calcium now that I'm thinking about keeping more demanding corals and I'm a little intimidated about starting to dose calcium. First what supplement would you suggest? I was thinking the Seachem Reef Advantage Calcium. From there, I'm not sure. Do I just dose straight to the tank or do I add the amount needed to raise the calcium to the top off water and top off w/ calcium and water each day?

 

Right now my params are:

 

pH - 8.4

dKH - 11

Calcium - 375

[eklikewhoa]

I have been doing kalk in my top-off and it's been working great....upper half of my 30g cube has sps and the lower a mix with anemone's.

[filefish949]

what sized tank, if you have moderate stoney and a nano, then regular WC should just about do the trick

[dweebikus]

Right now my tank's a 10g and I've only got a very large colony of GSP. Soon I'm upgrading to a BC29, so I wanted to correct any bad habits I might have had previously. I do 10% water changes each week and use Oceanic salt. My Cal is at 375 at it's highest after a water change right now.

[filefish949]

test some water right after mixing, what sg are you mixing to?

[dweebikus]

1.022, I need to mix some tonight, so I'll do that.

[EtOH_is_good]

your sg could be a little higher.

 

gsp should not be that much of a calc user. but if you want to learn about dosing by doing, read all of randy's articles on rc about alk and calc relationship before you start. two part should be your second solution after water changes. you'll need to get mag test if you want to dose kalk.

[eklikewhoa]

Sounds like simple water changes is more then enough for what you are keeping.

[dweebikus]

right...the point is I'm intending to pick up some other corals, such as Zoas, frogspawn, etc. no SPS, but some LPS.

 

Will my calcium still be adequate for them?

[filefish949]

yea, but move your SG up to 1.026, slowly, that is part of your problem, if not all of it, low SG is for FO systems where it gives the fish an advantage over the parasites, which are invertebrates which have a hard time with low SG, coincidentally, in a reef you are trying to keep invertebrates

[lakshwadeep]

Water changes should be enough for the corals you listed. The easiest way to increase salinity is allow for evaporation to remove water while topping of with dilute saltwater instead of freshwater.

[dweebikus]

Cool, thanks a lot guys!