A calcium question.

[mopar9012]

I was just researching on clams, im looking to get one soon.
Well I know that they like/needed calcium in the water but it got me thinking, can you have too much calcium? I read some info and it said DAILY doses of calcium. Do you put calcium in your tank everyday?
Should I?

 

[natclanwy]

No you shouldn't add calcium daily unless your calcium consumption is very high. You should test your calcium and alkilinity and figure out how much calcium you are using per week and dose accordingly. If the dose is too high to dose all at once then you need to split the dose up over a few days. The goal is to try and maintain constant levels from day to day. Calcium should be maintained between 380-450ppm and alk between 125-200ppm.

 

[veni vidi vici]

Your going to have to monitor you water parameters and see how much of what is being consumed by your tank daily or every other day to determine if you need to dose anything at all .

 

[jackri]

I should really test more often... I use pickling lime in my top off water and add two part a couple of times of week early in the morning when the pH is lower. I have 3 clams and some sps corals and everytime I test (month or so) I'm at about 390ppm calcium and 9 dKH. The calcium may be on the low side but I have good growth and it works for me but my system has been pretty stable this way for months. You'll want to test regularly until you find what works for you.

 

[natclanwy]

Originally Posted by jackri
http:///forum/post/2907688
I should really test more often... I use pickling lime in my top off water and add two part a couple of times of week early in the morning when the pH is lower. I have 3 clams and some sps corals and everytime I test (month or so) I'm at about 390ppm calcium and 9 dKH. The calcium may be on the low side but I have good growth and it works for me but my system has been pretty stable this way for months. You'll want to test regularly until you find what works for you.
I have read a couple of studies that show there is no significant difference in growth rate whether you keep your calcium at 380 or if you keep it at 450. They did find that levels above 450 can inhibit growth in corals though. Dr. Randy Holmes Farely recomends keeping it somewhere in the range but it doesn't' matter whether you are on the high end or low of the range as far as coral health is concerned. If you have a high consumption rate then it will be easier to maintain your levels in the upper range of the scale so that you don't drop below theruputic levels between dosing.