Best Calcium Buffer
- Thread starter bdhough
- Start date
nm reef
Active Member
I would not claim that its the best...but I use a combination of SeaChem products to establish levels of calcium and alkalinity(Reef Advantage for calcium and Reef Builder for alkalinity)...plus I add kalkwasser to all top-off water that helps to maintain established levels of calcium. There are numerous products and methods to establish levels of calcium and alkalinity...you also need to maintain a balance between calcium/alkalinity/ph to successfully establish levels...the relationship between the three is complex and an imbalance in one can adversely effect the others. What has worked for my system may not be best for yours....each system is different. For my system I daily drip one gal each of the additives mentioned(each is mixed at a rate of one tablespoon additive per gal ro/di water) and the additives are slowly dripped into my sump...normally the kalk is added overnight...the calcium is started early in the morning and then the alk is added mid to late afternoon. This system has allowed me to maintain calcium at 450 ppm...alkalinity at about 3.5 meg/l...and my ph ranges from 8.0-8.3 daily.
Personally I believe a periodic use of carbon can do no harm and for me its used about once every two weeks for 24-48 hours(I also use Kents Phosphate sponge in the same manner).
Personally I believe a periodic use of carbon can do no harm and for me its used about once every two weeks for 24-48 hours(I also use Kents Phosphate sponge in the same manner).
nightshiftman
Member
i use kent's "liquid reactor". it works good for me.
nightshiftman
Member
here's a link for it.
liquid reactor
liquid reactor
bdhough
Active Member
Thanks Reef. Thats kind of what i figured. I only have a 12 gallon tank but my brother was I both were wondering. He has a well established 46. I've been adding coral vite to my 12 but the calcium has been steadily dropping. I'll have to test it tomorrow and see where its at. I add RO water buffered with Instant Ocean. I was planning on getting a 2 part chems sometime soon. I was planning on adding some star polyps and an open brain in the near future. I.E. once the work discount kicks in 
nightshiftman
Member
check out the link i added in my previous post.
bdhough
Active Member
When i say calcium buffer i mean calcium additive. You could potentially buffer RO water but i just use instant ocean. I don't know exactly the level that instant ocean raises the RO water to. My guess is somewhere in the 350-450 range but im not sure. I also know about the relationship between ph,alk, and calcium and affecting one affects the others.