calcium to add or not to add

[crashedin0]

i hate anything in a bottle but i hear that sps and lps suck that stuff up should i add and how often

 

[lepete]

Get a calcium test kit. Heavily sps/lps tanks require more frequent dosing because the corals will absorb calcium at a faster rate. You want to keep your calcium level at minimum 400 ppm for lps/sps tank.
If I dont dose my 90 gallon for 2 weeks, my 400ppm will go down to 280ppm. All I have is one LPS. Remember - snails, pods, shrimps, coralline algae, etc also require calcium.

 

[reefnut]

I agree... test the calcium and alkalinity level and let the readings you get determine if you need to dose or not. If you have any sps corals, they need a very stable water chemistry...
Most mature reefs will require regular calcium and alkalinity additives.

 

[chipmaker]

What does your calcium test tell you.....you do have a test kit right? If it is low then add it......I like to keep my calcium at as near a constant level (as well sa other things) as possible.......things tend to do much better in a stabil constant environement......

 

[crashedin0]

no i dont test cal or alk
i was dong ok with water changes with my softies
now i got a brain some candy canes and other little guys so time to pump it up i am gonna have to buy stuff in the bottle
**** you !!!!1

!!!!!eleven!!!!11!!!
while im on the topic what about iodine (sp?)

 

[reefnut]

I'd say no to the iodine. Most of the trace elements can be replaced with water changes... calcium and alkalinity a lot of the times can't.
Look into B-Ionic two part additive. It provides a balanced solution of calcium, alkalinity, magnesium and even other trace elements.

 

[crashedin0]

while today i took some water to big als heard some good stuff bout them on this site so i passed by even though its 2 hours away its tuesday wanted to see some shark action :jumping:
and they had free water test

well then he said he had no more calcium test !!!

but everything else was perfect

(proud of that for a 10 gal)
while i was there looking at everything i could not buy (low funds money on friday)
i thought food !!!!! :thinking:
could the be a food he liks plankton or something i am starting slow going from softies to cady canes :help:
and well lfs told me my lights are good enough and they didnt need food so i belived him
well we hav all been there