Calcium?

bubbles02

bubbles02

Member
I have a 46g bow with a green candy cane, a colony of green zoas, 2 xenia frags, 2 mushrooms, and a clam under the Nova Extreme Pro. When I ask my LFS about addatives, he suggested as long as I use a good quality salt and did a 5g water change monthly I shouldn't have to add much supplements. He did suggest adding Seachem's Reef Builder when doing water changes though. He said to keep my calcium over 400, which it is right at 400. He said in his experience when dosing his tank with a calcium powder he had a high growth rate with his corals. I was wondering how much calcium is too much or is there such a thing? I'd really like to stay away from adding anymore than I really have too. At this point I don't add anything and everything is thriving really well. But I'm worried about my clam, it's doing fine open wide and very colorful, i just want to make sure it's getting everything it needs as well as all my other corals. I'd eventually like to get some duncans, acans, probably mostly stickin with LPS. Any help would be great! Also, what test kits would everyone reccomend? I use a Red Sea Marine kit, but it's time for a new one to make sure it's staying accurate. Also, I know that PH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia, Calcium, and dKH are the major ones to test for, but does anyone suggestion additional ones with having coral? Also, how many fish is too many for that size tank? I currently have a cardinal and purple firefish. I'd like to get a Royal Gramma and another Mandarine(after my copepod breed more) and I'm going to be putting my clown back in eventually too, he is in time out in my nano after killing my red firefish. Just wondering if 5 fish was too much. Also, what shrimp would anyone reccomend to keep those pesky aptasia at bay but still be safe for my fish and coral?
So sorry for the long post, just trying to cover everything at once and in one spot! Thanks in advance for any input!!
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Yes, you can have too much Calcium. Keep it around 420 - 450 and you'll be fine. 400ppm is fine for larger tanks but smaller tank can get depleted too fast if you try to keep it at 400.
Alkalinity is way way underrated. Without carbonate (the primary element that makes up alkalinity) corals cannot use Calcium. In fact, if Alkalinity is too low the corals may actually begin to dissolve.
Alkalinity also depletes more than twice as fast as Calcium so it really needs to be monitored closely and has a greater need to be dosed. For larger tanks Alk should be maintained around 3Meq/L smaller tank really should try to keep it higher at 3.5Meq/L.
 
bubbles02

bubbles02

Member
Thanks for the advice Bang Guy. I'm going to move this to the Reef Tanks forum to see if I can get additional input!
 
mr.clownfish

mr.clownfish

Active Member
microvert will help a little its liquid food for inverts,clams, and corals. your corals need to absorb food too.
 
bubbles02

bubbles02

Member
Thanks Mr.clownfish, I actually have Microvert so I will spot feed my clam. Should I still get phytoplankton also? Or do you think the Microvert will be enough?
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Originally Posted by Mr.clownfish
http:///forum/post/2920746
microvert will help a little its liquid food for inverts,clams, and corals. your corals need to absorb food too.
Most corals eat zooplankton, not phyto.
There are a few exceptions, but very few.
 
bigleman

bigleman

Member
i think the only way to have TOO much calcium is if it fell out of solution
somehow mine is up to 820 right now

but my pH (7.9) and KH (4) is low and i am working on leveling that out
 
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