Can You Overdose?

[linelazerman]

I have a 55 Gal setup and I dose 5ml Kents Stronyium and liquid calcium on Saturday and wednsday. I wouls like to add Kents Coral Accel also on these days and add spray dried phytoplankton on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Is this too much. I have mostly softies.
Thanks
Jacob

 

[daniel411]

I've never tried Kents Coral Accel. The only chemicals I've ever really trusted to add to a tank were for ph, calc, alk controls along with dt's phyto and mark weis's coral vital. However I've stopped useing the coral vital and haven't noticed any difference. Almost everything else IMO is perfectly replaced with just regular water changes.
Without testing for what you're adding, yes you can over dose greatly. Do not trust what it says on the bottle on how you can add a capful on such and such day per so many gallons and it will "magically" be all good.

 

[007]

Overdoseing is a definite possibilty and is very easily done. As a general rule, never add anything to a tank other than food sources, that you do not test for.
Why are you adding strontium?

 

[bang guy]

If you're adding Calcium and not an equivalent amout of Carbonate then you'e sure to create a big problem eventually.
Strontium is required in very very small doses. I seem to remember reading than Strontium levels above NSW levels will inhibit calcification.

 

[bdhough]

I also think strontium is only needed in sps/lps corals ie things that create hard shell skeletons....
Other than that your doseing sounds correct. Other than adding some kind of carbonate salts in conjunction with the calcium...

 

[linelazerman]

Originally posted by 007
Overdoseing is a definite possibilty and is very easily done. As a general rule, never add anything to a tank other than food sources, that you do not test for.
Why are you adding strontium?
The LFS recommended Strontium and Calcium (kid) I guess he didn't know what he was talking about. I'm still learning and did not know any better. Boy I still have alot to learn about this hobby

 

[linelazerman]

Originally posted by Bang Guy
If you're adding Calcium and not an equivalent amout of Carbonate then you'e sure to create a big problem eventually.
Strontium is required in very very small doses. I seem to remember reading than Strontium levels above NSW levels will inhibit calcification.
Bang guy can you elaborate a little more on the carbonate what should I be doing and what to use.
Thank you
Also if any of you experts can reccomend what I should dose. Or what some of you do.
I will put a stop to the strontium as of now
Thanks

 

[bang guy]

Skeleton building corals, clams, snails, etc. take Calcium and BiCarbonate from the water to form Calcium carbonate.
If there's no Carbonate then the calcium is useless, or worse, will precipitate out of solution if it gets too high. Carbonate is a major component of Alkalinity. A low Alkalinity will create an unstable PH.
Calcium and ALkalinity need to be in balance.

 

[bdhough]

Buy a pure calcium source, a alk source, and coralvite/essential elements should take care of everything else. IF your tank gets heavy into sps and lps then you could try using some strontium but otherwise don't worry about it. The coralvite/essential elements wil ltake care of that. Your two main things are calcium and alk source. Try seachems. For the heavy duty stuff get powders. Liquids are fine for everything else.
EDIT: as far as levels shoot for 400-450 for calcium and 8-12 for alk. Try and go higher rather than lower with alk.