I need some info about Calcium

T

tatoo3

Guest
I am trying to start a reef for the first time. I want to use calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium from BRS. I can't seem to find info
about how much I should use and when I add these products. Can you please tell me how much in one dose I need from each. I have a 120gallon tank with 14k MH lights, LR, LS. I don't have the protien skimmer yet. I have two tangs, two clowns, 20 blue leg hermits and a sallylight foot.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by tatoo3
http:///forum/post/3202761
I am trying to start a reef for the first time. I want to use calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium from BRS. I can't seem to find info
about how much I should use and when I add these products. Can you please tell me how much in one dose I need from each. I have a 120gallon tank with 14k MH lights, LR, LS. I don't have the protien skimmer yet. I have two tangs, two clowns, 20 blue leg hermits and a sallylight foot.
Why do you want to dose these things?
Are you currently testing for them? If so, what test kit are you using and what are your readings?
How old is this tank setup?
How much LR, LS?
You're going to need more of a CUC in a 120G tank.
What two tangs do you have? What size are they now? How old?
What kind of corals do you want to keep?
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
I'm going to make an order through BRS as well and picking up calcium amongst other things.
They have calculators there that kind of tell you. I'm also "assuming" they have directions for the proper amount of powder for making part 1 (the calcium part) from the powder.
Ideally you want your calcium 380-450 and want to test for calcium and alk and ideally magnesium although I have personally never done this (yet).
I'll be testing for magnesium once I get my calcium back to the levels it needs to be. Also watch your pH as you add alkalinity to your system.
Basically for coral care other than lighting there are 4 things that play together.
Calcium, pH, alkalinity, and magnesium.
I'm not the expert at explaining this but alkalnity raises pH and buffers the holding power of calcium in the water before it precipitates out (looks like it's snowing in your tank). I forget what role magnesium plays as I have to dig more into that myself.
There are a lot of good articles (here and elsewhere) about those balances that may take a couple of reads to fully understand but well worth knowing for starting a reef. Just be sure to test and don't swing any parameters too fast (although the calcium one is pretty forgiving.
 
T

tatoo3

Guest
I haven't started testing for calcium yet. I just got a Nutrafin Test kit for calcium only.
My tank has been up and running for about 4 months. I have a sail fin tang and a yelow tang about 3 to 4 inches each.
I wanted to start useing calcium because I want clams and a veriety of corals and mushrooms. I read that since the corals have an exoskeleton that the calcium will do wonders for them.
I just haven't found how much I should use. I am not useing it now dose that mean I have no calcium in my water or very little? Do I even need the calcium?
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
+1
if you mix your water with a good quality of salt, and perform regular water changes, i think that should be sufficient for you.
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
also: magnesium prevents free calcium from bonding with free carbonates. the magnesium forms a weak bond with the carbonates, leaving the free calcium ions available for corals and inverts. the magnesium-carbonate bond is broken easily enough to allow carbonates to still buffer pH. magnesium also activates enzymes used by zooxanthellae.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top