proteen skimming

[atoz]

What I'm trying to do is raise my calcium level to choke out red algae that makes my tank look like crap by promoting good algae to grow. I only have 3 fish, 6 crabs and live rock and no other inverts. Because I mainly have a fish only tank right now, I only run my protein skimmer once a week. My question is since I 'm adding kalkwasser and a calcium supplement If I run my protein skimmer Will it take out all the stuff i'm adding and defeat my purpose?

 

[clayton]

Put your skimmer on until it stops removing gunk. I keep mine on permanently. Calcium may encourage coraline algae and some others but the slime algae will outcompete all these types. Caulerpa is the only type that stands a chance and increasing calcium will not make a difference.
If you take the calcium way up it will precipitate phosphate but you should not take it above 450ppm. I think sea water is 394ppm. It's up to you if you want to do this as many people have said this worked. If you have no phosphates I don't know how raising the calcium will help.
Slime algae also feeds on nitrates and disolved organic nutrients.
If the skimmer is running correctly it will mainly remove only proteins and very little salts and trace elements
[This message has been edited by clayton (edited 05-31-2000).]