thegrog
Active Member
OK, today I had a little time to kill, so I wandered into a *****. No intention of buying anything.
Saw that they had some Acropora corals (under NO lighting of course). They actually looked rather good (must be new). So, a sales guy comes up to me and asks if I am interested in the corals. I said that I "am thinking about getting them". In actuality I am planning to add acoporas in the very near future. So I asked what kind of system they really need to thrive. I figured I could use a laugh on what his response would be.
Well, his response suprised me. He said that you need a larger tank with great water quality (no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates).....even offered to sell me the test kits. He said you need strong lighting....but he said that 260w of PC for a 125 gal tank (what he has) is more than enough.....close but no cigar. He also said that you need high Ca levels (very true)
This is what blew me away. He said that he maintains his Ca levels by dropping a Tums tablet into his tank daily!!!!!! :scared: He says that the calcium carbonate in the tums is just what they need!!! "It is a very common practice". "Has worked great for me for years" he said. Apparently I had a look of utter shock and disbelief on my face because he started explaining (poorly and inaccurately) how the chemistry of the Tums helps the tank out. I could not help but laugh at that point. He then tried to say that he knows his chemistry because he got an A+ in his highschool honors chemistry (yes, he was like 18).
At that point I stopped him because I could not take any more. Told him that in all my years of reef keeping and the dozens of books on reef keeping/corals/fish that I have read (not to mention a few thousand web postings) I have NEVER heard of that being done. In addition, I put him (and his highschool A+) in his place by saying that I also got an A in honors highschool chemistry.....and college basic chem....and advanced chem....and in biochemistry......and in physical chemistry.....and in Medical school biochemistry.
The look on his face at that point was priceless!!!
He couldn't even get a word out.
Finally he said that if I wanted something, just ask someone.....and quickly scurried away.
So. Does anyone here add Tums to their coral tanks to keep the calcium levels up???
Saw that they had some Acropora corals (under NO lighting of course). They actually looked rather good (must be new). So, a sales guy comes up to me and asks if I am interested in the corals. I said that I "am thinking about getting them". In actuality I am planning to add acoporas in the very near future. So I asked what kind of system they really need to thrive. I figured I could use a laugh on what his response would be.
Well, his response suprised me. He said that you need a larger tank with great water quality (no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates).....even offered to sell me the test kits. He said you need strong lighting....but he said that 260w of PC for a 125 gal tank (what he has) is more than enough.....close but no cigar. He also said that you need high Ca levels (very true)
This is what blew me away. He said that he maintains his Ca levels by dropping a Tums tablet into his tank daily!!!!!! :scared: He says that the calcium carbonate in the tums is just what they need!!! "It is a very common practice". "Has worked great for me for years" he said. Apparently I had a look of utter shock and disbelief on my face because he started explaining (poorly and inaccurately) how the chemistry of the Tums helps the tank out. I could not help but laugh at that point. He then tried to say that he knows his chemistry because he got an A+ in his highschool honors chemistry (yes, he was like 18).
At that point I stopped him because I could not take any more. Told him that in all my years of reef keeping and the dozens of books on reef keeping/corals/fish that I have read (not to mention a few thousand web postings) I have NEVER heard of that being done. In addition, I put him (and his highschool A+) in his place by saying that I also got an A in honors highschool chemistry.....and college basic chem....and advanced chem....and in biochemistry......and in physical chemistry.....and in Medical school biochemistry.
Finally he said that if I wanted something, just ask someone.....and quickly scurried away.
So. Does anyone here add Tums to their coral tanks to keep the calcium levels up???
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