I managed to get my tank out of balance by adding too much buffer. Hence I have too high alklintity and too low calcium. I am trying ot balance the situation by adding calcium chloride. I am still using calamax and inaddition I am adding calcium chloride (a teaspoon and a half per day). The tank is 75 gal. My calcium in at 200 ppm and the alklinity is 5.0. I have been adding the calcium chloride for four days and as yet I have not seen any movement in the tests. Is this to be expected or should I increase the dosage? Thanks
adding calcium chloride
- Thread starter lbbudle
- Start date
Welcome to RDO, ibbudle!
The amount of increase in calcium level can be calculated, but the only issue here that complicate thing is that it is not a test tube, but a dynamic biological system. If your coral is sucking up as much calcium as you dose, then you won't see any increase in Ca level. However, it is very unlikely if you do the Ca measurement almost right away.
My questions are, how much coral/clam do you have in your tank? What ca test kit do you use? Did you try to do the test right after (say, 5 minutes, before the coral/clam has a chance to take the ca out) dosing?
The amount of increase in calcium level can be calculated, but the only issue here that complicate thing is that it is not a test tube, but a dynamic biological system. If your coral is sucking up as much calcium as you dose, then you won't see any increase in Ca level. However, it is very unlikely if you do the Ca measurement almost right away.
My questions are, how much coral/clam do you have in your tank? What ca test kit do you use? Did you try to do the test right after (say, 5 minutes, before the coral/clam has a chance to take the ca out) dosing?
The tank is essentially a new tank that has been set up only about 6 weeks. I don't have any coral. I have about 90lbs of of live rock 45 lbs of agramax (aragonite) substrate. The testing was done the following day. According to one of the calculators that Randy of Reef Central, it recommends that I need to add about 31 teaspoons of calcium chloride. Hopefully about a third of the amount each day for three days. I have just a few fish in the aquarium at this time. I am using a salifert calcium tester and a seaquest alkalinity test. I just added too much buffer before I realized what it was doing to alkalinity and calcium. While dosing the calcium chloride do you recommend laying off the calamax?
IMO the easiest way to get water chemistry back on track is to do a large water change or two.
Once things settle down, you might consider maintaining Ca/Alk with kalkwasser and/or a 2-part additive.
Both methods provide Ca and Alk in balanced quantities which simplifies the task of maintaining good levels of each IMO. I've always found trying to maintain Ca/Alk with individual supplements to result in more effort and testing on my part...
Once things settle down, you might consider maintaining Ca/Alk with kalkwasser and/or a 2-part additive.
Both methods provide Ca and Alk in balanced quantities which simplifies the task of maintaining good levels of each IMO. I've always found trying to maintain Ca/Alk with individual supplements to result in more effort and testing on my part...
I totally agree.. - And with no corals or other inhabitants that would create a significant uptake of calcium I would say that you could get by without supplimental calcium additions for several months even without water changes.
I have a bumper crop of halimedia in my little 30 right now that hasn't seen a water change since it was moved 2 months ago and things are doing just fine...
If it does get out of whack again and no amount of additives (kalk/chloride/2-parts) seem to be doing the trick in getting it back up (and you don't want to do water changes) take a look at your mag. levels.. Mag depletion will affect your calcium readings / carrying capacity if I understand things correctly.. (I've never been there yet so I don't know for sure..)
Also, unless I'm mistaken again you can also use vinegar to try and push your calcium levels WAY up there but you should really do some reading of your own on it before trying it out..
Best of luck, hope it works out!
Norm
I have a bumper crop of halimedia in my little 30 right now that hasn't seen a water change since it was moved 2 months ago and things are doing just fine...
If it does get out of whack again and no amount of additives (kalk/chloride/2-parts) seem to be doing the trick in getting it back up (and you don't want to do water changes) take a look at your mag. levels.. Mag depletion will affect your calcium readings / carrying capacity if I understand things correctly.. (I've never been there yet so I don't know for sure..)
Also, unless I'm mistaken again you can also use vinegar to try and push your calcium levels WAY up there but you should really do some reading of your own on it before trying it out..
Best of luck, hope it works out!
Norm
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