I dose everyday but my calcium is a little low??why?

Hendersonracing · 10-31-2006, 12:40 PM

Ok I dose 1 1/2 cups of calcium and alk everyday....but seems I still have to boost it up every few weeks...is this normal??? or am I not dosing enough?? Im thinking mabe a calcium reactor so solve my problem...Im going through a gallon of each a month....my water parameters are good..with a ph or 8.3...but it uses alot of calcium especially..

a few questions????

1.) does most people dose? and If so how much?

2.) do you have to boost everything even if you dose everyday.

3.) would a calcium reactor be more effecient for a 300 gallon tank.

any help appreciated...Joe

Wiskey · 10-31-2006, 12:50 PM

A CA reactor will be far more "Set it and forget it", you don't have PH problems so I think it will be right up your alley.

On my 125, I am dosing 200 ML of both CA and ALK every day (Via an autodoser) and every week it seems I have to bump the doser to keep up with demand. On my 125, I am going through a gallon of each every 18 days, and my tank is only frags. Kip said he goes through a gallon of each in 36 hours on his 225.

Whiskey

Wiskey · 10-31-2006, 12:52 PM

BTW, I am not shooting for very high values either, I run alk at 9.0 and CA at 425.

Just like yours, my CA/ALK demand goes up every week.

Whiskey

LISound · 10-31-2006, 12:53 PM

you have to test daily for that?

Wiskey · 10-31-2006, 01:05 PM

No, but when you are setting up your CA reactor, or dosing regimin you should, on a SPS tank anyway. I test once a week now and adjust.

Whiskey

pastina · 10-31-2006, 01:12 PM

i dont do anything fancy
but i dose with seachems advanced calc and seachems alk. i double the recommended dose, i use both only once a week on seperate days
my calc and alk are a steady 450 and 4.5 meq/l
the corals have been doing great at these levels

Hendersonracing · 10-31-2006, 01:59 PM

Wiskey are you thinking Calcium reactor also???? I just have spent a ton already....I may have to wait on it ....but the funny thing is I keep buying corals...lol priority is backwards I guess! lol I added a big boost of Calcium last night and I test almost every other day to keep up with the changes...but I try to add the same alk and cal to keep the equillibrium.

Wiskey · 10-31-2006, 02:07 PM

Ya, I am thinking I will need one, because this demand is only going to get higher as my frags turn into small colinies, then full colonies.

For now I am happy with the DIY 2 par though, it costs about $0.25 to make a gallon of both CA and Alk and my corals seem happy with it.

Whiskey

LISound · 10-31-2006, 02:43 PM

whiskey,
where did you get the reciepe?

Are you using the dow flake?

Wiskey · 10-31-2006, 02:51 PM

No, but I am using the same resipe you refrence. I am using All Clear CA hardness, same thing, CaCl.

Whiskey

Hendersonracing · 10-31-2006, 03:13 PM

Im using 2 little fishies recipe....28.99 for a gallon of each

Wiskey · 10-31-2006, 03:26 PM

If you switch to DIY it would cost less than $1 for a gallon of each. You would have to re-eval your dosing ammounts though.

What levels are you trying to maintain anyway?

Whiskey

tdwyatt · 10-31-2006, 03:33 PM

tdwyatt · 10-31-2006, 03:37 PM

It's common to use this much in supplements when providing calcium and alkalinity to a growing stony coral system of any folume with a decent coral population density. My display (180G) goes through 10 lbs of aragonite in 4 months. A reactor is more expensive to set up (A LOT MORE...

), but cheaper to run than 2 part additives, and less to do if you just maintain the reactor effluent valve (clean it in vinegar once a month) to keep the effluent delivery rate constant, and to clean and test the pH probe for the pH controller to maintain good accurate CO2 deivery.

Spanky · 10-31-2006, 04:04 PM

Quote:

1.) does most people dose? and If so how much?

Nothing but calcium chloride and baked/baking soda combo. Calcium about once a week - stop chasing those high calcium numbers, that's a hobby myth to sell you stuff and freeze up your pumps. Calcium is not limiting.
Buffer about twice a week.
After you test for a week or two you'll have it down to where you don't need to test very often - if you stop chasing those stupid high numbers.

Quote:

2.) do you have to boost everything even if you dose everyday.

Well no.

Quote:

3.) would a calcium reactor be more effecient for a 300 gallon tank.

You mean reactor, reactor media, CO2 tank, solenoid, pH probe, test kits (yes you're going to have to test to see if that contraption is working right and not about to kill everything), Ph meter, etc, plus calcium chloride and baking soda and test kits to boost your levels cause it's not perfect either...

.....is cheaper than Arm and Hammer and driveway de-icer?

Plus, I don't like all the phosphate that comes with that calcium reactor media.

Bottom line, I can't see hooking some contraption up to my tank that is delicate to adjust, can wipe out my whole tank and I have no control over when or if it's going to do it. AND I still have to test and add buffer and calcium chloride.