Calcium depleting???

[Jaketit]

So I have a 55 gallon DT with a 20 gallon long refugium. Corals consist of all frags, 6 zoas, 1 hammer, 1 frogspawn, a small acropora, candy coral and a ricordia. Excuse the spelling. I probably have about 60 pounds of live rock. One clown fish and a mess of inverts. I recently added 2 led units to replace my T5s. Now I ve noticed the corals going ape but my coralline is getting bleached looking. So I brought in my water to LFS to get checked out and the results were calcium was low. It was at 340. Now my question is. Are the corals sucking up all the calcium and depriving the coralline. I have never dosed, just been doing LFS rodi water changes weekly at about 8 gallons a week or so. I bought a calcium supplement to dose with, but I'm nervous I've never dosed any trace elements before. I guess I've never had to.

 

[melosu58]

What brand salt are you using? Instant ocean salt mix usually has numbers like that.

 

[Jaketit]

I'm not to sure what it is, it's premixed at the store and I pretty positive they use only the best. I've been getting water from them now for alittle over a year and never had any problems

 

[Reef79]

There are theories that the higher light input the less coraline you have
Less light input more coraline I've got some in my 180 but its where the led doesn't shine directly
Heaters and underside of LR

 

[Jaketit]

I did read some on that, but it doesn't explain the sudden loss of calcium. The LEDs have been on a little over a month, and the refugium has been up and running for 3 weeks now. This is the First week on its own, without the canister.

 

[Reef79]

No doubt your corals will consume calcium you will have to add calcium on a shcedule I use Tropic Marine Bio actiff salt and Reef Fusion its a 2 part system calcium and iodine is the first part the second part is carbonate alkilinity for skeletal growth in your coral

 

[Jaketit]

I figured that, like I said with the t5s everything wasn't really groin much, now with the LEDs shitZ growin like weeds. I guess I'm on to the next step of reef keping

 

[Reef79]

You really should invest in your own test kits you will need to check Calcium levels to get into a shcedule for adding calcium you really can't overdose but you can waste money

 

[Jaketit]

That's next on the list. Thank you. We have a hell of a Lfs here and they are always willing to test for us and they are always spot on with there info. I originally wanted a fowlr tank but I think I'm in too deep now, so it looks like I gotta get a bit more serious. Any suggestions on a good kit?

 

[Reef79]

Redsea makes a good one I wouldn't trust any type of litmus paper testers period I know tropic marine makes calcium, and alkalinity hardness test ,phosphate

Anything from Tropic Marin is top quality and works. RedSea also good company

I would probably ask your lfs its great you have one that's interested in your success most just wanna sell you everything

 

[ashiee2]

i use red sea i would defently recomend it .
but i herd if you test calcium for example with red sea you should dose with red sea calcium