top off Ca advice

[ckmn101]

I am adding calcium to my tank daily to keep it at 350(I’d like to be higher). Every day I also add a little over a gal. of top off water. I don’t want to use kalawasser but could I just put some other kind of liquid calcium in the top off water?
The calcium(2 part) I’m using is C-Balance and my Alk is 5 meq/L so I was wondering if just a calcium would work, like- Kent Liquid Calcium or Seachem Reef Calcium? I would also continue to monitor Alk. I was just wanting some advice if anyone else adds calcium to top off water.
TIA
Mike

 

[afishyonados]

Avoid the Seachem Reef Calcium. Try the Reef Complete instead, it also has strontium and magnesium. Just fractionate the recommended dose for the week into days, then use half of that for the first week. Monitor and record calcium and carbonate levels for establishing increased dosages.

 

[melosu58]

My calcium stays around 450 simply by doing PWC`s using oceanic salt. No calcium additives in this tank and I do have some corals that use calcium pretty rapidly.

 

[ellisz]

I use Oceanic as well. I have a lot of stonies so my Ca usually hovers around 420. I add B-ionic to the tank every so often and a kalk mix to my top off water. You could add some Ca to the top off with no issues. With a auto top off, this makes it easier to maintain your desired levels.

 

[afishyonados]

Sound advice.

 

[ckmn101]

I have a auto top off(ATO) that I use. I was kind of asking if I should use a 2 part like the B-Ionic or C-Balance or just plain Ca without a Alk compound .
thanks

 

[ellisz]

depends on what you need. I use B-ionic combined with a kalk mixture. Kalk won't raise your levels in any way, just maintain it. The B-ionic would be used to adjust Ca, Alk or both.

 

[ckmn101]

Well what I want is to raise Ca. I use Reef Crystals with ro/di water and the Ca is never over 350 and Alk is 5 meq/L. I just want to raise Ca but I don’t know if just adding Ca would mess up ph/Alk.
tia

 

[ellisz]

I would say you alk is prietty good and the Ca could be raised a tad. Just add Ca to get the level up. A balanced Ca/Alk is what you want. It does not have to be Ca 450. There is a nice reefkeeping article out there somewhere that talks about balancing your levels. Unfortunately, adding Ca does not always raise Ca. Try some B-ionic and see if you can get your levels up a bit. You are not too far off really.

I keep my ranges close and don't shoot for specifics but that is me.

 

[ntswift]

I agree with everyone on using Oceanic to get your levels up if you can. I was using IO and my Ca was around 300-315. Since I've switched to Oceanic, my levels are around 450-460. I was using purple up for a little bit to get some coraline growing on my new rock but that just messed my whole balance, that ellisz was talking about, all out of whack. My calcium was at 500+. So just becareful what you wish for and make sure you get that balance between your Ca and Alk.

 

[ellisz]

Only thing I have found with Oceanic is that the alk is a bit low for some tastes. Works good for me. Hard to find one that is perfect.

 

[flanque]

I have a auto top off(ATO) that I use. I was kind of asking if I should use a 2 part like the B-Ionic or C-Balance or just plain Ca without a Alk compound .
thanks

Is this a product auto top off, or a home made device?

 

[ckmn101]

Yes it is called ATO- http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...x=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=2004&Nty=1

thanks for the advice I think I'll buy some B-Ionic and see how that works in my top off water.
Thanks again

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

There is a nice reefkeeping article out there somewhere that talks about balancing your levels. Unfortunately, adding Ca does not always raise Ca.

I'm trying to finally get my Ca levels up above 400 and was searching for info on the Ca/Alk interdependency and think I found the article you were talking about...

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-12/rhf/index.php

Seems like a great "how-to" reference without getting too much into the chemistry aspect of it all. Thought I'd tag it on to this post since this is one of the first posts I found when I started searching for Ca info.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Oops... sorry. I just realized I posted the wrong article. While it's a good one, it's NOT the one I thought I was linking to.

THIS is it...

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm