Maintaining Calcium

[spikey]

Short of buying a Ca reactor or expensive commercial preparations; can anyone recommend a safe, easy and relatively cheap way of maintaining calcium in my tank?

 

[SparKy697]

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Take a look at that. It's cheap, and I believe a number of people here use it.

 

[melosu58]

What brand salt are you using and how often are you doing PWC`s ?

 

[spikey]

Water change

melosu58; I use sea water; an dI do a 10% change each month.

 

[melosu58]

My suggestion would be to do a weekly or biweekly PWC. I do weekly PWC`s and calcium stays around 450-480. I also use oceanic salt mix.

 

[spikey]

SparKy697, thanks for link. An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

I am wondering if anyone has had any experience in this. I cannot get the calcium chloride preparation described in the web page; however, I can get 'damp rid'. Damp rid is 80% Calcium chloride, with Sodium chloride, and a few other things. It is the few other things that I am unsure of, I would appreciate any feedback.

melosu58; at the moment my calcium requirements are not too high so I thing that with your suggested water changes the calcium levels will be ok. I am concerned however, when my calcium requirements increase over the next 6 months that the water changes may not be enough!

 

[ccCapt]

I woudn't use the Damp-Rid. There is no way of knowing without alot of expensive testing what impurities are in it.
You should be able to get Kent Turbo calcium. It may cost a little more than buying calcium in bulk, but it is the same thing....calcium chloride.

 

[SparKy697]

Check these guys out as well. They make it very easy: Bulk Reef Supply - Bulk Reef Supply

 

[spikey]

Unfortunately I am from Australia

 

[SparKy697]

I'm not so sure that is unfortunate

I suppose shipping may be a little costly. It's worth checking into though.

 

[spikey]

Not unfortunate that I am Australian; but unfortunate that the hyperlink is US.

 

[melosu58]

I am concerned however, when my calcium requirements increase over the next 6 months that the water changes may not be enough!

Just wondering why you think it will not be enough. Planning on adding some SPS corals?

 

[SparKy697]

Not unfortunate that I am Australian; but unfortunate that the hyperlink is US.

Oh really? I had no idea that would be a problem. Can you not see the site at all?

 

[spikey]

No its I just cannot read US LOL. No I was thinking of getting something locally

 

[Atari]

Unless you plan to do a heavily stocked SPS tank you really shouldn't need anything other than regular water changes to maintain calcium.

 

[spikey]

thanks all for your advise!

 

[Innovator]

Highly depends on what an individual considers "maintaining." I prefer to keep my Ca averaging 420 and upwards of 450 if at all possible regardless if for soft corals or sps.

 

[spikey]

Do you find that all is ok? I have read about precipitation of the calcium to calcium carbonate.

 

[Innovator]

All precipitation is, is the saturation point of calcium when it can no longer dissolve in the water. 500ppm seems to be a magic number for supersaturation, but I don't see the need to achieve such a number; however, the higher you raise your Ca the more likely you'll also need to raise your Alk to keep the two balanced. I prefer an Alk of 4.0-4.2meq/L. The benefits in keeping a higher balance is a much more stable buffered pH, inhibition of various "problematic" algaes, and the rate of calcification is constant.