When to start adding calcium,mag, ak.

[Evo8]

OK So..I have a 29 biocube..2 oc clowns and a fire fish..I also ha e a Ricoordea mushroom, radioactive dragon eyes and a green star polyp..ALL FRAGS..tomorrow I'd like to add a Kenya tree and also a blue mushroom..should I Starr testing for calcium magnesium and alk? I heard about this block that supplements everything as needed..anyone hear of it?

 

[carey]

You wont need to be dosing with just those corals in the tank. if you are doing regular water changes then you are replenishing any elements that the corals are consuming. You really need to have a tank full of coral to before you have to start worrying about those levels. It;s nice to test for them anyway though, just to make sure your salt mix is providing the amounts needed.

 

[Evo8]

OK..I have the test kit SK why not teat every so often right? Lol..I'm using instant ocean btw

 

[bribo12]

You can test for it. At least alkalinity as that's important for softies. However none of those corals build calcium carbonate skeletons so you won't really see a decrease in numbers.

 

[Evo8]

OK.cool..while were here and so I don't have to start another thread
.what's the difference between lps sps and other different types or corals

 

[bribo12]

Lps corals have large polyps. Like hammers, Duncan's, trumpet corals. Sps have very small polyps. Like montipora, acropora, birdsnest. Both lps and sps corals form calcium carbonate skeletons unlike soft corals. However sps require more pristine water quality and care than lps corals and softies.

 

[Evo8]

So in the next few weeks im hoping to introduce a frogs pawn..would just one LPs need calcium? Or theres no way to tell without testing? Tests should show between 4-450 calcium correct? I tested my alk. When I first got the kit I got to like 11 drops! Which reminds me I also have a question about those tests..you know how you add the drops until it turns yellow? Well Myne turned from blue to a greenish for like 6 drops..that doesn't count as yellow does it? It took 11 to get solid yellow

 

[bribo12]

So in the next few weeks im hoping to introduce a frogs pawn..would just one LPs need calcium? Or theres no way to tell without testing? Tests should show between 4-450 calcium correct? I tested my alk. When I first got the kit I got to like 11 drops! Which reminds me I also have a question about those tests..you know how you add the drops until it turns yellow? Well Myne turned from blue to a greenish for like 6 drops..that doesn't count as yellow does it? It took 11 to get solid yellow

One lps coral is not going to use a lot of calcium. It will get all the calcium it needs from your salt mix when you do water changes. People only dose when they have large sps colonies and clams IMO. Yes you want calcium in that range and yeah you want it to be completely yellow. Is it the API kit?

 

[Evo8]

One lps coral is not going to use a lot of calcium. It will get all the calcium it needs from your salt mix when you do water changes. People only dose when they have large sps colonies and clams IMO. Yes you want calcium in that range and yeah you want it to be completely yellow. Is it the API kit?

Yep! Api kit. OK so good I did it right..

 

[JoDrapes]

Lps corals have large polyps. Like hammers, Duncan's, trumpet corals. Sps have very small polyps. Like montipora, acropora, birdsnest. Both lps and sps corals form calcium carbonate skeletons unlike soft corals. However sps require more pristine water quality and care than lps corals and softies.

Thank you! That's the best description I've read. I was wondering myself if I should start looking at dosing so this is an excellent thread!

 

[bribo12]

Haha thanks! That's the way I like to think about it. Plus dosing for anything is never a good idea unless you can test for it. Half the supplements out there that places sell, like iodine, strontium and other trace elements are never needed.

 

[Evo8]

Haha thanks! That's the way I like to think about it. Plus dosing for anything is never a good idea unless you can test for it. Half the supplements out there that places sell, like iodine, strontium and other trace elements are never needed.

i have them all! lol they all came with my tank when i purchased it. So thats what threw me off..i was like..well they have to be there for a reason right?