do i really need to add calcium?

[drdre]

I was i my lfs and was told i must add calcium and another product every day, My other fish guy who set up the tank and has lots of reef tanks, says that it is not neccessay and my water changes will take care of it. Any thoughts

[Civicman86]

I would like to know also. A buddy of mine is going to frag me a piece of his frogspawn and he says I need to dose with calc. before I can put it in there.

[Scottm]

you should add calcium depending on your consumption of it. I try to maintain it at 400-450. that involves a Kalkwasser drip everyday for me. Your consumption should vary and you can get away with dosing every other day or every week. just test for it. Also test for KH it is very important and will help you balance calcium. it is also very important for a reef tank.

[ccCapt]

Do not add anything to your tank that you don't test for. NSW is about 410ppm CA. Test your water when you mix it and if it's low in CA you can dose to get it up to around 400. If you don't have alot of stoney corals more than likely your CA won't drop very much between water changes and no additional dosing will be needed.

[ellisz]

Depending on your salt, water changes could keep your Ca levels in check. Most people that dose have a high Ca depletion due to stony corals. If all you have is softies, I doubt that I would dose Ca. Just do regular water changes.

Keeping your water at NSW levels is great but having a balanced Ca and Alk level at lower numbers will work fine.

Definately test your Ca and Alk before dosing though.

[melosu58]

I agree that PWC would work for most people. Dont add unless you check and verify that it`s low.

[Brenden]

What do you have in your tank that needs CA? Many salt mixes do not have enough Ca in them if you have hard corals. Do you have a CA need in your tank? If so as stated earlier add nothing until you check your levels.

[seaham358]

Test kits are the fist thing you need.. Teat and post numbers..
Alk and Cal work together so you should add both if needed.
What corals do you have now? LR have any coraline algae?

[drdre]

Its a newly cycled tank with live rock, polyps, mushrooms, fish , hermit crabs and a shrimp. I plan to have an anenome and more soft coral but no hard coral or bivalves. My salt mix says it will put my ca level at 400-450 but i have not tested it.

[natman2]

Most salt mixes make that estimation using treated tap water which contains calcium.

When we use RO/DI water, which you should be doing, there is no calcium other than whats in your salt mix.

Get a calcium test kit and a bottle of Kent calcium supplement. Get your tank up around 400. Test your change water to and make sure its around 400 before you add it to the tank on water change days and your good to go.

Monitor things from there. You may only have softy's as far as coral but other things in the tank will consume calcium. Your Coraline to name one.

You may want to start experimenting with a kalk drip to before you get to far along stocking your tank. It took me about a week to figure out just what I need to drip and how strong the mixture needed to be but after that is figured out it maintains my calcium and alk levels with no further supplementation.

[Brenden]

Do not ake what is on the salt bucket to heart. What type salt do you use? Get a salifert test. Ones like redsea jump by 50ppm which is about worthless.

[Raker333]

I posted a link to a DIY calc reactor for those with larger tanks
I did not design it but my coworker made it and uses it in his 120gal berlin reef tank.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70127

Good luck