A question about calcium usage by LPS

[vlangel]

Hey all, until mid December I predominantly kept softies. I had a little frog spawn, and some acans but that was about it in a 90 gallon aquarium. I did faithful water changes of 5-10 gallons a week and never had to dose calcium. I also use the water straight from the tap, no rodi so I guess the salt mix alone provided enough calcium. Anyhow, I downsized to a 36 bow front and have added a lot more LPS, hammer, brain, bubble coral, a plate, favia, a turbinaria and a crocea clam. Now that everything is settled and growing I am using calcium. I bought two part because I expected the alkalinity to need to be dosed also and magnesium. It seems although I have needed to boost the alkalinity and Mg, it is mostly the Ca that is being used up? My question is, is that normal? I don't want to overlook something but I am inexperienced with the corals with skeletons.

 

[extremecoral]

Water change and supplements(if needed) will do the trick. I'm not sure what your question is, if alk and mag are in range, you don't need to dose it. Same for calcium. LPS don't need alot of calcium like SPS, so salt water changes will increase the alk and calcium eventually, only watch for the mag level.

 

[Peppie]

This thread my help you understand
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f69/calcium-inhibits-coral-growth-59056/

 

[vlangel]

Thanks extremecoral and peppie. That helps. I was confused thinking that even though my Mg and alkalinity were within range and only my Ca was a little low that I needed to use both parts of the two part. I decided not to use the two part at all and instead just dosed with some Marine Kent Ca I had.
Peppie, I will have to read that thread about 5 more times to absorb it but I'm gonna run my salinity just a bit higher after having read it. I knew salinity played into it but wasn't sure how but the marble example helped me get it, at least somewhat.

 

[Peppie]

Thanks extremecoral and peppie. That helps. I was confused thinking that even though my Mg and alkalinity were within range and only my Ca was a little low that I needed to use both parts of the two part. I decided not to use the two part at all and instead just dosed with some Marine Kent Ca I had.
Peppie, I will have to read that thread about 5 more times to absorb it but I'm gonna run my salinity just a bit higher after having read it. I knew salinity played into it but wasn't sure how but the marble example helped me get it, at least somewhat.

I read it twice. LOL it helped me understand better

 

[vlangel]

I read it twice. LOL it helped me understand better

Only twice, you must be a lot smarter than me! LOL Of course I barely passed chemistry in high school and that was a really looong time ago.

 

[extremecoral]

I just glanced at that thread. Here is what I learn from it. FOOD, LIGHTING, WATER chemistry, WATER movement = SUCCESS :focus: Well really, if your kalk is high and CA is low,if your levels are low use "turbo CA" to bring the CA level up to desired levels. Do NOT use a 2 partdose/buffer or anything that is going to boost dKH when doing so. You only want to add a CA booster. If you have a 2 part buffer only use the CA part on the tank to bring up CA ONLY.

 

[kpiotrowski]

do the trWater change and supplements(if needed) will ick. I'm not sure what your question is, if alk and mag are in range, you don't need to dose it. Same for calcium. LPS don't need alot of calcium like SPS, so salt water changes will increase the alk and calcium eventually, only watch for the mag level.

I'm pretty sure I disagree with all of this. as the op stated their lps is using calcium, the question is very clear, water changes don't increase levels they can only strive to replace, and why would you adivise for him to only watch mg levels? you also contridict yourself by starting off saying "Water change and supplements(if needed) will do the trick" and later say "so salt water changes will increase the alk and calcium eventually" and again this is not the question.

his very clear and only question is why is his system using more ca than other minerals....I could go on forever on this one but lets just say it goes to show you how much ca lps can use.

vlangel, just be sure your test kit is good and you are using it correctly as you concerned that something is not right, I would trust your instinct on that one first. then keep up your testing and shoot to maintian your levels somewhere in a range of CA 380-450. alk 8-12dg and mg 1200 to 1400 and don't sweat it. or strive for perfect seawater if you wish.

 

[vlangel]

"

Thanks for the input. I'm thinking that the smaller water changes, (only 3-6 gallons a week) in my nano system is not enough to keep up with the calcium usage of all my LPS. I was expecting alkalinity and Mg to be used up as fast as Ca but I'm beginning to understand that is not what always happens. I appreciate being able to draw from the experience of reef enthusiasts who know about LPS.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Not only SPS that consumes. Clams suck it up like nobody's business. Many soft corals that use sclerites in their structure tend to suck up calcium fast since they grow quickly and use the calcium in the sclerites for tissue support, such as Sarcophytons, sinularia and some LPS that grow quick will also tend to suck up a lot of calcium like large colonies of frogspawn candy cane hammers etc.

In most cases, water changes keeps things level. If the levels drop frequently, need to accommodate the coral's consumption. Whatever your system, keep it simple and avoid fast big changes, they never work out. With LPS and SPS, the calcium is excreted as an undesirable, forming the skeleton..

 

[vlangel]

Not only SPS that consumes. Clams suck it up like nobody's business. Many soft corals that use sclerites in their structure tend to suck up calcium fast since they grow quickly and use the calcium in the sclerites for tissue support, such as Sarcophytons, sinularia and some LPS that grow quick will also tend to suck up a lot of calcium like large colonies of frogspawn candy cane hammers etc.

In most cases, water changes keeps things level. If the levels drop frequently, need to accommodate the coral's consumption. Whatever your system, keep it simple and avoid fast big changes, they never work out. With LPS and SPS, the calcium is excreted as an undesirable, forming the skeleton..

I did know clams use a lot of calcium. Mine did not have a white growth ring between the mantel and shell when I got it in Jan but it does now. My frogspawn has probably quadrupled since Dec. Yes, I am all for slow changes and keeping it simple. I'm a very big fan of faithful WCs for that reason and will only dose when necessary. I went to a nano system to have less water to carry but the flip side is that my parameters must be watched more closely, especially with LPS vs softies. BTW I do have a large sinularia and I didn't know that they used much calcium, so glad to learn that.

 

[kpiotrowski]

"BTW I do have a large sinularia and I didn't know that they used much calcium, so glad to learn that" think of it as microscopic but its still a significant part of its structure.

and I have lps that uses more calcium than some of my sps....like fishy said, think growth rates!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

and I have lps that uses more calcium than some of my sps....like fishy said, think growth rates!

My biggest consumer is probably Coraline Algae. Except for the front glass, tank is covered with purple.
I like Kalk stirrers. 100% of my auto top-off water goes through my Avast Nielsen Reactor.

 

[vlangel]

My biggest consumer is probably Coraline Algae. Except for the front glass, tank is covered with purple.

Ya know,that's another puzzler for me, neither of my tanks ever produced a lot of coraline algae. There is some on the rock work but almost never on the glass. Is that because I keep my calcium on the lower side of acceptable, around 400?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Ya know,that's another puzzler for me, neither of my tanks ever produced a lot of coraline algae. There is some on the rock work but almost never on the glass. Is that because I keep my calcium on the lower side of acceptable, around 400?

No idea. How long has your tank been in it's current location?

Don't tell anybody but I haven't used my Ca test kit in 4 years. I use the tank and coral's condition to judge. Since I don't dose though own boxes of bottles, why bother?

THIS IS JUST ME, NOT A SUGGESTION!

 

[vlangel]

The 36 bow front has only been up and running since December. Its in the exact same spot as the 90 gallon which was a reef tank for about 5 years. I used the same rock, DSB and water so the new tank would cycle faster, which it did in a week and a half. Perhaps my photo period plays into it. I only have my lights in full daylight mode 6 hrs so as to not make nuisance algae?

PS Your secret about test kits is safe with me! LOL

 

[Herefishyfishy]

The 36 bow front has only been up and running since December. Its in the exact same spot as the 90 gallon which was a reef tank for about 5 years. I used the same rock, DSB and water so the new tank would cycle faster, which it did in a week and a half. Perhaps my photo period plays into it. I only have my lights in full daylight mode 6 hrs so as to not make nuisance algae?

Three months? It is brand new, give it time.
Mine has close to 8 years of coraline growth on the walls and I have owned this rock for 10-15 years

 

[vlangel]

That makes sense. I never dosed the 90 because my corals got what they needed from the WCs so I'm sure my calcium was lower than 400 although I never checked it either! Just tested PH once every 6 mos or so. LOL