low calcium

[snobanker]

Hey all I am having trouble raising my calcium level up in my 50 g tank....Now that I am pretty well stocked and have good corraline growth, it seems my Ca has really dropped. I dose with the Warner 2 part Calxmax, which does a good job of "maintaining" my low level, but does nothing for raising it....Anyone have a suggestion for a good product to safely raise the CA up? I don't really want to set up a kalk drip or reactor since I am going to be setting up my 180 g to replace the 50, but in the meantime I need to keep what I have going. Reeffan built me a really sweet CR300 reactor for the new tank too....

 

[mojoreef]

What are your levels Stan??


Mike

 

[snobanker]

well It was at 280 on my Salfert kit yesterday ??? Everything seems to be doing really good though(softies, LPS, snails, shrimp).... my alk is a little high too....I forgot to write that down but it was high, I'll check it again....

 

[CarlaW]

You can use Kent Turbo Calcium to get your levels back to where you want them. Do have any lps or sps in your tank? Just don't raise the levels to much at a time.

 

[wrightme43]

Have you checked out the calcium additive calculator in the GREAT THREADS forum under REEF CALCULATORS. punch in gallons and type of supplement and it spits out # of teaspoons and warns to put them in over time. Seachems Reef Calcium has mag and stronti in it, so if just calcium is low I would use kent turbo calcium. It has worked for me when I needed it. Just go slow and dont overdose. HTH Steve

 

[snobanker]

Hey thanks guys...I didn't even know that calculator was there Steve...no wonder your the MOTM I'm gonna go check it out right now.

 

[dnjan]

If you have calcium that low, be sure to test your magnesium as well. Your problem might be bigger than just low calcium, and it might be easier to do big water changes. Magnesium can be much harder to raise than calcium.

 

[fishermann]

Snobanker I also use calmax 2 part but I have a high sps load so I supplement with WM cocentrated calcium supplement, I like to use the same product line of chemicals if possible. Check your mag. and you can always use epson salts to raise mag easily, just be careful because it does it fast.

 

[wrightme43]

Oh and Hey, I dont know if you did this or not because it didnt say, but always double and triple check a reading that is that far off. I have got two flyers in a row and then the third test came out correct and was repeatable. I had to of done something wrong, but I just knew I hadnt. LOL CHARLIE IS MOTM For March. He's the man. So that makes Willis Dog OTM LOL Steve

 

[snobanker]

Oh yeah it is March already isn't it...lol...I don't have a MG test kit so I am ordering one. This has been going on for a while now, but I don't see negative results as it appears all is well in my tank.......I figure I'll get all my ducks in a row before I do anything else yet. I am going to triple check my test results though because it does seem awful low. Thanks for all the advice guys.

 

[WaterDogs]

What test kit are you using? Salifert seems to be the gold standard to go by. If you are looking for something besides WM try Tropic Marin Bio-Calcium it is a one part balanced additive.

 

[plack]

snowbaker did you test your saltwater for calcium before adding it to the tank to see if the test kit is right this way you know if it happens after adding to the tank for sure

 

[snobanker]

Waterdogs I'm using the Salifert kit. I used to use an AP kit,but I might as well not have tested at all when I did

Plack, I hadn't done that, but I will. As a matter of fact I have some salt "brewing" right now for a WC