LPS and calcium

[vlangel]

OK guys, I've had a reef tank about 5 yrs and did well. It was predominantly a softie reef. I never dosed and everything thrived with just faithful WCs. Now I've switched gears a bit with a new (smaller) tank and have a lot more LPS plus a clam. I expected to see my tanks calcium needs increase tremendously but it has not. Everything with a skeleton is growing and the clam has a growth ring where his mantle and shell meet. Is it possible that my weekly WC are providing enough ? I use instant ocean. Its about a 40 gallon system and I do 4 gallons/week. The LFS told me that I should see calcium being used when I bought the clam. Should I be concerned?

 

[TJL]

If your #'s are holding with just doing WC's you will be fine for a while longer. You can step up the Cal and Mg of I/O by adding 1/2 tsp +- of Kalkwasser powder and a tsp of Tech-M (or another Mg additive) directly to your mixed saltwater before change. This should get you by for some time unless you add significantly more LPS or SPS Corals.

Cheers, Todd

 

[vlangel]

I bought 2 part when I bought the clam but have never used it. I have Kent Marine Mg if needed but it too has held steady. When my LPS really start to take off, which number will be the first to reflect the depletion?

 

[TJL]

What are your test results for PH, Cal, Alk and Mg say the day after a W/C ???v This should tell us how things are.

Cheers, Todd

 

[vlangel]

My pH is 8.3 -8.4. My alk. is 3.6, Ca is 450 and Mg is 1850. They have been that since the tank settled and cycled in early December.

 

[vlangel]

That's my numbers right before a WC.

 

[vlangel]

Maybe I'm doing unnecessary WCs but I have always done them in a regimented way. I used to maintenance FOWLR tanks for a LFS and I saw systems go for years without a hitch because of faithful WCs. I didn't do reef tanks though except an occasional softie which is why I'm not as knowledgeable about dosing.

 

[TJL]

Other than the Mg being a little to high, should be in 1200-1300 range its more than capable of sustaining Clams and Stony Corals. Are you dosing anything that contains Mg or maybe have it double checked/confirmed with another terst kit.

Cheers, Todd

P.S. Regular W/C schedules are a very effective way to good water chemistry

 

[vlangel]

I could take a water sample to the store I worked at and have everything checked. I've been thinking of doing that. The only thing I've dosed is strontium, iodine and coral Vite. Does coral Vite have Mg? I just figured the clam needed the trace elements.

 

[mfinn]

Maybe I'm doing unnecessary WCs but I have always done them in a regimented way. I used to maintenance FOWLR tanks for a LFS and I saw systems go for years without a hitch because of faithful WCs. I didn't do reef tanks though except an occasional softie which is why I'm not as knowledgeable about dosing.

Depends on how often your wc are.
I have been doing wc's on my softy tanks every 2 weeks for a couple decades.
On my 240 I use Instant Ocean, because of a lower calcium demand by the softies, but on my 50 gallon LPS tank I use Reef Crystals.

 

[NanaReefer]

Personally I'd switch to using Reef Crystals. IO is more for FOWLR tanks.

 

[vlangel]

Personally I'd switch to using Reef Crystals. IO is more for FOWLR tanks.

I know, my son has told me the same thing. Its just that I've always had good luck with IO. Maybe I will give it a go though. Where I worked at the LFS they still give me a generous discount so I could probably get reef crystals for the same price.

 

[TJL]

I/O is more than fine as I had very successfully ran multiple Reeftanks with it for more than 25 years. For the cost difference in going to so-called Reef-salts you can for pennies step up regular I/O by adding Kalkwasser (Calcium Hydroxide) a Magnesium supplement such as Tech-M and a dash of Strontium. As an example for about the last ten years doing 15 g W/C's on my Reeftanks (mostly mixed reef)
8 cups of I/O, heaping tsp of Calcium Hydroxide and T of Tech-M to hit a 1.026 S.G. with Reef levels of Cal/Alk/Mg

Recently I have changed over to SeaChem's ReefSalt since my system is now full blown SPS. I am still having to dose rather heavy and may yet go back to regular I/O with add-ins, will do the $ math to see how economical it really is using a Reeftank salt mix. IMHO in smaller Stony Coral systems (under 40g total volume) the stepped up Reef Salts are the way to go, but in larger systems ???

Cheers, Todd

 

[vlangel]

My tank is about half LPS and half softies. I could probably wait until my LPS start to really use calcium and then ,take the switch to reef crystals since different ones of you on RF have successfully used IO in mixed reefs. I have a few prime spots high in my tank where light and flow would be optimum and I've considered adding a few SPS. That might just be what has me make the switch to reef crystals.

 

[mfinn]

Personally I'd switch to using Reef Crystals. IO is more for FOWLR tanks.

I disagree.
I have been using IO on my reef tanks for 20+ years.

 

[NanaReefer]

I disagree.
I have been using IO on my reef tanks for 20+ years.

Compare the 2.
Reef Crystals Reef Salt * Enriched synthetic sea salt designed for use in reef aquariums * Extra calcium, trace elements and vitamins to maintain a thriving reef system *

Not so with Instant Ocean

 

[SeaLion]

Compare the 2.
Reef Crystals Reef Salt * Enriched synthetic sea salt designed for use in reef aquariums * Extra calcium, trace elements and vitamins to maintain a thriving reef system *

Not so with Instant Ocean

IO is an excellent salt mix for sps dominated tanks, regardless of what the RC bag says. As the tank evolves to house larger sps colonies you will be dosing regardless of whether you use IO or RC. Proof is in the pudding not the advertisement on the bag.

 

[vlangel]

I guess each one of us must evaluate what works in our own aquariums. Perhaps the make up and composition of our water plays into the formula as well. I would imagine different water sources have differing minerals and elements. Its hard to argue with what has been working.

 

[mfinn]

I have to let 2 decades of using IO in my reef tanks be my guide.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[kpiotrowski]

I disagree.
I have been using IO on my reef tanks for 20+ years.

mfinn you have an amazing tank. I don't see much in the way of needing much calcium though. I would agree to use reef specific salts for the higher calcium levels when somone is trying to maintian calcium level with only water changes though.