[Poseidon]

Hello Everybody.... I've been away for awhile and am Anxious to learn from all of you again. I have a problem maintaining Calcium concentrations in my tank. I add and add and add but the level seems to stay @ 255 ppm my goal is to get to 380 ppm which is what SeaChem suggests for the products that I use. I use almost exclusively their chemistry that way I have little to worry about with product interaction. I did learn do not add Reef Complete and reef buffer @ the same time.... Turns your tank into MILK... Any help or second opinions on what acceptable Calcium levels are would be Fantastic !!! Thanks........

[clown-t]

welcome back, i too use seachem and can keep my calcium at 400 to 440ppm. i use calcium and calcuim maintain, one is used every day. when i return from my trip i am hooking up my geo calcium reactor so i won't have to mess with that anymore

[Poseidon]

Thanks Clown-T what will your calcium reactor require ? Does that require an Ozone reator to run ?

[orion25]

Poseidon,

I use Kent's 2 part buffer systen along with Kalk. Most use The ESV 2 part additive but it is not available here.

If you are considering a calcium reactor check out myreef. He is available on this board and from what I have seen he builds a qualiy unit. I will be ordering from him as soon as I get a larger tank. His products rock and the price is very reasonable.

Ryan

[clown-t]

i have goe calcuim reactor and i am going to get my co2 and soleniod from pa they are 10 min from my house. i don't believe i need ozone with the reactor. i've read ozone is not that important but i could been wrong.

[scubadude]

Welcome to RL!

Here is George Webers website

Clik here for his site

I also have one of his Dual reactors....You can email him right from his site and tell him wat size tank you have and he will tell you wether you need a single or dual chamber reactor he will also tell you exactly what else you will need and the price if you ask for it! I will warn you that he is NOT a big co. he has about a 1 mo.+ waiting period.....also you can try Myreef who also builds reactors he is also a member here on the board....both of these guys build quality reactors for a great price! FWIW you should use a 2 part additive to get your ca. where it needs to be....you should be watching your alkalinity as well as you PH and the CA....if you raise your CA then it will directly affect (usually lowers) your Alk, and vice versa......A reactor will maintain your levels....but you will have to get them where they need to be first! HTH

[Poseidon]

Thanks For everybody's input... I have been watching my pH and alkalinity and they stay pretty consistant ( Now ) I bought a shell substrate because it looked cool.... Very poor decision as far as the pH is concerned though. I test twice weekly and usually add Marine Buffer and Reef Builder on Sundays to maintain levels. Everything in my tank seems to be doing well especially the Xenia and Capanella and Anthellia... All soft corals. Leather Corals don't seem to do well in my tank I haven't figured out why yet ? I know I have good lighting w/ the PC's ( not the best I know ). I just want everything in my tank to do as well as is possible I don't want to doom anything to a sub standard existance in my care. My next stop is to find more info on the Calcium Reactors as I have no experience with them at all Thanks Again...

[Steve]

You may want to try SeaChem's Reef Advantage Calcium or Reef Advantage Magnesium. If your water is lacking in magnesium, you will have a hard time getting the calcium to raise. A few water changes can take care of this problem sometimes also. Reef Advantage Calcium contains magnesium. When I was having problems I initally added the magnesium and switched over to the Reef Advantage Calcium over just straight calcium. The calcium levels then went up.
http://www.petwarehouse.com/webstore...7?OpenDocument

[Poseidon]

Thanks Steve... I use the Reef Complete now, Maybe I should try the Reef Calcium. I did like the fact that Reef Complete is Liquid and it seems to me that would mix faster in solution then a solid ( I know mix w/ a cup of fresh H2O b4 adding ) But maybe the Reef Calcium is simply a better choice ? I'll have to check and see which is more economical I've almost gont 250ml of Reef Complete and I'm only @ 270 ppm. Half way there.....

[bongobrian]

Hey Dude, That's great that you are using reef builder... that's going to hold the calcium in solution for you. My advice to you is to concentrate on using that along with reef calcium (I use seachem reef advantage for calcium). Those two when dosed properly will give you the calcium levels that you want. From my experience the powders are MUCH better than liquid elements. With the liquid calcium, you're basically paying for water. If I were you I would ditch the reef complete and the buffer. They are both unnecessary. The reef builder is going to stabalize your ph for you, and magnesium is quite insignificant. I find you only need to use buffer when there is a problem and the levels drop. Are you adding your calcium on the same day as the reef builder? if you are then that is probably why your calcium is low... you are making expensive gravel. I use 1 tsp of reef builder and 1 tsp of reef advantage per week (on different days) and my calcium level is right around 450 ppm. I've never had it drop. Maybe your livestock is depleting your calcium and you need to up the dosage. Anyway, just thought I'd give you some advice since I'm using basically the same products. Hope this helps. ~Bri

[Poseidon]

Brian, Thanks for Your input- Yes I have been making EXPENSIVE gravel. I will definately be switching to the powder forms of calcium. As that seems to be the advice of many. I haven't checked calcium levels today but yesterday they were still around 280 to 295 so I have a ways to go yet.... I think my livestock is removing it as soon as get it in there, My Xenias are huge and anthellia on 1 side of the tank is HUGE same stock on other side of tank tiny ( Can't figure that out yet ) and i have 1 piece of hard stony coral that is not doing well at all ( Sorry can't remember its name, I think its an acropora variety ) but Galaxia is doing fine as is Capanella and my mini red brains are all growing like crazy..... It just seems anything with a stony base other than Hammer Coral doesn't seem to do well for me .... I know I'll get it right sooner or later I'm just trying for the sooner part. 1 Strange thing my Sailfin Tang just up and died on me... Was eating fine no spots no visible signs of stress, then 1 day quit eating and 3 days later he was laying on the bottom of the tank. I just pulled him out B4 he actually died I didn't want to find his way under a rock and thn vanish and pollute the tank... Anyway thanks for the heads up... Mike

[bongobrian]

Mike- yeah keep adding the powders (builder and advantage) on different days and trust me, you'll get up to 400-450ppm. You might even want to increase the dosage until you get there. Try adding 2 or 3 tsp of both instead of just one. Just be careful and don't overdose the tank with either one. If your calcium levels get too high then your alkalinity will drop off. If your alkalinity is too high, you may have problems getting your calcium up to par. I'm sure the reason your stonies aren't doing well is directly attributed to the lack of calcium. Stony corals are largely dependent on Calcium in order to build their skeletons. I can't imagine xenia is using too much of your calcium, but your stonies definitely are. Anyway, good luck with it! I think switching to the powders is going to help you drastically! let us know how it goes for ya.