Calcium low Purple up? 2 part? Alkalinity? I am so confused

[starla]

My tank really is doing well. It just over 2 months old I have a pipe coral and a toad stool some mushrooms, plate coral, zoos and then a couple of clowns and a yellow tail damsel and a green chromis damsel. But today during my water testing I notice my calcium low...so I read on here and all I did was confuse myself.

Here are my numbers
Ammonia - 0
No2 - 0
no3 - 0
Ph 8.2
Cal - 360 mg/L
Cabonate Hardness (what is this??) - 161.1 ppm
Phosphate - 0

I have a little bit of red cyano happening but its nothing like some of the pictures I saw on here. Its very little. I think its a feeding issues the poor clowns you know they come to the top of the tank and I swear they beg! So I am working on that.

I faithfully do my water changes every wednesday actually my husband says I am OCD for I work on my tank at least once a day. Making sure there is no huge alage bloom and all the corals look good the flow is good. Ect..but today the calcium is low. Those test where before my water change.

So I read and now I am confused. Purple up is no good (thank goodness I came here first for at the LFS thats what we were looking at buying)? So I want to use the two part stuff (which we also looked at but seemed so confusing)? Guess I am looking for some guidance on how to get the calcium up without doing it to fast and hurting my corals ect.

advice?
thanks
starla

[strangerdejavu]

Hi Starla. I'm not the chemist that many are here, but my understanding is that the two-part supplement is great if you want to raise calcium without raising your alkalinity (which is a number you left out of your stats). So if your calcium is low but alkalinity is looking good, then use the 2-part. If both your calcium and alk are low, then look into using a kalkwasser drip to bring those up gradually. If you run a test on your new saltwater to see how the calcium sits, you may get a better idea of if you need to supplement it or if it will come up with changes.

As for your cyano, that's a common sign of low circulation. Perhaps you could use another powerhead?

[starla]

Hi..:) Yup already added another koralia 2 so that makes two of those plus my water input.

What is alkalinity? I tried reading on it and I think you need to be a chemist. I thought the Hardness test in the reef kit was that? That number was the 161.1 ppm but I am not sure what it is.

starla

[strangerdejavu]

oops, you're right. they are the same. I'm just not used to seeing it in ppm! Your alk is within normal tolerances, so I'd get a 2-part and dose according to the instructions. how big is your tank?

[Amphiprion]

You don't have to be a chemist :). For all intents and purposes, carbonate hardness (abreviated KH, units in dKH and meq/L) is alkalinity (though technically separate). Overall, think of it as the water's ability to resist changes in pH, both up and down. Corals and other calcifying organisms use calcium carbonate to make their skeletons. They need equal amounts of both to do this (1 Ca or calcium + 1 HCO3 or bicarbonate = calcium carbonate), hence the need for 2 part. But when you are trying to boost one or the other (either calcium or alkalinity/carbonate hardness), you only use one of the parts. Adding them together is just for maintenance, not when boosting levels.

[starla]

HI! I have a 55 gallon tank ..:) and thanks for the help at least when I go in tomorrow I will have a better idea of what I am getting!

starla

[Amphiprion]

I don't want to overcomplicate things, but you may, for now, want to invest not only in a good 2 part solution, but also some calcium chloride (like Kent's Turbo Calcium). It will be cheaper to use this to raise your calcium than using the calcium part of the 2 part. It actually takes quite a bit to raise calcium using only the calcium part, leaving you with an emptier bottle. You can also use baking soda to raise your alkalinity if need be--you don't need to do that now, as it seems to be in line. Just use your 2 part for regular maintenance of levels, not boosting.

Edit * use this site (http://reef.diesyst.com/flashcalc/flashcalc.html) for calculating how much you'll need. BTW, it contains a units converter, so use that.

[starla]

http://www.starlasdesigns.com/tank1a.jpg

My tank..:) The red algae is very minor but I still hate it..:) I bought Kent's Turbo Calcium and starting adding it tonight. I mixed 1/4 teaspoon with some of the saltwater then added it. Do I do this everyday?

Thanks
starla

[Amphiprion]

Do it once per day, wait until the next day, test, and add again if necessary. You are shooting from 380-450, with 420 being optimal. Try not to exceed around 20 ppm per day, if possible to prevent any adverse chemical reactions. Turbo calcium is good to have around whenever you need a calcium boost. After you have gotten to the level you need, just use your 2 part to maintain that level.

[Fishieness]

what are you magnesium levels?
that woudl also be a good thing to test. You dont have anywhere near a large calcium demand, so normal water changes should take care of it. This has me thinking that you are probably using a salt mix with a low Ca, and many who have a low Ca, also have a low Mg. Without proper magnesium levels, you will never be able to get your Ca up no matter how much you add.
just something to think about if you have trouble with it going up.

[Grins]

Hi Starla. I'm not the chemist that many are here, but my understanding is that the two-part supplement is great if you want to raise calcium without raising your alkalinity (which is a number you left out of your stats). So if your calcium is low but alkalinity is looking good, then use the 2-part. If both your calcium and alk are low, then look into using a kalkwasser drip to bring those up gradually. If you run a test on your new saltwater to see how the calcium sits, you may get a better idea of if you need to supplement it or if it will come up with changes.
Hmm, not exactly. You can raise either by only dosing with the correct part. The nice thing about it however, is that most are made so you'll keep them balanced once you get them there.


I don't want to overcomplicate things, but you may, for now, want to invest not only in a good 2 part solution, but also some calcium chloride (like Kent's Turbo Calcium). It will be cheaper to use this to raise your calcium than using the calcium part of the 2 part. It actually takes quite a bit to raise calcium using only the calcium part, leaving you with an emptier bottle. You can also use baking soda to raise your alkalinity if need be--you don't need to do that now, as it seems to be in line. Just use your 2 part for regular maintenance of levels, not boosting.

Amp is right, it can take quite a bit. I too had to raise my Ca from a similiar unbalance at one point and I considered myself very lucky in that a LFS gave me samples of the Ca part during that boosting time. I followed his directions and it worked great.


Try not to exceed around 20 ppm per day, if possible to prevent any adverse chemical reactions.
I wanted to underscore this bit of advice. I'd not go over the 20ppm daily. That is still an aggressive schedule but it is what I did as well.


what are you magnesium levels?
that woudl also be a good thing to test.
Agreed, it should also be tested. Good thing though, you don't need to test for this one weekly. Monthly should do if you're running your other tests weekly.

[starla]

Its official I have coralline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I noticed little pink spots on the back glass yesterday while doing the water change. (unless your into aquariums you wouldn't notice so its not huge spots or anything but its there!!) You would have thought I had given birth! LOL.

Ok onto the calcium - I bought a different salt Tropic Marin Pro Reef Sea Salt. I now do water changes with that. I am still adding Kents turbo Calcium and I check the parameters everyday. My Calcium is up to 400 - I am aiming for 420 to 440.

Thanks for the advice and the magensium advice I didn't know anything about it until I was told on here..:)

starla

[Grins]

You can probably relax to once a week if you don't want to go through your test kits like candy. =)