Calcium Pills and Reviews

Lupin

Lupin

Registered Member
Sep 21, 2006
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Lupin Information Super Highway/Goldfish Informati
thegab.org
Real Name
Paul
Here are my views so far:

Caltrate (with Vitamin D added):
The issue about Vitamin D has been discussed a few times. Vitamin D is an oil soluble vitamin which if not excreted easily (especially as this doesn't easily) will accummulate in the body system and if raised in high levels, this may actually be dangerous to the snails. Humans can only consume 50 micrograms per day as higher levels prove toxic. I haven't figured out how much a snail can cope with but as they are smaller creatures, the dose would be lesser.

I've used this Caltrate version for 2-3 weeks dosing a tablet in each tank every 2-3 days. I have not noticed any side effects but I didn't want to risk it and decided to stop when I discovered Tums.

Caltrate (without Vitamin D added):
This is a much more preferred version for a constant calcium source however for a good reason, they are not as frequently available as the one with Vitamin D added. Vitamin D enhances calcium absorpition in humans so this could be the reason why it is often the ones with Vitamin D added that are available all the time. Maybe we can email Wyeth demanding this version for snails?:D

Tums (unflavored):
Gathering several reports about this particular calcium brand, the snails seem to refuse accepting this pill particularly as it is only pure calcium carbonate and starch so this does not appeal the snails.

Tums (flavored):
I've used this brand several times dosing a tablet daily to keep the calcium supply constant due to the number of nerites and MTS, two of the most demanding calcium consumers. This contains pure calcium carbonate, starch and flavoring. Strawberry, lemon (not mango as earlier mentioned in previous threads), orange and lime seem to attract the snails although I find strawberry to be the one with the highest attraction.

Please be informed Tums can cloud the water but no harm is done by this phenomenon. Either a water change or a long wait will settle the particles. If you find it unpleasant, just do a water change and it'll clear up.

Calsan:
Have not tried yet. I'll update when I do.

Calci-Aid:
Have not tried yet. I'll update when I do.

If anyone else has anything to added, feel free.:thm:
 
I sup 3 ways.....

Calcium Pills - Found in the vitamin section read the label and make sure it is pure calcium. I used to throw 6 in every 3 days in a 55 with 3 types of Rams, MTS, Quitled Melania, Bladder Snails and an escaped Assassin or 2, about 700 - 1000 snails all told. The pills will bubble and dissolve into the water fast. I got a shipment of Rams with bad shells in a month I could see a huge difference in their shells using this method. Does not cloud the water.

Liquid or Dissolved Calcium - I would take the pills and dissolve them or by pure liquid Calcium. The pills would cloud the water for a couple of hours but I could dose a more accurate amount by using a marked syringe.... Way to much trouble when I found that just throwing the pills in worked as well if not better and was cheaper than high grade liquid calcium.

Plaster Blocks - This is now my main way of doing calcium sup to a tank. The only time I still use liquid calcium is when I have no place to hide the block or in a show tank where it would look unsightly. I add a new block every 7 days and make enough in a single batch to last all 7 tanks that I use these in for a few months. This way will leave a white deposit in the tank on dark substrate so the one tank I have FBS in I still use liquid Calcium. The blocks are made from DAP brand plaster a huge tub will last you a couple of years and a Low Fat (this is key) flake fish food. Nice thing about these is they last for days to a week or more depending on the water movement and the amount of critters that feed on the blocks, my shrimp just love them. I can also make all different sizes and control how long I want it to last in the tank.
 
stezatois said:
tums as in indigestion meds?
Click to expand...
:confused: I didn't know there was one for indigestion. This one is labeled 'calcium carbonate' which is what you should be looking for.

Edit: I don't think there is one for indigestion. Maybe you misread it, Stez?
 
Last edited:
According to glaxo the active ingredient is indeed calcium carbonate. though i cant find other info about ingredients, i guess it will be a case of reading the packet.
 
The Tums sold in the US is calcium carbonate, there are 6 different choices to chose from, all for heartburn. I had to live on the stuff when I was pregnant, nasty stuff!

The ingredients for the strawberry flavorded is: Calcium Carbonate 1000 mg, but the inactive ingredients worry me, is this stuff safe for our tanks?:

Sucrose, calcium carbonate, corn starch, talc, mineral oil, adipic acid, artificial flavors, sodium polyphosphate, red 40 lake, blue 1 lake.

Their website is http://www.tums.com . You can find all the ingredients there.

I've been using Jurassi Cal (from the reptile section) which is pure calcium carbonate and nothing else, but it clouds the water and I've been concerned about that and how much to use because it says to "sprinkle on food". But if you say that is ok then I won't worry about the clouding anymore. I also use Kent's Marine liquid calcium but I have no idea how much of anything to use.
 
Mum tells me that tums are the fruit ones, we dont have any of those in but we have the peppermint ones that i imagine would contain the same ingredients apart from the flavouring being different. so heres the list of ingredients, i dont know if any are unsafe but im sure you will be able to tell us lups lol.

Setlers antacid: calcuim carbonate, also contains Sucrose, dextrose, maise starch, talc, magnesium stearate, peppermint flavour, adipic acid.

another that we have is gaviscon cool: 250mg sodium alginate, 133.5mg sodium bicarbonate, 80mg calcium carbonate as active ingredients, also contains xylitol, mannitol (e132) polyethylene glycol 20,000, aspartame (E951), magnesium stearate, and peppermint flavouring and colour (E132)

any of these ingredients bad? Just want to chek this out as these are readily available in the uk.
 
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