CaCl2 question

[daveedka]

Thanks Tom,
Our tap water baffles the begeezies out of me. I work in the rock industry, and am pretty familiar with the aquifers around here. any well water in the area is brutally hard any way you check it, but the city water is virtually devoid of everything. Columbus boasts some of the cleanest water in the country, I don't know how accurate their claims are. but I do know that there isn't anything in my tap water as a rule. Kh is 2-3 degrees, usually closer to 2. Gh is usally right around 110-130 ppm which would indicate some mineral content, but the plants indicate otherwise with almost everything. The one really knowledgeable LFS in the area advised me to dose iron heavy as well as Mg, Ca, and trace mix. The only thing I do get out of it is PO4, and eveidently as of late nitrtate. I have some "driveway heat" so CaCl2 aquisition isn't an issue, just didn't want to start dosing without some guidelines. I'm trying to be careful and not overcomplicate my dosing.
Dave

 

[djlen]

A personal experience.
For the last 5 - 6 months I have been dosing CaCl2. Previous to that I only dosed MgSO4 with excellent results. However, I kept reading posts and articles regarding what the 'ratio' of Mg/Ca should be and so I ran the 6 mon. test. The highest ratio I got to was 1Mg/2Ca.
In my case, the results were less than impressive to say the least. I should say first that my water is only slightly harder than yours. Out of the tap: gH=4 - kH=3.0.
A noticeable decline in Cryptocorynes to the point were some were beginning to melt.
Glosso slowed, all aponogetons slowed, many stems(Rotala, Bacopa, Star Grass) slowed.
Barclaya Longifolia really deteriorated. Even E. Tenellus slowed(I thought this was impossible). IME, none of my particular plants profited from Ca+.
I have learned that it is often to one's advantage to make only one change at a time to dosing schedule. Therefore, there were no other changes made during the above period.
Everyone's tank is an individual environment, and so I would be the last to push my beliefs of on anyone. Just wanted to give you the results of my experience in this area.
I will be very interested to hear how your plants respond to additional CaCl2.
Mine do just fine with added Mg, and that's the course I'm staying with from now on.

Len

 

[daveedka]

Thanks Len,
I've been essentially adding one thing at a time to my dosing schedule for a few months now. I generraly don't make more than one change at a time either. And try to wait for a response before going on to the next issue. I am not running good true long term tests yet, because I'm hurrying things up a bit, but I am trying to seperate reactions to changes. I am actually down to nit picking as of late, the snails concern me as much as anything really, My MtS's aren't growing well and the shells are thin enough for the dempsey to crush on occasion. I added Mg about 3 months ago, and the response was good. I am very happy with everything in 2 of the three tanks, but the one I'm still adjusting seems to be calcium defecient. With the reinforcement from Riverex (same water supply) I thought I'd try it. I will let you know in couple of months if it did or did'nt help. That will be good timing since I'll have somewhere to use the CaCl2 about late febuary.
dave

 

[djlen]

Completely off topic, but where did you catch the Firemouth?

Len

 

[daveedka]

Unfortunately I didn't get to go catch them myself, There is a really good LFS in the area that brings in some wild fish on occasion with species that are typically tank bred in our area. The wild fish seem to have a little more "attitude" and the colors are second to none. So I payed a little extra for them about $5.00 more per fish than the tank raised guys. I have yet to see a firemouth anywhere with more color than the one I have right now. I almost wish I had bought a pair, but there was a decent chance all the fish in the tank were from the same parents and I didn't have a tank set up to dedicate to them anyhow. The Oscar on the other hand, is one of the ugliest oscars I've ever owned (Cute in the same way shrek is cute) he is kind of olive drab brown colored, and his bahavior is nothing like I am used to with these fish. It's been fun so far, but different. it's nothing to see the little firemouth back down my dempsey at feeding time. He's just a really gutsy dude, that will flare bright orange in a heartbeat.
Dave