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low calcium.. best 2 part?
- Thread starter Joel A
- Start date
2 part solutions should really not be used to boost any particular levels. They are ionically balanced and are meant to maintain levels, not boost them. Now with that said , for minor boosts many peolpe do use the 2 parts, with little ill effects. Personally I would use a Calcium additive or Kalk to get the Calcium to the desired level and then choose a 2 part to maintain them.
I personally like ESV B-ionic for my 2 part. But almost every company out there makes them and they are all "basically" the same. Also you can make your own 2 part by using Randy's method.
-B-
I personally like ESV B-ionic for my 2 part. But almost every company out there makes them and they are all "basically" the same. Also you can make your own 2 part by using Randy's method.
-B-
Randy's recipes;
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
Any of the off the shelf Ca supplements should be fine. IIRC the liquid additives usually end up being a lot more expensive than the dry ones. I've never had a problem with kent turbo calcium.
What's you alk? If that's low also, then you probably DO want to use 2 part to raise both levels together. (I think B was saying that 2 part additives are meant to be used as 2 part additives and not just one part or the other. Using just one part may cause some kind of ionic imbalance. B, correct me if I'm wrong
)
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php
Any of the off the shelf Ca supplements should be fine. IIRC the liquid additives usually end up being a lot more expensive than the dry ones. I've never had a problem with kent turbo calcium.
What's you alk? If that's low also, then you probably DO want to use 2 part to raise both levels together. (I think B was saying that 2 part additives are meant to be used as 2 part additives and not just one part or the other. Using just one part may cause some kind of ionic imbalance. B, correct me if I'm wrong
)
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Umm,
Again, hopefully I'm not misreading what B posted, but I believe that it's fine to raise both levels together with 2 part. I'd suggest reading through that article I linked above, and the one I'm about to go find. The two articles together should pretty much answer your questions.
Edit, here's the ca/alk calculator, plug in your levels and what you will use to raise it and it will tell you how much you need.
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
Edit again, I can't find the other article I was thinking of, but this page of articles will cover just about everything.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/subject/chemistry.php
And Edit #3; here's the problem solver article I was looking for. Read this one first
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
Again, hopefully I'm not misreading what B posted, but I believe that it's fine to raise both levels together with 2 part. I'd suggest reading through that article I linked above, and the one I'm about to go find. The two articles together should pretty much answer your questions.
Edit, here's the ca/alk calculator, plug in your levels and what you will use to raise it and it will tell you how much you need.
http://jdieck1.home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html
Edit again, I can't find the other article I was thinking of, but this page of articles will cover just about everything.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/subject/chemistry.php
And Edit #3; here's the problem solver article I was looking for. Read this one first
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
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I used this 2 parts from http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Two-Part-Kits/c52/index.html.
I try to keep my cal at 400. But I don't think it has any ill affect if you go higher.
I try to keep my cal at 400. But I don't think it has any ill affect if you go higher.
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Usually 400-450 is considered the ideal range. As long as your in that range your good. If you try to keep everything at the way high end of their ranges you can run into other troubles (ie 450 + ca and 12 dkh).
If your PH is accurately mesured and stays between 8.3-8.4, that would at least suggest that your alk is at a good level, but I'd still test it. (FWIW I'd expect to see a little more swing than .1 over the course of a day even with good or high alk levels) Keep in mind that however your testing there's likely some error. Even with a quality monitor, if it's not reccently been calibrated, if the calibration solution is off (not unusual at all), or if the probe is old, the reading can be off.
Oh yea, and just so someone said it, it's not a bad idea to also test your Mg. If it's low it can make it very difficult to get the Ca and alk levels right......
If your PH is accurately mesured and stays between 8.3-8.4, that would at least suggest that your alk is at a good level, but I'd still test it. (FWIW I'd expect to see a little more swing than .1 over the course of a day even with good or high alk levels) Keep in mind that however your testing there's likely some error. Even with a quality monitor, if it's not reccently been calibrated, if the calibration solution is off (not unusual at all), or if the probe is old, the reading can be off.
Oh yea, and just so someone said it, it's not a bad idea to also test your Mg. If it's low it can make it very difficult to get the Ca and alk levels right......
OP
OP
Joel A
Started over.
Peter, I like that link... i think i may try it.
How does this one look, just as a starter?
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Two-Part-Kits/c52/p269/Two-Part-Kits/product_info.html
How does this one look, just as a starter?
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/Two-Part-Kits/c52/p269/Two-Part-Kits/product_info.html
Buy the big bottles, you'll be surprised how fast the stuff goes.
Also, FWIW just in case you don't know, you can bring water samples to the meetings and have it tested with more accuracy than most of the hobbiest kits are capable of (costs $5 for the testing - SG, Ca, alk, mg, p04).
Also, FWIW just in case you don't know, you can bring water samples to the meetings and have it tested with more accuracy than most of the hobbiest kits are capable of (costs $5 for the testing - SG, Ca, alk, mg, p04).
OP
OP
Joel A
Started over.
Alright, I'll order it right now then =).
So i'm thinking once i get levels where i want them (using the calculator) i should dose like .5 ml/ per gallon daily to keep them there?
That was based off a chart on the bulk reef supply sight.
I have a few sps, a few LPS, and one clam atm. Well softies too, but i'm not in huge demand here.
So i'm thinking once i get levels where i want them (using the calculator) i should dose like .5 ml/ per gallon daily to keep them there?
That was based off a chart on the bulk reef supply sight.
I have a few sps, a few LPS, and one clam atm. Well softies too, but i'm not in huge demand here.
More or less, yes.
Best bet is to get some good test kits and test frequently for a while so you can figure out your tank's daily usage. Every tank is different so any chart or calculator for daily usage is only going to be aproximate. You can get your levels to target range, then give it a day or two and re-test. That will give you an idea of how fast levels are going down. Then you just work out the daily doses to keep the levels where you want them (and in a few months those doses will likely need to be adjusted as the tank grows....)
Best bet is to get some good test kits and test frequently for a while so you can figure out your tank's daily usage. Every tank is different so any chart or calculator for daily usage is only going to be aproximate. You can get your levels to target range, then give it a day or two and re-test. That will give you an idea of how fast levels are going down. Then you just work out the daily doses to keep the levels where you want them (and in a few months those doses will likely need to be adjusted as the tank grows....)
Actually, salifert was the most popular brand for yrs (and for good reason), but in the past yr or two they have had some serious quality control issues. I personally have a salifert ca kit that consistently reads at least 100ppm high. I have also heard of bad alk kits from them. I don't know all the details, but I have heard that they are getting back on track, but my confidence in salifert is blown for now.
What's the date/batch on your ca kit (yellow sticker on top of the box)? My bad kit says 12-2011
Elos kits are more $ but they seem to be the most reliable right now.
API kits have been earning a pretty good reputation considering their cost (very inexpensive compared to others), but I also have one of their Ca kits that reads about 100 ppm high like the salifert
Whatever the case, IME and from what I have heard, most of the "bad" kits out there will be off pretty consistently. That's annoying, but you can also use those kits to get a good idea of the real numbers once you've got a good idea of how much they are off. (in other words I know my API kit reads about 100 high so when I tested a minute ago I got a reading of 520 Ca, I can take that to mean it's really about 420. And yes, I did also just confirm that with the elos kit that read 425)
alpha0r
Non-member
I like SeaChem reef complete calcium. It is fairly inexpensive for the calcium concentration and it is avalable at petsmart when you need some quickly. I am ordering some dry in a few days so far I have only used the liquid.
EDIT: I use the SeaChem to raise the calcium in newly mixed salt because it is too low. I use Kalkwasser for maintaining the levels in my tank. If your CA demand is low-medium you can use Kalkwasser and it is very inexpensive. I calculated that I can add about 12ppm of calcium a day by using Kalkwasser as top off.
EDIT: I use the SeaChem to raise the calcium in newly mixed salt because it is too low. I use Kalkwasser for maintaining the levels in my tank. If your CA demand is low-medium you can use Kalkwasser and it is very inexpensive. I calculated that I can add about 12ppm of calcium a day by using Kalkwasser as top off.
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