Cant get calcium levels high enough

So, all my levels are good at this point in my 72 gallon bow...live
rock is doing well, as is my cleanup crew, clownfish, and PJ
cardinal. I have one zoanthe in there, and it's thriving nicely as
well...gotten the algae issue more or less controlled, and we're
rolling right along. I've been adding a 2 part solution alkalinity/
calcium buffer in an effort to prep the tank for some more corals, and
the alkalinity is right where I want it...but for some reason the
calcium seems stuck at about a 300, where it should be in the 500
range...is there anything more that I should be doing? I've been
adding the solution about every other day for around 2 weeks now, and
the calcium just seems to be stalled out...

Mitch

Big Habeeb wrote:
So, all my levels are good at this point in my 72 gallon bow...live
rock is doing well, as is my cleanup crew, clownfish, and PJ
cardinal. I have one zoanthe in there, and it's thriving nicely as
well...gotten the algae issue more or less controlled, and we're
rolling right along. I've been adding a 2 part solution alkalinity/
calcium buffer in an effort to prep the tank for some more corals, and
the alkalinity is right where I want it...but for some reason the
calcium seems stuck at about a 300, where it should be in the 500
range...is there anything more that I should be doing? I've been
adding the solution about every other day for around 2 weeks now, and
the calcium just seems to be stalled out...

Mitch


Maybe you are only adding enough for maintenance levels rather than a
sufficient dose to increase it......that being said a good salt mix
should contain enough calcium for the softies that you have......

What calcium supplement are you using? and how are you adding this?
(please tell me you are doing it with your top ups and not directly to
the tank). 500 seems a little high - I would think you should be aiming
for 400.....another question would be how much coralline algae do you
have? (the red/purple stuff on your rocks and glass) - this also uses
calcium....

Gill

What calcium supplement are you using? and how are you adding this?
(please tell me you are doing it with your top ups and not directly to
the tank). 500 seems a little high - I would think you should be aiming
for 400.....another question would be how much coralline algae do you
have? (the red/purple stuff on your rocks and glass) - this also uses
calcium....

Gill
I'm using Kent Marine CB tech parts A and B in, as directed by the
bottle, equal amounts daily. It says a capfull per 50 gallons, and
since my tank is 72 gallons, I've been doing a cap and a half, added
to the water directly (thats how it says to do it on the bottle...I
can't imagine I'd have to add aquarium water on a daily basis!)

All that having been said, I stopped by the LFS tonight to discuss
with the owner...he basically said just to keep doing what I've been
doing, chill out, and be patient. My wife and I both have a passion
for the 'brain' corals, so I want to get the calcium up a bit to
accomodate at least one of them...ah well, only time will tell

Mitch

What calcium supplement are you using? and how are you adding this?
(please tell me you are doing it with your top ups and not directly to
the tank). 500 seems a little high - I would think you should be aiming
for 400.....another question would be how much coralline algae do you
have? (the red/purple stuff on your rocks and glass) - this also uses
calcium....

Gill

Gill,
To answer the other part of your question, there's not much coralline
algae at this point...the tank is only around 2, 2 and a half months
old or thereabouts. The green hair algae has just hit the point where
it's stopped growing

Mitch

You also need an alkalinity test kit.
If your alkalinity is good, then increase the amount
of calcium that you are adding.

On your a b part solutions, one is alkalinity, and
one is calcium.


Wayne Sallee



Big Habeeb wrote on 11/12/2007 10:41 PM:
What calcium supplement are you using? and how are you adding this?
(please tell me you are doing it with your top ups and not directly to
the tank). 500 seems a little high - I would think you should be aiming
for 400.....another question would be how much coralline algae do you
have? (the red/purple stuff on your rocks and glass) - this also uses
calcium....

Gill

Gill,
To answer the other part of your question, there's not much coralline
algae at this point...the tank is only around 2, 2 and a half months
old or thereabouts. The green hair algae has just hit the point where
it's stopped growing

Mitch

On Nov 13, 9:20 am, Wayne Sallee wrote:
You also need an alkalinity test kit.
If your alkalinity is good, then increase the amount
of calcium that you are adding.

On your a b part solutions, one is alkalinity, and
one is calcium.

Wayne Sallee


Big Habeeb wrote on 11/12/2007 10:41 PM:



What calcium supplement are you using? and how are you adding this?
(please tell me you are doing it with your top ups and not directly to
the tank). 500 seems a little high - I would think you should be aiming
for 400.....another question would be how much coralline algae do you
have? (the red/purple stuff on your rocks and glass) - this also uses
calcium....

Gill

Gill,
To answer the other part of your question, there's not much coralline
algae at this point...the tank is only around 2, 2 and a half months
old or thereabouts. The green hair algae has just hit the point where
it's stopped growing

Mitch- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Wayne,
I've been testing alkalinity and it's all good, right in the range the
test kit says I want. I've adjusted the amounts slightly, adding
about 2 caps of the calcium, and 1 of the alkalinity solutions. At
this point, I think I just need to be patient.

Mitch