Cal mag alk wats ur schedule?

1guydude · Jan 30, 2015

I'd like to think of myself as a intermediate aquariust. I'm now aware it take Cal mag and alk supplements to keep stony coral alive lol.
My question to u all is...and I kno every tank is diffrent. But.

Wat is ur method or way for keeping up with these parameters? When? How often? How much? Wat is it? Wats ur stony coral bioload? High med low? Size of tank? Ect...

I'll say I myself have dosed two part and individual three part. I dose when I feel is right. I test when I feel I need to. I kno my tanks like the back no f my hands. Usually no more than three cap fulls of each. I'd say I have a low stony coral load.
Usually once a week or sometimes once every cpl weeks.
D

deerhunter06 · Jan 31, 2015

All I dose us aquavitro products by seachem I have sps doing well. calcification, ions, vibrance, and fuel. Every 3 days

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 31, 2015

I dose limewater in my ATO.

1guydude · Feb 4, 2015

Limewater like pickling lime?
No 8.4 buffer deer hunter? I was dosing the 8.4, ions, and calcification.
D

deerhunter06 · Feb 4, 2015

No I don't pay too much attention to the pH. I test it monthly and it always seems to be good.

deerhunter06 · Feb 4, 2015

I use nutri seawater for all my water changes tho and used it for my initial water supply from the beginning. Suppose to help balance your ph

1guydude · Feb 9, 2015

nutri sea water? Like pre made water?
im a fan of oceanic salt brand.

LOL well making this thread i relized i was dosing 8.4 ph not 8.4 alk. I thought the Ph buffer was an alk buffer.
hmm no neg effects i can see on my tank and my coral sure could use both ph and alk lol.
yesterday i dosed cal aquavitro. I imagine the alk goes up when the cal goes up. As when the mag does as well. idk
need more testing and time.
before i know it ill hopefully know how much to dose on a more frequent basis. keeping my tanks more stable.
-d

deerhunter06 · Feb 9, 2015

Lol whoops! At least everything's ok.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 9, 2015

1guydude said:
Limewater like pickling lime?

Yes.

I compare all of the methods of calcium and alkalinity addition here:

The Many Methods for Supplementing Calcium and Alkalinity - REEFEDITION

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 9, 2015

1guydude said:
LOL well making this thread i relized i was dosing 8.4 ph not 8.4 alk. I thought the Ph buffer was an alk buffer.
hmm no neg effects i can see on my tank and my coral sure could use both ph and alk lol.
yesterday i dosed cal aquavitro. I imagine the alk goes up when the cal goes up. As when the mag does as well. idk
need more testing and time.
before i know it ill hopefully know how much to dose on a more frequent basis. keeping my tanks more stable.
-d

Anything that raises pH is an alkalinity supplement, no matter what it claims.

Alk will only rise with a calcium rise if you added alkalinity to make it rise. Otherwise, it will not.

deerhunter06 · Feb 9, 2015

Randy, I have never dosed any type of lime only the stuff I have stated above how do I have sps growing very well, is it because the water changes are enough to keep my alk where it's suppose to be?

1guydude · Feb 9, 2015

Makes sense lol.
Figured it wasn't a bad thing and more a good thing, if the ph and alk r up my coral is eating the cal and mag and watever else. Right?
I h8 to question myself lol.

It's expensive to dose more than 2part but worth it IMO if u know wat ur doing and know ur tank.
I use pickling lime as a paste to kill anything I don't want,
I need a doser and ato with my next setup.
D

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2015

deerhunter06 said:
Randy, I have never dosed any type of lime only the stuff I have stated above how do I have sps growing very well, is it because the water changes are enough to keep my alk where it's suppose to be?

No, well, at least not entirely water changes.

FWIW, the Aquavitro calcification product adds both calcium and alkalinity. Maybe all you need.

The Ions product adds magnesium.

I know you are not using it, but the 8.4 adds alkalinity for those who are.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2015

1guydude said:
Makes sense lol.
Figured it wasn't a bad thing and more a good thing, if the ph and alk r up my coral is eating the cal and mag and watever else. Right?
I h8 to question myself lol.

I don't know what you mean. pH and alkalinity rising does not mean that corals are consuming calcium and magnesium. ???

1guydude · Feb 10, 2015

wat i mean is that by keeping my ph and alk up my coral is able to consume the cal and mag at the rate they want or at a higher rate than, e.g. a lower acidic level or lower water hardness....?!?! or does this have nothing to do with any of this and im wish wash. lol

i figured my alk would spike up with cal add and limewater killings. Just need to fine tune to where im adding lil bits constantly. Right?
this would keep the alk in the desired levels?!?!
hope im a lil more clear lol.
-d

Randy Holmes-Farley · Feb 10, 2015

Some corals do grow faster at higher pH and higher alkalinity.

When they are growing, the use a reletively fixed ratio of calcium, alkalinity and magnesium. Approximately 18-20 ppm calcium and 1 or 2 ppm magnesium for each 1 meq/L (2.8 dKH) of alkalinity.