Calcium daily usage

[mrtian97]

Just want to get feedback, my total water volume is about 85 gallon, heavy spsp colonies, 2 yrs old. Just want to check if my dosing amount is reasonable. I dose in 4 hrs increments, total daily dose of Randy’s 2 parts recipe:
Ca: 160 mL
Soda Ash solution: 160mL
And I use 8tsp Kalk to mix with 5 gallon ATO solutions.

My level stable: Ca 370 ppm and Alk 8.1 dKH.

I would like to increase my Ca level but concern with having my pumps built up/seized with too much Ca. My concern is whether I am currently dosing too much Ca that it actually precipitating, that’s the reason my level is low? I don’t see any white residue in my media reactor or other parts of the sump.

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Just want to get feedback, my total water volume is about 85 gallon, heavy spsp colonies, 2 yrs old. Just want to check if my dosing amount is reasonable. I dose in 4 hrs increments, total daily dose of Randy’s 2 parts recipe:
Ca: 160 mL
Soda Ash solution: 160mL
And I use 8tsp Kalk to mix with 5 gallon ATO solutions.

My level stable: Ca 370 ppm and Alk 8.1 dKH.

I would like to increase my Ca level but concern with having my pumps built up/seized with too much Ca. My concern is whether I am currently dosing too much Ca that it actually precipitating, that’s the reason my level is low? I don’t see any white residue in my media reactor or other parts of the sump.

Thanks

The two part is adding about 2.6 dKH and equivalent calcium per day. I can't tell how much evaporation you get for the limewater, but assuming 1% daily, its about another 0.5 dKH and equivalent. That's substantial daily addition, but not excessive for an SPS tank.

The tendency to increased precipitation between calcium at 370 and calcium at 420 ppm is very small, and about the same as 0.06 pH increase in pH.

I'd give it a one time boost to calcium and maintain everything else the same.

 

[mrtian97]

Thanks Randy

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[mrtian97]

Using the calculator, for 85 gallon volume, to increase Ca level from 370 to 420 will require 435mL of CaCl 2 parts- Ca solution.

I am thinking to add manually of 100mL per day for 5 straight days, in addition to my normal daily dose via the auto doser. Would this works?

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Using the calculator, for 85 gallon volume, to increase Ca level from 370 to 420 will require 435mL of CaCl 2 parts- Ca solution.

I am thinking to add manually of 100mL per day for 5 straight days, in addition to my normal daily dose via the auto doser. Would this works?

Thanks

That sounds like a fine plan.