Does calcium need to be stable

[FRANK48]

Does calcium always need to be a specific number?

 

[Spare time]

No

That is also practically impossible with hobby grade test kits.

Just keep it in the 400-500 range and you'll be fine

 

[Garf]

Does calcium always need to be a specific number?

Just add any alkalinity supplements to keep KH stable (if you need to) and the corresponding calcium supplement based on the Alkalinity consumption to keep the ratio between calcium and alkalinity stable.

 

[Cool tangs]

Alk is the most important to keep stable in my opinion, everything else is more forgiving. The times ive lost a coral from a alk swing, its almost garenteed that one coral will at least suffer from a alk swing. Especially SPS corals. Softies and LPS are quite forgiving of everything most the time.

This is just my experience, hope this helps!

Auto doser was the best investment, took daily testing to chime in, but reef is balanced now and seeing better results.

 

[FRANK48]

No

That is also practically impossible with hobby grade test kits.

Just keep it in the 400-500 range and you'll be fine

Is it the same with magnesium?

 

[FRANK48]

Alk is the most important to keep stable in my opinion, everything else is more forgiving. The times ive lost a coral from a alk swing, its almost garenteed that one coral will at least suffer from a alk swing. Especially SPS corals. Softies and LPS are quite forgiving of everything most the time.

This is just my experience, hope this helps!

Auto doser was the best investment, took daily testing to chime in, but reef is balanced now and seeing better results.

I currently only have soft corals, should I get dosing equipment

 

[Garf]

I currently only have soft corals, should I get dosing equipment

How much evaporation do you get? You got a picture?

 

[FRANK48]

How much evaporation do you get? You got a picture?

I currently can’t take a picture but I don’t think it’s anything abnormal

 

[Garf]

I currently can’t take a picture but I don’t think it’s anything abnormal

Have you got an automatic top off? What’s your pH? How much Alkalinity does it consume? I dosed a weak kalkwasser solution in my softy tank for years to address all the above. Then as you get more and more coralline growing, just increase the potency as it uses more and more alkalinity.

 

[Cool tangs]

I currently only have soft corals, should I get dosing equipment

I would only worry about a auto doser once you actually need to dose anything. You will know as either water changes wont be enough or if you want to stretch out your water changes. There is a bit to mastering a balance, it takes a bit of time to find it and lots of testing at the beginning

The short answer is you probably dont need to stress as much about water chemistry with softies

 

[FRANK48]

I would only worry about a auto doser once you actually need to dose anything. You will know as either water changes wont be enough or if you want to stretch out your water changes. There is a bit to mastering a balance, it takes a bit of time to find it and lots of testing at the beginning

The short answer is you probably dont need to stress as much about water chemistry with softies

Okay thanks

 

[FRANK48]

Have you got an automatic top off? What’s your pH? How much Alkalinity does it consume? I dosed a weak kalkwasser solution in my softy tank for years to address all the above. Then as you get more and more coralline growing, just increase the potency as it uses more and more alkalinity.

I do have an auto top off, my ph is 8.2 and I’m not sure how much all my tank consumes

 

[Garf]

I do have an auto top off, my ph is 8.2 and I’m not sure how much all my tank consumes

I would definitely check Alkalinity

 

[FRANK48]

I would definitely check Alkalinity

Well last time I checked it was 9

 

[Garf]

Well last time I checked it was 9

All seems good then. Back to post #2 for calcium. Magnesium can be anywhere between 1250 to 1400.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you are not dosing alkalinity regularly, calcium and magnesium will be largely unchanged, except by salinity changes.

 

[FRANK48]

If you are not dosing alkalinity regularly, calcium and magnesium will be largely unchanged, except by salinity changes.

So if I’m not dosing everything will be fine? I am currently raising my salinity

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So if I’m not dosing everything will be fine? I am currently raising my salinity

Yes, if alk dosing is not needed, then there's typically no need to even bother measuring calcium and magnesium.

 

[FRANK48]

Yes, if alk dosing is not needed, then there's typically no need to even bother measuring calcium and magnesium.

Oh thanks that really helps

 

[Hincapiej4]

I hope this helps.