Dosing Calcium

[RaymondL]

Now that I have more LPS in my tank, I'm noticing Calcium levels dropping daily: approx 20ppm per 24 hours. Having not worry about dosing before, can I dose the amount of Calcium all at once to replace the 20ppm, or should I staggered the dosage, and if so what would that look like? Ie. if I need 10mls of an additive, should I dose 5ml every few minutes, or can I dump 10ml all at once?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Lavey29]

Now that I have more LPS in my tank, I'm noticing Calcium levels dropping daily: approx 20ppm per 24 hours. Having not worry about dosing before, can I dose the amount of Calcium all at once to replace the 20ppm, or should I staggered the dosage, and if so what would that look like? Ie. if I need 10mls of an additive, should I dose 5ml every few minutes, or can I dump 10ml all at once?

Thanks for the help.

Are your alk levels dropping to proportionally? You can hand dose 10ml of alk with no issues.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I would like a concrete answer on this as well.

I have to dose 90ml calc a day now evidently, or higher, and I've been dosing all 70ml over 20 seconds infront of a power head in my sump.

Think i might order a doser tomorrow at this rate.

 

[Rmckoy]

All should be being consumed at or close to equal levels .
Test both to see if there is a noticeable trend over a 5 day period

 

[Rmckoy]

All should be being consumed at or close to equal levels .
Test both to see if there is a noticeable trend over a 5 day period

Alk ( alkalinity )

 

[bushdoc]

Now that I have more LPS in my tank, I'm noticing Calcium levels dropping daily: approx 20ppm per 24 hours. Having not worry about dosing before, can I dose the amount of Calcium all at once to replace the 20ppm, or should I staggered the dosage, and if so what would that look like? Ie. if I need 10mls of an additive, should I dose 5ml every few minutes, or can I dump 10ml all at once?

Thanks for the help.

For a smaller tank, lower demand, you can dose Ca and Alkalinity once a day, but if your Alkalinity demand increases, you will have large swings with single dosing, which will be stressful for corals.
For now you are OK.

 

[Lavey29]

I would like a concrete answer on this as well.

I have to dose 90ml calc a day now evidently, or higher, and I've been dosing all 70ml over 20 seconds infront of a power head in my sump.

Think i might order a doser tomorrow at this rate.

For what size tank? Is it heavily stocked with SPS coral?

 

[Spare time]

How big is the tank (and how big are the corals)?

 

[RaymondL]

Thanks all - prior to dosing, Ca was at 380, so I brought it back up to 400ppm. I tested Alk shortly thereafter, and it remained where it was prior, which is dkh of 8.2. On that note, I'm assuming then I can dose Ca without having to dose to bring up dkh.

Now I need to verify the rate of Ca consumption to be sure - I'll monitor daily and record how much a drop in PPM calcium is being used and dose accordingly if required. I'll probably dose only when it reaches down to 380ppm only.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks all - prior to dosing, Ca was at 380, so I brought it back up to 400ppm. I tested Alk shortly thereafter, and it remained where it was prior, which is dkh of 8.2. On that note, I'm assuming then I can dose Ca without having to dose to bring up dkh.

Now I need to verify the rate of Ca consumption to be sure - I'll monitor daily and record how much a drop in PPM calcium is being used and dose accordingly if required. I'll probably dose only when it reaches down to 380ppm only.

There is no mechanism for calcium to decline 20 ppm per day without the tank also consuming about 2.8 dKH.

Be careful of large day to day changes in calcium, unaccompanied by alk changes, which are likely to be test error unless you are adding alkalinity.

Adding 20 ppm calcium per day all at once is perfectly fine, when it is needed.

 

[Chee-tomorpha]

Piggy backing on OP question as I have the same question.

In my 50gal, over a 5 day period. I tested a drop of
Alk 10.1 to 9.2
Ca 400 to 370
Mg 1640 to 1440

I use BRS pharma powders. Checking BRS calculators to get Ca back to 400 would require about 150ml of their pharma solution. Can I simply divide 150ml / 5 = 30ml as my daily dosage?