Reef Fusion - looking for advice

[D3DPrintedThingz]

Please be nice. I haven't killed anything, and I haven't done anything large in terms of a HUGE CHANGE.

I am starting to flirt with the concept of 'dosing.' I have low calcium in my tank. Everything else is pretty safe.

Nitrate - 10-15 PPM (finally, after 7 fish)
Phosphate - 0.10 (little high, but I have been overfeeding to establish nitrate. Green rocks, not the end of the world. Got reef cleaners shipment coming in today)
KH - 8.0-8.3
Calcium - it fluctuates between 320-360

I have been doing larger water changes more frequently. I use the blue bucket of salt, should mix to calcium level of 400.

My thinking is if the tank is less than 400 calcium, and I'm putting in 400 calcium water with new salt, I will never reach 400 ? Is this erroneous to think this way ?

So I purchased Reef Fusion part 1 & part 2. The bottle says its a 1:1 dose, no way.

Last night I put in 4 caps of part 1 and 2 caps of part 2. It did very little to my calcium levels, after a test about an hour later.

I like the KH of my tank, I don't really want that to increase. Should I look for a product that would boost calcium, and keep the KH at the value it is currently at? Or maintain a 4:1 ratio of the part 1 and part 2?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I question the accuracy of the calcium result (unless you dosed alk I don't see how you can get to those values with most salt mixes), but the expected result of a little dosing is almost no movement in calcium.

Try the kit on some of the new salt water.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

As an aside unrelated to your issue, Seachem did not design it properly for 1:1 dosing, so even in a perfect setup, 1:1 won't be expected.

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

I question the accuracy of the calcium result (unless you dosed alk I don't see how you can get to those values with most salt mixes), but the expected result of a little dosing is almost no movement in calcium.

Try the kit on some of the new salt water.

Thanks for chiming in!!

Do you mean accuracy of the initial calcium tests, or the accuracy of the calcium test post-dose?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for chiming in!!

Do you mean accuracy of the initial calcium tests, or the accuracy of the calcium test post-dose?

Well, the general low result.

A few capfuls is expected to make hardly any adjustment unless your tank is quite small. In a 50 gallon tank, it takes 189 mL of the calcium part of Reef Fusion to boost calcium by 100 ppm.

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

It is a 90 with a 30 sump, probably 100 gallons of water total.

Now you have me second-guessing my "low calcium." I've just noticed that the zoas are opening a bit less and the LPS do not seem as happy as they have been. I should have started to test the calcium prior to the decline in health, so I could be 100% sure of the decrease.

I have a Salifert calcium test coming from BRS, can't get here soon enough, I'm gonna plan on mixing a batch of new salt water and comparing. Maybe my API test's 16-18 drops are a bit more calcium than I have been giving credit to.

Two last things, I am glad I did not put more of the reef fusion in the tank than what I did. Nothing looked any more stressed this morning.
Also, that is a CRAP TON of reef fusion I would be going through, if I had to use that much. Is it more expensive to dose this stuff or just do water changes? LOL

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is a 90 with a 30 sump, probably 100 gallons of water total.

Now you have me second-guessing my "low calcium." I've just noticed that the zoas are opening a bit less and the LPS do not seem as happy as they have been. I should have started to test the calcium prior to the decline in health, so I could be 100% sure of the decrease.

I have a Salifert calcium test coming from BRS, can't get here soon enough, I'm gonna plan on mixing a batch of new salt water and comparing. Maybe my API test's 16-18 drops are a bit more calcium than I have been giving credit to.

Two last things, I am glad I did not put more of the reef fusion in the tank than what I did. Nothing looked any more stressed this morning.
Also, that is a CRAP TON of reef fusion I would be going through, if I had to use that much. Is it more expensive to dose this stuff or just do water changes? LOL

Water changes done only to boost alk and calcium are always far more expensive solutions than dosing.

But if you do them for other reasons, then any alk or calcium boost is free.

Cost of Water Changes Vs Dosing in Maintaining Calcium and Alkalinity

In a recent thread, the topic came up whether it is cheaper to maintain calcium and alkalinity by water change or by dosing. Water changes are always far more expensive, as seen below, although folks may be doing them for other reasons anyway, in which case one might consider it to be free. I...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

Water changes done only to boost alk and calcium are always far more expensive solutions than dosing.

But if you do them for other reasons, then any alk or calcium boost is free.

Cost of Water Changes Vs Dosing in Maintaining Calcium and Alkalinity

In a recent thread, the topic came up whether it is cheaper to maintain calcium and alkalinity by water change or by dosing. Water changes are always far more expensive, as seen below, although folks may be doing them for other reasons anyway, in which case one might consider it to be free. I...

www.reef2reef.com

I have actually already read that article. I spend a lot of time on this forum... lol and was the reason I began to peruse the LFS section of 'additives' in the plastic white bottles. I usually turn the other way when I go in, straight for the coral tanks.

What are your opinions of the German "Kalkwasser" or All For One reef ? Or a separate product that is even better than all of them?

I am pulling the "I am new here" card. sorrrrrrrrrry

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have actually already read that article. I spend a lot of time on this forum... lol and was the reason I began to peruse the LFS section of 'additives' in the plastic white bottles. I usually turn the other way when I go in, straight for the coral tanks.

What are your opinions of the German "Kalkwasser" or All For One reef ? Or a separate product that is even better than all of them?

I am pulling the "I am new here" card. sorrrrrrrrrry

No problem.

All For Reef is fine, but can make dosing a bit more complicated since alk doesn't respond instantly.

I used limewater (kalkwasser) for 20 years and think its a fine plan.

So are many two parts a fine way to go.

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

No problem.

All For Reef is fine, but can make dosing a bit more complicated since alk doesn't respond instantly.

I used limewater (kalkwasser) for 20 years and think its a fine plan.

So are many two parts a fine way to go.

I shall test some new saltwater upon returning home, and jump down the German kalkwasser rabbit hole for the next couple of hours. Right on !

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

Me again, I promised I would not try to bother you again today but I just can't.

What is the difference between Reef fusion part 1 & 2 and Kalkwasser ? Why would one prefer to use it over the other ?

 

[D3DPrintedThingz]

Ignore me. I just found this:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/

carry on !!