switching calcium additive

Wiz · Oct 15, 2015

So when I first started dozing Reef advantage calcium I was unaware that it had magnesium in it.My magnesium level has climbed not to dangerous levels but I still need to switch my calcium attitive. I use baked baking soda for alkalinity. My question is what is the most basic calcium that I can useAnd will the transition cause harm

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 16, 2015

If you just want a calcium additive, calcium chloride is the thing to use. There are many suitable brands. There's no problem switching. I'd be quite surprised, however, if magnesium got too high from the Seachem product. It might be testing error or a salt mix with very high magnesium.

I'd also suggest making a balanced two part system out of whatever brand you choose. I give recipes here, and you can get ingredients from places like BRS or Dr Foster and Smith:

An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

Wiz · Oct 16, 2015

I don't do water changes. Only add about one cup of salt a month. So not the salt mix. Could be a testing error but its consistant. I add about 15 tsp of advantage and 16 tsp of soda a month. Currently. Thanks for the link.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 16, 2015

Why do you add salt? To offset skimming losses?

Wiz · Oct 16, 2015

I steal water from the tank to hatch brine. I was mixing it separately but then figured the tank could use the extra elements that are in the salt. So kinda like a mini water change. I add one cup of red sea pro to top off water. My operation is kinda cramped till I get a house next year. So top of is by hand every day or other day at times. Calcium is mixed in a gallon jug and poured in a little every couple days and soda is mixed in a gallon jug and dosed using a medical feeding bag which I fill every 5 days or so

Wiz · Oct 16, 2015

I test once a month And all parameters seem fairly stable. Alkalinity very slightly but not enough to worry. I'd like to keep alkalinity higher than it is but I can't figure out how to keep it high. It is usually between 8.5 and 9

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 16, 2015

Red Sea Coral Pro is quite high in magnesium. So that may have started you high.

Also, the dry salt you add has more magnesium in (4.2% by dry weight) than the Seachem additive (less than 2% by dry weight).

I don't know how much of the Seachem product you add over a month, but I wouldn't discount the salt entirely.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 16, 2015

Wiz said:
I test once a month And all parameters seem fairly stable. Alkalinity very slightly but not enough to worry. I'd like to keep alkalinity higher than it is but I can't figure out how to keep it high. It is usually between 8.5 and 9

What happens to the alk if you add more baking soda each day?

Wiz · Oct 16, 2015

I have not tried it daily. I've uped the amount in the mix each month and always wind up in the same range. Suppose I should try smaller time testing. I figured Replacing the salt that I took out could not raise magnesium above the amount that is in the salt. So it had to be the extra additive. False thinking I take it

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 16, 2015

Wiz said:
I have not tried it daily. I've uped the amount in the mix each month and always wind up in the same range. Suppose I should try smaller time testing. I figured Replacing the salt that I took out could not raise magnesium above the amount that is in the salt. So it had to be the extra additive. False thinking I take it

Red Sea Coral Pro at 35 ppt has 1474 ppm magnesium in it according to Red Sea. What is the tank level of magnesium and salinity?

Wiz · Oct 16, 2015

Ahhhh level last check was 1380. Its been as high as 1450. guess it is the salt. Wierd though because I started with red sea. So you would think it would have been high all along. 1474 seems high doesn't it? Why would salt be that high? How high is too high?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 16, 2015

I personally wouldn't worry about slightly elevated magnesium too much. Switching to a different additive is a fine plan, but at either 1474 or 1380, it isn't a problem.

FWIW, the normal Red Sea salt mix is much lower in magnesium, but I do not know why they elect these levels in the Pro. Curiously, they actually say thePro salt mix has more than they recommend on the same page.

http://www.redseafish.com/red-sea-salts/coral-pro-salt/

Wiz · Oct 16, 2015

Interresting. Lol with no explanation.

Wiz · Oct 16, 2015

So which two part do you find the easi est or most sensable? Also thanks for the help

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 16, 2015

Using a commercial two part like B-ionic is easiest, but many people like my DIY because it costs a lot less.

Wiz · Oct 16, 2015

Cost less is what I need as well. Lol I'm prrobably the last guy that shoulx be reefing monetarily. But I love it and can't help myself. So which homemade is what I meant. ;-)

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 16, 2015

In terms of my recipes, most people use Recipe 1. I'd only use recipe 2 if you already use limewater and pH is on the high side.

Lots of people buy the ingredients at BRS as they sell it prepackaged.

Wiz · Oct 26, 2015

Hey randy, sry to bug you again. I was curious If you the the all in one brs bulk 2 part system will work well. I'm trying to take advantage of their group buy. I see they have the esv. Should I use that or is brs just as good?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Oct 26, 2015

I designed the DIY two part system that BRS uses, and lots of people use it successfully, but I expect it is not quite as good as using B-ionic. The reason is that (I hope and expect) that ESV fulfills their claim of adding more things into it than just the main ingredients. For example, potassium.

If you do regular water changes, that is less of a concern than if you do not, but I would use the BRS two part as originally designed: using all three parts (including the magnesium part) at the expected ratios.

I discuss the recipe here:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php

Wiz · Oct 26, 2015

Ok so I don't want to do the b ionic. I'd rather stick with powders. So ill grab the brs 2 part system. As you read in this thread I add about 1 cup of red sea pro a month to my system and do not do water changes. I also add 2 capfuls of iron a month to help support my 30g fuge. And about 4 drops of iodine a month. Which I'm not sure why I even do that.( Probably the only thing I do to my reef without reason)
You mention that potassium is good. Should I be testing for that? Are there any other elements I should be concerned with?

Right now I test once a month for
Calc
Alk
Mag
Ph
Nitrite
Nitrate
Ammonia
Phos