What is the preferred Calcium supplement?

[Dom]

I've been using Red Sea Foundation A, but it gets expensive.

Will Calcium Carbonate nutritional supplement powder work?

 

[PotatoPig]

Have you seen Randy’s DIY Two Part?

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

 

[Dom]

Have you seen Randy’s DIY Two Part?

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

Yes, but he also writes of Calcium Chloride Dihydrate.

 

[PotatoPig]

I might be wrong, but I don’t think adding calcium carbonate will raise up your calcium levels. This is essentially what makes up coral skeletons and if you have aragonite sand that’s mostly just calcium carbonate. It won’t dissolve into the tank at the pH, pressure and concentration you need. Which is good because otherwise coral skeletons would dissolve.

To get calcium from these into your water you’ll need a calcium reactor to push the water ph in the reactor into a level where the calcium carbonate will dissolve.

There’s a post on here about Coral Snow that uses calcium carbonate powder as a flocculant, and rather than adding calcium to the system it can cause some calcium to crystalline out of the water!

Hence why the DIY two part uses salts, as these will readily dissolve into the water.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

So Calcium Carbonate is dosed for alkalinity, not calcium, and is usually used in the form of Kalkwasser or Lime Water. Thus, it will not help with your calcium dosing.

I used to use the Red Sea Part A and agree that it can get expensive, have you tried:

• buying it in powder form (significantly cheaper)
• BRS calcium powder
• Randy's 2 part as mentioned above by @PotatoPig

 

[Dom]

Yes, I am going to mix Randy's 2 part recipe for the first time. I'm putting together my ingredient list.

 

[Dom]

So Calcium Carbonate is dosed for alkalinity, not calcium, and is usually used in the form of Kalkwasser or Lime Water. Thus, it will not help with your calcium dosing.

I used to use the Red Sea Part A and agree that it can get expensive, have you tried:

• buying it in powder form (significantly cheaper)
• BRS calcium powder
• Randy's 2 part as mentioned above by @PotatoPig

As per Randy's "improved" recipe.

"
Recipe # 1, Part 1: The Calcium Part

Dissolve 500 grams (about 2 ½ cups) of calcium chloride dihydrate (such as Dowflake 77-80% calcium chloride"

 

[danimal1211]

So Calcium Carbonate is dosed for alkalinity, not calcium, and is usually used in the form of Kalkwasser or Lime Water. Thus, it will not help with your calcium dosing.

I used to use the Red Sea Part A and agree that it can get expensive, have you tried:

• buying it in powder form (significantly cheaper)
• BRS calcium powder
• Randy's 2 part as mentioned above by @PotatoPig

No calcium carbonate isn’t an ingredient in 2 part. Baking soda, soda ash or sodium hydroxide are the three choices to raise alkalinity in Randy’s recipe. The choice is based largely on how much you would like it to raise PH as well.

 

[cilyjr]

Calcium Carbonate is dosed for alkalinity, not calcium, and is usually used in the form of Kalkwasser or Lime Water

Limewater is calcium hydroxide

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

No calcium carbonate isn’t an ingredient in 2 part. Baking soda, soda ash or sodium hydroxide are the three choices to raise alkalinity in Randy’s recipe. The choice is based largely on how much you would like it to raise PH as well.

Correct, but also not what I stated. I clarified that dosing calcium carbonate would increase alkalinity not calcium which is what the OP was seeking to do then pointed them towards Randy's two part recipe.

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

Limewater is calcium hydroxide

Thanks for the clarification as I misspoke.

 

[cilyjr]

Calcium carbonate (arogonite,calcite) is in chunks and is often dissolved in calcium reactors at least in aragonite form.

What is called " 2part" and is sold by many manufacturers and people have DIY versions it has an alkalinity part and a calcium part

The alkalinity part is usually either sodium bicarbonate or sodium carbonate

The calcium part is usually calcium chloride.

I'm not familiar with calcium carbonate being ground to a powder and being soluble in water unless It is very acidic.

 

[Dom]

No calcium carbonate isn’t an ingredient in 2 part. Baking soda, soda ash or sodium hydroxide are the three choices to raise alkalinity in Randy’s recipe. The choice is based largely on how much you would like it to raise PH as well.

I just quoted it right from Randy's recipe.

 

[cilyjr]

I've been using Red Sea Foundation A, but it gets expensive.

Foundation A is just a manufacturer's version of a two-part solution. From reading about it. It looks like it is the calcium solution.
My guess is, it is just calcium chloride dissolved in water maybe with a little bit of magic mixed in to sell it for more money.

Will Calcium Carbonate nutritional supplement powder work?

No. Calcium chloride will. I buy it on Amazon or from bulk reef supply.

Amazon.com

I find it pretty funny that Amazon lists the flavor as " cheese"

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, many folks use calcium carbonate particles as a flocculant in a reef tank, but it does not supplement calcium or alkalinity since it cannot dissolve in normal seawater.

 

[danimal1211]

I just quoted it right from Randy's recipe.

Seems subtle but important difference between calcium carbonate and calcium carbonate dihydrate.

 

[Dom]

Seems subtle but important difference between calcium carbonate and calcium carbonate dihydrate.

I haven't any idea, which is why I ask.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

2-Part Pharma Calcium & Alkalinity Starter Package

Start Replenishing Calcium and Alkalinity in your Reef Tank! Keep your corals growing with the BRS 2-Part Calcium & Alkalinity Starter Package. The kit includes everything to make one gallon of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium and to start daily dosing, it even includes mixing jugs, dispensing...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I believe Randy's recipe is used for this

 

[danimal1211]

I mistyped that as well. Calcium chloride dihydrate mixed per Randy’s recipe will raise calcium. Calcium carbonate does not resolve at the ph our tanks are kept at and will not dissolve. As Randy stated it is used by some as a floculant.

 

[Dom]

2-Part Pharma Calcium & Alkalinity Starter Package

Start Replenishing Calcium and Alkalinity in your Reef Tank! Keep your corals growing with the BRS 2-Part Calcium & Alkalinity Starter Package. The kit includes everything to make one gallon of calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium and to start daily dosing, it even includes mixing jugs, dispensing...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

I believe Randy's recipe is used for this

Yeah... actually, I just ordered that today. It seems simple enough. And to be honest, I'm a bit intimidated and overwhelmed by dosing.

The last time I tried it ( gravity drip of Kalk ), it was an absolute disaster. I ended up having to do a 50% water change on a 145 gallons. That didn't help. I got disgusted and redid the entire tank from scratch.