Does anyone know a good additive to raise calcium and magnesium? I have been having a hell of a time keeping mine over 320.

Ocean's Blend is good. Amphibious recommended it to me and then my LFS began carrying it too. I also dose kalk. I just bought a bag of Dow Flake and am going to start making my own. An Improved Do-it-Yourself Two-Part Calcium and Alkalinity Supplement System by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php)

i like the seachem product called "Reef advantage calcium" it raises calcium AND maintains magnesium and strontium.

Thanks for the tips guys. What is a good dosing routine for this if my intention is to raise my current levels. Should i add a bit every day or wait longer between doses?

I dosed and tested daily when I was trying to raise Ca.

Beginner : my bottol says " 1 level teaspoon per 40gal 2x per week. disolve in 1 cup of fresh water. check calcium level every 2 weeks and adjust amount or frequency accordingly.

Advanced : check calcium level, then follow addition regimen above until calcium level is adjusted to 380 - 420 mg/L. each 5g/150L will raise calcium tby about 12mg/L. quantity or frequency can be adjusted but do not exceed 10 g/150L per day. thereafter use as required to maintain calcium.

Expert : after determining the calcium consuption rate, set up a continuous drip system. use the following formula to determine how much to add to your top off water: m=vc/400 (m=grams to add to top off water, v=volume of tank in liters, c=amount to raise calcium in mg/l). for example, if you want to raise calcium by 25 mg/L in a 200 liter tank, then you would add 200x25/400=12.5 g into the top off water. [for reference: 1 gallon =3.8 liters, 5 g=1 tsp].

Notes : if used with reef calcium, it is not necessary to exceed 380 mg/L total calcium. use reef status : calcium to measure calcium.

HTH

Wow thanks bobby. Okay, i am on it!

I have been using a two part thing from Kent, dosing once daily. It doesn't seem to be doing much of anything. That's what led me to think my magnesium was low; i have read that if you have trouble maintaining calcium, low magnesium might be the cause.

no problem my friend.

Samuel, Have you tested Mg?

Astrivian

Funny you should post this question. I recently have been having a heck of a time keeping my Ca up. It sits around 320 as well. I have done a lot of research and have decide that with my Ca load I'm going to try the RHF 2 part additive. Are you familar with this? By using this homemade additive, you can safely raise and maitain both your Ca and alk for pennys to the gallon.
If your concerned about finding the materials for this recipe, just type www.two part solution.com and it will show you everything you need and like I said before, its cheap. Its all been tested and its 100% safe for aquarium use. Let us know if you try this method as I will when my order comes in!!!

Mike

Carmie, no i have not tested Mg. I don't have a test kit. Yet! That is actually one of the reasons i was looking for a substance that could maintain both. I will get a kit though; i just need some more money :)

There is always some other thing that you need to buy. :) I'd not dose anything that I didn't test for. I found that you can buy Dow Flake at janitor supply places and baking soda at Sam's Club. I use Epsom Salts for the Mg part. Like Mike said this is a really cheap way to go. A 50# bag of Mag Flake is $30, 12# of baking soda is $5 and 8# of Epsom salt is $4. This is about a lifetime supply for $40! Mike let me know if you want some Dow Flake. I've got plenty.

Need you say more!!!!!!

I'm going to place my order as soon as I can save up like 75 bucks. I just bought a used RO/DI unit and I need to get new resin for the DI part. They sell it cheap!!!
I tested the tds of the water out of my unit prior to replacing filters and it was like 8. Pretty good!!!!!!

I got a enough for a gallon mix of the Ca but if I can't raise the money before that gallon runs out I'll pm you. The wife/family has decided that I spend too much on my addictive hobby. I can't agree with them.

Anyways I am excited about trying the two-part and would give it a review if anyone is interested

Thanks

Mike

There is always some other thing that you need to buy. :) I'd not dose anything that I didn't test for. I found that you can buy Dow Flake at janitor supply places and baking soda at Sam's Club. I use Epsom Salts for the Mg part. Like Mike said this is a really cheap way to go. A 50# bag of Mag Flake is $30, 12# of baking soda is $5 and 8# of Epsom salt is $4. This is about a lifetime supply for $40! Mike let me know if you want some Dow Flake. I've got plenty.

I agree, this is the only way to go if your gonna dose your tank rather than go with kalk or a cal. reactor. If you have to buy 2 part solution every 2 weeks or so your going to break the bank. Why not spend all that money you saved on a new acropora or something?

Dow Flakes and Epsom Salts can be used to raise Ca and Mg levels correct?

I haven't heard of using Epsom Salts before, does anyone have a DIY recipe?

Dow Flakes and Epsom Salts can be used to raise Ca and Mg levels correct?

I haven't heard of using Epsom Salts before, does anyone have a DIY recipe?

Chemistry and the Aquarium (http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/april2004/chem.htm)
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)

The second link will show you the "improved" magnesium recipe.
HTH

wow. thanks. i will check that stuff out.

oh....and i will get a Mg test kit :)

If I am looking to raise certain level I use this to see how much I will need. Reef Chemistry Calculator (http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chemcalc.html)

Thanks for that calculator PSH, that is cool. I often wonder about those who have the time to program these things, but i am glad they do :)

I found some janitorial supply stores in denver but none carry dow flakes in the off-season. Can you order this tuff online?

Yep, at the appropriately named twopartsolution.com

Two Part Solution, Discount Calcium and Alkalinity Supplies (http://www.twopartsolution.com/)

Astrivian, sorry for entering this thread late with my personal advice but this is what has worked for me. I purchase Kent Tech-CB Series Part A and Part B which increases Calcium using Calcium Chloride which is good for a quick fix of getting your Calcium back up. But eventually you may want to start dosing Kalkwasser or introduce a Calcium Reactor to which utilizes Calcium Hydroxide since in my experience most SPS Coral eventually reject the Calcium Chloride of liquid Calcium Additives which in turn stunts Coral growth by not allowing the precipitation of Calcium to occur if the product is used constantly as your major additive. As for Magnesium I use Kent Marine Tech-M Series with does the job just fine.

I love how this stuff is easier to find on fish sites than in janitorial stores :)

Oh, thanks for the advise Jason!

I got my parts from the Two Part Solution and i love it so far. I followed the directions given in the link to the Reefkeeping article above and i now got my Ca up to 430 ppm (from 300), right where i want it. Easy to mix and easy to use.

Thanks for all the help with this everyone! Great suggestions and comments.

I've been using the two part mix for almost 2 months now and wow is all I can say!!! My Ca(460) and alk(8dkh) has been rock steady and my Mg has been 1300 as well. This is the best method to keep my parameters stable I've been able to find in 2 years! I'm totally sold on this and for $30 bucks a year, who could believe it.

Samuel, you won't regret this choice!!!!!!!

Mike

Several of the guys in my local club swear by it. I suppose I'm going to have to give it a try.

So, to maintain acceptable levels of calcium, magnessium and still maintain a good alkalinity, what else should I dose along with kalkwasser? I understand the relationship they all have in common, but I dont understand the chemistry of Magnesium Sulfate, Sodium Bicarbonate and how they interact with Calcium Hydroxide? Is there a way to mix these correctly, or should I stick to Calcium Chloride? I'm ordering my test kits, but i'd like to know what I should do.

Before I started dripping kalk I was dosing with Ocean's Blend 2 Part which has Mg. I thought I would probably have to start dosing Mg (via Epsom Salts) since it was running 1250 using the Ocean's Blend. However, about that same time I began using Red Sea Salt and now it is 1300 without dosing. I guess I am saying all of this to say, don't dose what you aren't testing for! The kalk will maintain your Ca & Alk all you may need is Mg.

i like the seachem product called "Reef advantage calcium" it raises calcium AND maintains magnesium and strontium.

I'm with lReef lKeeper on this one. Plus using their website dosing calculator you know how much to use. I prefer the liquid version over the powder.

Of course, soon I will have a calcium reactor, so I'll be graduating into a whole new method of dosing...

...yeah your right, that's pretty cool, i can't wait to set up a reactor as well

A friend of mine almost nabbed a Ca reactor for free! Someone had put their entire tank setup outside and marked it free. The entire setup: 200 gallon tank (about), MH lights, PC actinics, stand, Ca reactor, phosban reactor, and skimmer.

Nuts! we missed it by a few hours! By the time he went back to grab it, everything was gone.