Raising Calcium in Salt Water
 

I am looking for the cheapest way of raising my calcium levels of saltwater.

When using IO salt without adding anything my levels are 350. I would like to boost it up to 450. I also have to boost my Mag. I don't have a reliable ALK test kit (should get it this week) but the calcium is what I need to boost the most.

I use Seachem Calcium, cheap enough for a 50g drum of new water. Lasts me a while, and it's easy. They even have an online calculator to see how much you need.

That is what I am using now. Maybe I will keep using it. I am just about done with this bottle so I thought I would post the question.

Thanks

I get mine at J&L, it's pretty cheap and lasts long enough that for the $18 or so, it's not a cost concern for the tank. I think it's also got Mg in it, so added bonus.

I just raised up my calcium yesterday, used Red Sea Reef Foundation "A"
Ca/Cr Supplement

I use dry bulk chemicals
I bake baking soda for alk
I get cal from Eli at caco3reef.com
I have mag. From a previous member who no longer sells product and will order from Eli again - very good to deal with quick shipping and good prices!

I think the Reef Ca is just Ca but the Reef Advantage Ca has the Mg and Strontium as well.


Dan

I was told that if you bake baking soda it will affect PH alot more than if you do not. Any advantages to baking it rather than not?

That's correct. I dose SeaChem Reef Advantage Calcium and have never had to add Mg.

Yes, sorry, that's the product I use.

Baking it converts bicarb to carb. Adding either of these will affect your pH for a few hours, but atmospheric CO2 will react through the water surface with whatever you add to establish an equilibrium between the bicarb and the carbonate (baked bicarb). The short of it... it doesn't matter what you add, in a few hours your pH will end up at the same point. Personally, I add a solution that has about 1 part carb to 7.5 parts bicarb. This works out to 50g carb:350g bicarb in each 4l jug (I use milk jugs). This is the only alk supplement I have used for years and it works out fine for me...
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Dan

Thanks for the insight Dan, you should start a tank journal would love to learn more.

I bake it because its more potent (almost double)so I mix up 5 gal of a solution at a time for my dosing pump
If I'm doing an adjustment(rare- my dosing pumps seem to be consistent over the long haul) I don't bother baking it just use reg. baking soda
My Ph probe on my controller doesn't really register a spike but I usually only adjust 0.5 DKH at a time

I might just do that :). You are always more than welcome to pm me and ask me to reply to a post. Or give me a call and get the detailed version... thumb typing on my iPhone takes a while and it is pretty much the only thing I use for forums.


Dan