Turbo Calcium

[reeferaddict]

I second the Kalkwasser AND Calcium Reactor... and people... stop buying Kent and other Aquarium Calcium Chloride products... go to a pool & spa place and buy a HUGE bucket for $20!!! EXACTLY the same product.. (77% Calcium Chloride - rest is moisture)

Steve is correct in saying that extended use of Calcium Chloride will eventually skew the chloride balance, hence using Kalk or a Ca Reactor for Calcium maintenance and only using Calcium Chloride for adjustments..

Oh.. one other thing... EPSOM salts to raise Magnesium... also I think helps offset the Chloride imbalance from using Calcium Chloride... but better ask chemist John about these things to be certain.. I hand it over to you Islandreefer... This hobby doesn't have to be THAT expensive Mark... just wait until you get into $1000 skimmers and $500 powerheads... *YEESH*

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by reeferaddict

Oh.. one other thing... EPSOM salts to raise Magnesium... also I think helps offset the Chloride imbalance from using Calcium Chloride...

arn't epsom salts Mg Cl?

steve

[Beverly]

Steve,

I'm pretty sure epsom salts are Mg sulphate (or sulfate, can never remember which), not Mg chloride.

reeferaddict,

With the amount of epsom salts needed to maintain Mg over long periods of time, sulphate (or sulfate) in the tank will go out of whack much more quickly than chloride would if using Ca chloride.

I certainly agree with both of you that dripping kalk to help maintain alk and Ca, then use a Ca additive to top up levels when it is required. Mg, on the other hand, is not a component in kalk to any significant degree, and would have to be added in much larger doses than Ca ever would.

Using a Ca reactor with the right media would probably solve a lot of chemistry problems, but I'm never going to have one, and many others are likely in the same boat as I'm in. As a result, I drip kalk nightly and adjust alk, Ca and Mg every week or two, though I should be more consistent and do it weeklly.

FWIW, here's the DIY additives article....

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

[blaster]

beverly,do you use randy's recipe and does it work good for you?

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by reeferaddict

This hobby doesn't have to be THAT expensive Mark... just wait until you get into $1000 skimmers and $500 powerheads... *YEESH*

Gad, chill Jim. The expenses I refer to aren't just what I've spent up to now. It's also what I'm lookin' to spend in the future. You hit the nail right on the head. The skimmer I'm wanting to buy is gonna cost $1,000. Hopin' to get it in May. So, yes...it is THAT expensive now, IMO. $500 powerheads? Not for me, thanx.

Cheers,

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by blaster

beverly,do you use randy's recipe and does it work good for you?

For the most part, no, I don't use Randy's recipes. Already spend lots of time working with the chemistry of my tanks.
I do use baking soda and "baked" baking soda for alk, though. But don't know where to find most of the products he talks about, and don't want to spend the time finding out.

I pretty much use Kent's additives, but after the Kent salt fiasco, I'm not sure if I want to continue using their products at all. Am kind of looking around for alternative brands of additives. Any input would be great.

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by reeferaddict

.... This hobby doesn't have to be THAT expensive Mark... just wait until you get into $1000 skimmers and $500 powerheads... *YEESH*

I would have taken your comment more lightly if you hadn't added that "YEESH" and that evil lookin' emoticon at the end. And what's up with that alien anyway? Is that gesture with his hands what I think it is? If so, what did I do or say to deserve that?

Cheers,

[RonPeter]

Originally Posted by Beverly

Am kind of looking around for alternative brands of additives. Any input would be great.

What about Seachem products? I have never used them, always Kent.

[Beverly]

Ron,

Have asked this question on RC's chemistry forum and Randy replied with the following threads and articles....

"The new Seachem salt mix is seemingly a big improvement over the old Seachem mix, which had greatly elevated borate:

The Composition Of Several Synthetic Seawater Mixes
http://web.archive.org/web/200012150.../1/default.asp

Boron in a Reef Tank
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/chem.htm

The new Seachem mix is lower, but still has higher than NSW borate (apparently).

I've battled the Seachem folks here in this forum on their borate alkalinity kit, which I do not recommend:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=756622

The Seachem Borate Alkalinity Test Kit
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...e2003/chem.htm

Finally, Phosguard releases aluminum:

Aluminum and aluminum-based phosphate binders
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...y2003/chem.htm

and a follow up discussion with Seachem about it and some new data:

New Aluminum Release Data for Phosguard
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=219105"

Have read a few of the articles and threads, but not all of them yet. Was thinking about Seachem products as an alternative to Kent's, but now I'm not so sure.

Folks on RC's thread about Kent's low alk have been talking up a storm about Tropic Marin salt, but don't know what other products they produce. If you haven't already read it, here's RC's continuing thread on the low alk Kent salt issue for further info....

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by reeferaddict

.... This hobby doesn't have to be THAT expensive Mark... just wait until you get into $1000 skimmers and $500 powerheads... *YEESH*

So, after pondering this some more....I think I may have misunderstood what you were "Yeeshing" at. The $1,000 skimmers and $500 PHs, right? I thought you were "Yeeshing" at my opinion that this hobby is expensive. I missed the good natured sarcasm. Please accept my humble apology for the misunderstanding . As for that weird alien, that totally threw me, man. I had to look it up in the smiley bank to see, first, if it was a Canreef smiley, and second, to see what it is supposed to be. (Not much of a sci-fi fan). (x-mas? What's that? Some kinda demon thwarting thing?) It seriously looks to me like it's offering the double whammy one finger salute.

Anyhoo...cheers,