Question 1, Calcium

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by bv_reefer

-420 iz good but mines still @ 470 ppm

and I am still waiting to hear what your Alk is. if your Alk is fine, then you are not harming anything and you can just stop adding Ca suplements untill your levels are back to normal. as a new tank cycles, you will also have a Mg drop so keep an eye on that also.

Steve

[ReefsB4Bills]

I run my tanks at 1400ppm Magnesium 10-11 dkh and between 400-420ppm Calcium. The tank seems to be consistantly around 8.0 to 8.3 ph without any interference by me. I have only been in the hobby for about a year but this is what has been working well for me so far.

The perfect levels are going to vary from system to system. From what I have read a certain calcium/alkalinity balance will be most useable by the corals for calcification at a certain ph. Sometimes higher then 8.3, sometimes lower, depending on how high or low the alkalalinity/calcium levels are. I hope that statement makes sense.

[dsaundry]

Ok, I have been reading this thread and have another question to ask. What equipment does everybody use to test their Ca and Mg? I have been told that the cheaper test kits are not very accurate. So What is the best most cost efficient test equipment for the average reefer?

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Originally Posted by dsaundry

Ok, I have been reading this thread and have another question to ask. What equipment does everybody use to test their Ca and Mg? I have been told that the cheaper test kits are not very accurate. So What is the best most cost efficient test equipment for the average reefer?

All of my text kits are Salifert and I haven't run into any problems with them.