I need calcium.. according to my test result.

[nybatu]

I recently test my water and PH-8.3 salinity-1,023 phosphate-0 KH-8 nitrite-0 nitrate-0 calcium-320ppm and i am trying to make nice and healthy reef tank i also have 2 clown and 1 hippo tank so far. but i think my calcium level is little low for reef tank what cause that and how can i reach the number that i want 400-420 i am just assuming that this numbers are awesome for reef tank isn't.?

[cuttingras]

I'm not seeing Magnesium in there.....do you test for it? If not you need to. If Magnesium is low, your calcium will be out of whack. Test and add accordingly(Slowly and small amts). Be careful not to overdose. I did, though every thing in my tank did ok.. Not recommended! I use Magnesium Chloride and MG Sulfate. Get the MG up and it'll be easier to get and keep your CA up.

[bmshehan]

Agreed cuttingras, mg is a VERY important one for a reef tank. Calcium, Magnesium, PH are all very important. ALL are important, but CA and MG are important for the health of corals. Also, very hard water inhibits algae growth, nusaince algae doesn't like hard water at all, so if you keep your parameters in check it helps out tremendously. I like to shoot for 450 calcium and 1500 mg. I dose mg with epsom salt and calcium with calcium chloride I believe it is called, straight from Tangster. It is pure calcium nothing else. Hope I could help a little...

[nybatu]

what about kh level mine is 8dkh how can i raise it to 10-12. i heard it is better for corals is that true?

[cuttingras]

Originally Posted by nybatu

what about kh level mine is 8dkh how can i raise it to 10-12. i heard it is better for corals is that true?

you are correct! not sure how to raise it, mine's always been high....someone else will have to answer this one

[Bogie]

Tangster recommends mixing up 4 parts Arm & Hammer baking soda with 1 part 20 Mule Team Borax laundry booster (both available at KMart or where ever). That mixture will raise your Alk. Not sure how much to add per gallons in your tank/system, though. (Add about 1 heaping tablespoon of mix per 50 gallons to raise +2 dKH for every 50 gallons of tank/system water.)

PM Tangster (Roger) for some calcuim additive. His prices beat the name brand stuff and his sources have the purest quality as any of the name brand calcuim additives.

[reef_guru]

Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

[Tangster]

Bogie you use it just like what ever you had been using its the same stuff (: a 2 oz shot glass in a 150 gallon will bump the DKH from say 9 to a tad above 10 or 11 depending on how you watch the color of the test change .. The mixture I sent you has a bit higher level of borate in it as most commercial products keep that at bare minimum to keep the user have to use more (: to stabilize their P.H , Natural Sea water's carbonates are made up of 3.5 to 4 % borate not carbonate.. And thats all the 20 mule team Laundry booster is pure Borate..

[coral reefer]

How many corals do you have?
Unless you have a very high population of stony corals, clams and coralline algae, your calcium level is fine.
Just remember that as you increase your calcium level your alkalinity level will decrease in proportionary amounts. And magnesium levels will also suffer without adjustments for this.

[omard]

Looks like you are using Instant Ocean salt mix (i.e. calcium ~320 ppm)

Change to Reef Crystals and will go up to ~380-400