I’m having trouble keeping the calcium up in my 75 gal reef tank. I tried putting Kalk in my Rodi makeup water I have in a tub in the basement under the tank upstairs, but I can’t keep that very consistent and the Kalk builds up on the bottom of tub very quickly. I was wondering if I could put a calcium reactor next to or in the tub to autodrip in the makeup water. I already have a Milwaukee PH meter, a CO2 tank with regulator, and plenty of mag pumps, so all I would need is the reactor chamber itself. I also would like to put it in the makeup water since the tub is used for a topoff for 2 tanks. Any suggestions?
What is your Mg, Alk and Ca reading? What’s your SG, and what do you use to check it with?
I think you need to drip into tank directly. Due to the chemistry of fresh and saltwater the calcium would precipitate out of fresh water. I would add calcium to the tank slowly to bring it up and make sure magnesium is up too, if it is low calcium will be effected. Tell us your tank parameters so we can help more
Mag 1280, alk 8, cal 320-340, sg 1.025. I check it with handheld plastic unit as well as refractometer occasionally to make sure it is right. I just don’t have the room for the reactor by/near my tank. I could run the drip unit to the fuge, but I don’t know how to pump it that high if I ran the reactor below in the basement. An aqualifter would be too small and anything else would be too big.
It might be prudent to get a second opinion on your test(s). Is your refractometer calibrated? With a 35ppt solution? You might also consider increasing your SG to 1.026, which will also increase your Ca, Alk and Mg.
You might consider using some two part solution for Alk and Ca. The simplest way would be to buy both Soda Ash and Calcium Chloride from BRS. Mix 2 cups of Soda Ash to one gallon of RO/DI water, and 2 1/2 cups of Calcium Chloride to a gallon of RO/DI water. Use the calculator attached below, fill in the blanks and select Randy’s recipe #1 from the drop down menu’s. This will give you the amount you will need of each solution to get to the number you’re happy with. Once you have the numbers where you want them, test and record your Ca and Alk for a few days, to find out what your daily use is. At that point you can simply add that amount each day.
I have never used a ca reactor so I’m at a loss. I don’t know for sure how they drip in but I think with 1/4 in tubing it would make it from the basement to the tank
Some salt mixes start out low on calcium. more for fish only tanks. Your 100 ppm calcim deficit wouldbe very hard to make up with lime water alone. the amount you need to add would blow your PH through the roof. also if you add kalk to your makeup water and keep the barrel uncovered, open to the air, the kalk reacts with the CO2 in the air and makes a preciptate. thus lowereing the available calcium in the water. that would be the crusty scum on the surface.
so you should probably adjust your Mg up a little first, then add calcium chloride solution to bring up the Ca to 420-450 level. these wont raise your PH like lime water. lime water is used to make up consumption of Ca in a moderately loaded reef tank, and in moderation keeps your PH above 8.
Good job ken you scientist :
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OK–thanks for all of your help. I like the calculator btw.