Can't get my calcium up

G

gonegofn

Hi All,
I need some help with my calcium levels. I have a 50 gal reef tank and all looks great except I can't get my calcium above 360. My ph fluctuates between 8.1 and 8.3 each day and my alkalinity is at 3.5 - 4 meq/L. The bad stuff is all at zero. I was using two part b-ionic and have recently changed to aragamilk. I haven't tried any turbo calcium, maybe it's that simple. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. :?
 
Thanks Matt, I'll check out your suggestions, sounds good to me. Magnesium was the next thing I was going to test. My phosphates are also zero, I know that can have some bad effecdts as well. I use a standard fish store test kit and have my LFS test things once a quarter for a sanity check. I've been trying to avoid having to invest in a ca reactor, but I may be fighting a loosing battle. I figured with only 50 gals, how hard can it be. ha ha :)
 
I was having the same problem and Bill at Aq. Trading Company suggested the same thing to me....

It turned out that my magnesium was very, very low and once I got it up to 1250-1300, my calcium and alk have been holding steady at optimum levels ever since....
 
What's wrong with your calcium level being at 350ppm? Now if you said you could get it above 250ppm, then you should do something. But 350ppm you are fine as far as calcium goes.
 
Thanks Scott, I'm sure you guys have found my problem, from what I've read. I'm out of town right now and it's killing me that I can't get to my tank. Thanks again guys!!!
 
Hey Rick, I've started adding SPS corals and from what I understand, I need to keep things above 400. Also, I think my low calcium level is part of a bigger problem of keeping my ph and alkalinity at a proper level and stable.
 
400 is great but 360 is adequate. I always ran my calcium more around the 350 level and my alk as high as I could get it. I knowe Rick does something simular. Several people run 400+ but you will struggle keeping your alk up if you run that high.
 
Your right Keith, I would much rather keep my calcium between 350 and 400, keepin the alkalinity as high as possible.
 
@Jacob wrote:
[I]@Rick wrote:[/I][quote="Your right Keith said:
Listen to Rick. He is the SPS guru. (I miss the we're not worthy smily)"]

Yeah and I have a lot of dead colonies to prove it. :lol:
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