maintaining calcium/alkalinity

i am trying to get good coralline growth going in my tank. i got some dots all over every powerhead so far. i have seachems reef complete which says it raises calcium levels. i understand calcium and alk are what helps coralline thrive. i dose with the seachem twice a week as directed and test for calcium which right now is around 420 ppm. how do ensure alkalinity is good. i dont have a test for it but will water changes keep it good. i do 5 gallons a week in my 55. also the water changes will supply the coralline with other trace elements i.e magnesium?

 

The key to maintaining proper Ca and Alk levels is maintaining stable Mg (Magnesium) at ~1400-1500. If you do not, the others will not be stable at high enough levels.


Regular / weekly water changes of ~10% (do you have a sump?) will maintain stableish params, but it is highly likely it is not keeping it up to reef level params. You will have to test and check yourself really.

For good and obnoxious coralline growth/invasion/nuisance, I recommend my own levels

Alk 13
Ca 440-460
Mg 1425-1500

At these levels my back glass was covered within just several months. I have to scrape constantly. I am now letting GSP grow over the ugly purple background to my reef.

Good luck

(You can search about "autodosing" and/or "Ca Reactor" to find ways of keeping it stable in the top right corner of the forum )

 

If you just want quick coraline growth you can use purple up. I beleive it's just calcium I don't remember , sorry. Keep an eye on your param's though. From what I understand the mag helps keep your calcium in a liquid state so that corals, rock, or what ever can use it.

 

this is not correct. you have to keep your params stable. A single giant dose here and there (i.e. using purple up) will not do that. a one time spike in these elements will not take care of it.

purple up is just calcium and magnesium essentially mixed in RO water. And it is very expensive.

purple up is a complete waste of money.

 

I think there is more in PurpleUp than that. That stuff always leads me to a cyano outbreak within a few days of use. Personally I'd steer away from it and just dose those elements yourself.

 

testing all the time isn't for everyone...
try to do at least a 5 gallon water change every week using ocean salt. Works for me and my 72 gallon tank... coralline everywhere!!

 

drip kalk or add it to your top off water . . . you'll be hating that crusty purple stuff all over your front glass in no time.

~Will.

 

I use Oceanic salt. It's extremely high in magnesium. I think your 5 gallon per week changes will maintain the trace elements your tank requires. Check into Oceanic Salt. It can be a few dollars more, but I have great success and my tank is to purple. :/

You will need to maintain calcium and alkalinity. You shouldn't rely on water changes alone.
Purchase an alkalinity test ASAP! Alkalinity is the one thing I test for almost daily. You can maintain alkalinity by using baking soda. Here is a great calculator for using baking soda.

Reef Chemistry Calculator

If you have a pH and alkalinity problem, research soda ash (baked baking soda) it can be purchased through bulkreefsupply.com

Good luck.