Calcium Formate Good or Bad?

[Jonathan.Grego]

I have recently been talking with other reefers and some say that calcium formate isn't good for meaty or fleshy corals ! It can cause the flesh to retract im wondering how true this is or if someone can give me better info!

 

[rishma]

I have recently been talking with other reefers and some say that calcium formate isn't good for meaty or fleshy corals ! It can cause the flesh to retract im wondering how true this is or if someone can give me better info!

I cannot think of any basis for that claim.

I use all-for-reef, which has calcium formate, and keep only LPS in my current tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’ve not seen any evidence of problems with the many folks using AFR.

 

[Pod_01]

I have recently been talking with other reefers and some say that calcium formate isn't good for meaty or fleshy corals ! It can cause the flesh to retract im wondering how true this is or if someone can give me better info!

I didn’t hear this, out of curiosity did they have some examples?

When I used TM AFR I had these corals and they seemed ok:

Hopefully others who use AFR can comment with meaty/ fleshy corals.

There may be corals that react negatively to calcium formate.

Good luck,

 

[rishma]

Oh fine @Pod_01, I guess we can post pics

 

[Pod_01]

Oh fine @Pod_01, I guess we can post pics

I believe the pics add meaningful contribution to the discussion. The terms like SPS, meaty , fleshy, LPS are too broad and pics can show what exactly worked at least in one tank…

Those are nice looking hammer and Trachy (I think) corals. When I started reefing I tried hammer, trachy, scoly and they all perished. I don’t think they are easy to keep LPS corals…

 

[rishma]

I believe the pics add meaningful contribution to the discussion. The terms like SPS, meaty , fleshy, LPS are too broad and pics can show what exactly worked at least in one tank…

Those are nice looking hammer and Trachy (I think) corals. When I started reefing I tried hammer, trachy, scoly and they all perished. I don’t think they are easy to keep LPS corals…

Oh I completely agree that pictures are much better than my initial response of…it’s fine, trust me :)

Just following your lead.

I don’t know of any of my corals are particularly difficult to keep but they are quite healthy except where they are now stinging each other…I am still learning about how to keep a small tank with LPS. In some ways I found SPS easier. Bigger tanks are certainly easier IME

 

[Jonathan.Grego]

So he didn't have any proof but a few people said they agree with him and its best to use 2 part dosing he said that it wont effect right away but over time

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So he didn't have any proof but a few people said they agree with him and its best to use 2 part dosing he said that it wont effect right away but over time

I’m not convinced, but cannot prove it wrong. A great many people are using it without reported issues, and I’m not seeing a clear reason for that reported effect.

 

[Jonathan.Grego]

I’m not convinced, but cannot prove it wrong. A great many people are using it without reported issues, and I’m not seeing a clear reason for that reported effect.

okay awesome thank you i was just wondering if anyone else heard of it thank you for your help

 

[houms]

Hello,
My question is a little bit linked to the discussion here.

I'm looking on simple way to bring Calcium and Kh to my tank.
Classical way to doing it I know are:
1- Calcium Reactor,
2- Calcium Hydroxide,
3- Balling or a variant of Balling using Sodium bicarbonate, Sodium carbonate, or even sodium Hydroxide (but a little bit dangerous to manipulate).
4- Recently find CarboCalcium (Calcium formate) or All In one Reef (Calcium Acetate).

I mainly focused on pH effect of these methods.
I think Calcium hydroxide and Balling variant using Sodium Hydroxide are the one which would have the more positive effect on pH (raising the pH).
I think just after that comes Balling based on sodium carbonate which still have positive effect on pH but less than the two previous ones..
The classical Balling based on sodium bicarbonate is neutral in a pH perspective.
Then my question is between the three remaining ones:
Calcium Reactor (using CO2), Calcium formate and Calcium acetate: how they act on pH?
And for the two last one, it seems that they are not just bringing Calcium and kH but also some organic carbon links. Near vinegar. So, I suppose they will also have an effect of boosting bacteria development by bringing some energy to them and indirectly, reducing Nitrates and phosphates?
Any differences between Calcium formate and Calcium Acetate for this usage?
Because, I have lot of difficulties to by Calcium formate except if I buy Carbo Calcium of Tropic Marin. But I can find easily Calcium Acetate.
I know that:

- they don’t have same percent of Calcium

- Calcium Acetate will have more effect on pH than Calcium formate if we look in (Amount of Calcium brought to the tank) compared to the effect on the pH?
So, this can help to decide which one or which ones use t mix some of the good effects and to manage bad effects by limiting some usage?
For instance, do not using the two or three last ones in a tank where we are already experiencing low pH?
Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would use calcium formate over calcium acetate unless you know you also want an organic carbon dosing effect on nutrients.

There are many ways to dose calcium and alk and each has its own pros and cons. I compare them here:

https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/pros-and-cons-of-alkalinity-and-calcium-dosing-methods.1069/

 

[houms]

Thank you very much. Very interesting link. Thanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You’re welcome.

FWIW, I use AFR made from powder AFR, plus additional iron, manganese, and iodine.

 

[houms]

Thank you for this information.

For my tanks I do not have same approach everywhere.
But in short, I'm using Kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide) but not the transparent part (don't know the name in english: in french we are saying Kalk water for transparent part and kalk milk for the other part where Calcium hydroxide is not entirly solved and is in suspension due to pump mixing). I'm using the white part which is over charged in Calcium Hydroxide. By this way, I don't have the limitation to the evaporation.
But as it's really very impacting the pH locally, I have to use it very carefully:
I'm distributing it only few seconds every minute,
I'm distributing it in a place in sump where water is very turbulent,
I'm distributing only if:
- Ph1 is under pH target,
- pH2 is under target (for security reason two pH probe),
- a max level in my sump is not achieved (because when there is no more hydroxide in my reactor, it can distribute too much and do not achieve the pH target.
I'm doing that under Profilux control by this way I can program all this logic.
I'm not fulfilling all the Ca and kH need of my tank with that. It's just to ensure pH of the tank is upper than a minimum.
The remaining part of the need of the aquarium is answered by Balling based on Carbonate of calcium in one tank. And using CarboCalcium in the second one (because don't have enough place for three bottles for Balling under this tank).

I'm also adding some oligo element like Iron, manganase, cobalt, Strontium, Iode, Fluore,.... but it's another story! :-)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Thank you for this information.

For my tanks I do not have same approach everywhere.
But in short, I'm using Kalkwasser (calcium hydroxide) but not the transparent part (don't know the name in english: in french we are saying Kalk water for transparent part and kalk milk for the other part where Calcium hydroxide is not entirly solved and is in suspension due to pump mixing). I'm using the white part which is over charged in Calcium Hydroxide. By this way, I don't have the limitation to the evaporation.
But as it's really very impacting the pH locally, I have to use it very carefully:
I'm distributing it only few seconds every minute,
I'm distributing it in a place in sump where water is very turbulent,
I'm distributing only if:
- Ph1 is under pH target,
- pH2 is under target (for security reason two pH probe),
- a max level in my sump is not achieved (because when there is no more hydroxide in my reactor, it can distribute too much and do not achieve the pH target.
I'm doing that under Profilux control by this way I can program all this logic.
I'm not fulfilling all the Ca and kH need of my tank with that. It's just to ensure pH of the tank is upper than a minimum.
The remaining part of the need of the aquarium is answered by Balling based on Carbonate of calcium in one tank. And using CarboCalcium in the second one (because don't have enough place for three bottles for Balling under this tank).

I'm also adding some oligo element like Iron, manganase, cobalt, Strontium, Iode, Fluore,.... but it's another story! :-)

One drawback of dosing a slurry of kalk as you are is the difficulty in controlling the amount added. You need to ensure the same amount of suspended particles are delivered each time.

A second issue is being certain that undissolved particles do not make it to organisms.

Finally, it also risks precipitation of calcium carbonate near each particle.

But it can work in some situations and does avoid the evaporation limitation, as you note.