How to raise Ca and Mg on Larger tanks

[Fishyfish22]

As the title states, what supplements are reccomended to raise calcium and magnesium that are effective enough where you won't use half a bottle or container to raise it a few points? I've found in my 300 gallon 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda raise the alk by a full dkh, so that's nice.

But I used half a container of the red sea magnesium foundation, the powdery stuff and mg went from 1300 to 1350, its just not efficient enough. Are there good alternatives? Or any baking soda equivalents?

 

[reefnfun]

I have 400 gallons, I bought Road Runner pet friendly Ice Melt. It is like 7 bucks for a 20 Lb. bag. It is magnesium chloride. It takes a lot of magnesium to raise the level. I run mine at 1500. Once you get it there it does not deplete fast. I have a calcium reactor for the Calcium and I add B-Ionic 2 part. I hope this helps you out.

 

[Gtinnel]

For calcium you can use calcium chloride although I’ve never mixed in dry powder. What is your tanks daily consumption?

 

[Fishyfish22]

For calcium you can use calcium chloride although I’ve never mixed in dry powder. What is your tanks daily consumption?

Daily Is around 10 for calcium.

 

[Floyd-]

I had the same issues with my almost 200gallon tank. Used almost an entire bottle of Mag to raise it up. Once its up it stays up for some time though.

 

[nereefpat]

Use bulk dry components instead of liquid bottled stuff. Calcium chloride for Ca. Magnesium chloride, or even mag sulfate if you do water changes, for magnesium.

 

[Lividfanatica]

In my 310 I use saturated kalk (5 liters/day but will move to slurry as demand increases) and BRS "General Maintenance" Magnesium mix. A gallon of the mix bumps mag up by 100 PPMish for me, so that gallon lasts a loooong time. I also do very small automated water exchange with tropic marin pro - 2 gallons a day at the moment.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

As the title states, what supplements are reccomended to raise calcium and magnesium that are effective enough where you won't use half a bottle or container to raise it a few points? I've found in my 300 gallon 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda raise the alk by a full dkh, so that's nice.

But I used half a container of the red sea magnesium foundation, the powdery stuff and mg went from 1300 to 1350, its just not efficient enough. Are there good alternatives? Or any baking soda equivalents?

Are you most concerned with the amount dosed or the cost of the additives?

 

[Fishyfish22]

Are you most concerned with the amount dosed or the cost of the additives?

Mainly the cost vs quantity. I tried the red sea A and B powders, went through those fast. Normally I'd use a crx but it's offline due to the dosing pump needing a new tube, and I'm realizing now I don't have an efficient backup to use and how much calcium and alk my tank truly consumes, both are low according to my trident. I'm going to test them with Hannah checkers later today to see the accuracy since coral don't seem too stressed yet, though I know rtn is fast and deadly