Pickle Crisp - Calcium Chloride

[Jers_Reef]

Hey gang,

Wondering how much Ball Pickling Crisp I can safely use per day per gal to raise my Ca from current, 360, back to target, 425? Anyone have a data point? It’s food grade and pure indents, so I’m confident about it being reef safe. And sure there are products available. Just that I have a big jar of Pickling CaCl on hand, and I’d like to resolve my chemistry problem without further delay. Looking for advice on how many tsp/gal to raise by X ppm Ca, or if there’s such a thing as too fast threshold to be mindful of when it comes to CaCl2?

My 24g (probably ~20 with all the rocks) is really low in Ca and Mg right now (360 x 1150). Previously had been stable 420-450 and 1250-1400 with dosing Tropic Marin AFR plus occasional Mg supplement. An important factor to consider is I have fairly high alk consumption relative to Ca (basement tank) and so also dose Red Sea Alk, target 9-10ish.

Last week I noticed my normally always happy and easy to please blue ridge coral showing skeleton at the top of a few limbs. Also haven’t seen any polyp extension in over a week. Something’s off, and my first thought was Ca. Checked, it measured low, and then found my AFR dosing line was clogged! Oops. Makes sense…

I replaced the AFR dosing line and upped the daily amount by 25% (will run little more until I recover to >400 Ca). I’ve also been manually adding extra AFR (3-5mL a few times a day) trying to raise Ca. Here’s the tricky part:

Tropic Marin AFR increases alk while supplementing Ca and Mg (among other metals), and my alk is now at 11! I can’t use AFR by itself to raise Ca/Mg further without going into dangerous high alk.

I’ve turned off my alk dosing regimen until we get back under 10. Too many unintended destabilizing changes!!!

Lmk if anyone has any advice on using Ball Pickle Crisp CaCl2. Also if there’s a good way to recover a blue ridge (pictured)

Best,
Jeremy

PS. Two pics are 3/11 and 3/18. Trending downward..
PPS. Blue Ridge has had mushrooms around the base like what’s shown for >1yr and never been an issue. Not ideal, I know, but I don’t think that’s the primary issue.

Last week

today:

 

[Naekuh]

Calcium Supplement Calculator - Bulk Reef Supply

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.bulkreefsupply.com

BRS has a lot of good calculators.

 

[Jers_Reef]

Calcium Supplement Calculator - Bulk Reef Supply

Bulk Reef Supply - Saltwater Aquarium Supplies for Reef Tanks

www.bulkreefsupply.com

BRS has a lot of good calculators.

Very helpful! Thank you

Do we think BRS CaCl2 == same conc as my Ball Picking Crisp?

Also, I’ll definitely heed the advice, but just for curiosity what ill effect on livestock will result from raising faster than 50ppm/day? “Try not to increase Calcium more than 50 ppm per day...”

 

[Naekuh]

If it says pure CaCl for the ball picking crisp, id assume its the same thing.

I get bulk food grade CaCl on amazon and use that. Its like 7lbs for 25 dollars, but pure CaCl.

And mix a stock solution.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you know how it got low?

That said, if it really is low and not a test error, I'd raise it by 25 ppm per day for a few days.

Use this calculator and the entry for calcium chloride dihydrate:

Reef Chemistry Calculator

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Very helpful! Thank you

Do we think BRS CaCl2 == same conc as my Ball Picking Crisp?

Also, I’ll definitely heed the advice, but just for curiosity what ill effect on livestock will result from raising faster than 50ppm/day? “Try not to increase Calcium more than 50 ppm per day...”

There's no reason for you to raise it even that fast. 25 ppm per day will only take 2.6 days.

The concern is the impurities that may be in it, and allowing them to be bound up in the tank more slowly. Is that always necessary? No. But there's also no reason to go faster, so better safe than sorry.

 

[Jers_Reef]

Do you know how it got low?

That said, if it really is low and not a test error, I'd raise it by 25 ppm per day for a few days.

Use this calculator and the entry for calcium chloride dihydrate:

Reef Chemistry Calculator

AFR dosing line clogged
I read some other threads where it’s advised to make a “T” (join lines) near the outlets such that the ATO water will flush the ends regularly. The outlets being the region that tends to clog on account of proximity to tank water level.

 

[Jers_Reef]

There's no reason for you to raise it even that fast. 25 ppm per day will only take 2.6 days.

The concern is the impurities that may be in it, and allowing them to be bound up in the tank more slowly. Is that always necessary? No. But there's also no reason to go faster, so better safe than sorry.

Interesting! Thank you! Will target the 25