MARINE POWER ADVANCED CALCIUM
The importance of calcium in the aquarium
Calcium is very important for the healthy growth of stony corals (SPS/LPS) and for many marine organisms, such as snails or mussels. These organisms take calcium directly from the water column. This is why the deficit of calcium can slow down their growth, but also negatively affect their condition and health.The optimal level of Ca
The level of calcium in tropical seas is about 390-420 mg/l. In most marine aquariums, the Ca level should be kept as constant as possible, in the range of 380-440 mg/l.
The use of MARINE POWER ADVANCED CALCIUM
In the properly functioning marine aquarium, Ca ions are constantly decreasing, mainly due to the consumption of calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is consumed not only by calcifying corals (SPS and LPS), but also by molluscs (snails, bivalves) and Coralline algae. Decrease of the calcium should be replenished every day with MARINE POWER ADVANCED CALCIUM. Calcium consumption depends on many factors, such as: water temperature, lighting, type of stock in the aquarium and many others, and its level requires regular checking. The better conditions in the aquarium, the faster the corals grow and the faster they consume calcium from the water. Therefore, calcium supplementation must be constantly controlled and adjusted to the needs of the aquarium. To determine the level of calcium, we recommend our MARINE POWER XACT TEST CALCIUM. With the test you can easily determine the current level of Ca and its loss, e.g. during the week.
Determining the average daily Ca loss
If mainly stony corals are kept in the aquarium, the daily Ca consumption may be significant and may vary on a daily basis, therefore we recommend calculating average daily Ca consumption. To determine that, two measurements of Ca should be made with an interval of 4-5 days. It is important that both tests are made at about the same time of the day and that water changes (if done every week) are made at least 24 hours before or after the tests. This way, they will not affect the result. In a healthy aquarium the first Ca score should be higher than the second. Then we subtract the second result from the first, and divide the obtained value by the number of days (minus 1) between both tests.
Example:
Day 1: Ca = 420 mg/l
Day 5: Ca = 360 mg/l
The decrease in Ca = 420 – 360 = 60 /4 days = 15 mg/l per day
The result tells us, by how much the daily Ca supplementation should be increased. If the result is null, there is no need for additional supplementation. Please remember that Ca consumption will change with the growth of corals and other invertebrates in the aquarium. Therefore, this process should be repeated every couple of weeks.
Preparation and dosage
MARINE POWER ADVANCED CALCIUM is ideal for use in popular supplementation programs.
Preparation of 1 liter of supplement:
1. Using a kitchen scales, weigh 55 g of the powder.
2. Pour about 800 ml of RODI water at room temperature (20˚C) into a container with a volume scale.
3. Add 55 g of MARINE POWER ADVANCED CALCIUM to a container filled with water and mix until the crystals are completely dissolved.
4. Top up the container up to 1 l (1000 ml) with RODI water.
5. If you need more liquid, use the table below (use only RODI water).
2 liters of supplement –110 g of the powder / 1600 ml of water, top up with water up to 2000 ml
3 liters of supplement – 165 g of the powder / 2400 ml of water, top up with water up to 3000 ml
4 liters of supplement – 220 g of the powder / 3200 ml of water, top up with water up to 4000 ml
5 liters of supplement – 275 g of the powder / 4000 ml of water, top up with water up to 5000 ml
Tropical’s MARINE POWER ADVANCED method is based on dosing identical amounts of three supplements: MARINE POWER ADVANCED CALCIUM, MARINE POWER ADVANCED KH/ALKALINITY and MARINE POWER ADVANCED MINERAL SALT, therefore it is crucial that the preparation of the solutions is carried out according to the above instructions. Although it is possible to dose the solutions manually, in the MARINE POWER ADVANCED method we recommend using dosing pumps that make the supplementation easier and more accurate.
Note: Excess and deficiency of calcium can be both harmful to marine invertebrates, so you should regularly check the calcium level in the aquarium.
CAUTION! DO NOT SWALLOW!