better lighting questions

[water_baby83]

yeah i will probably just order online, thank you! the coraline i have so far is about the size of a quarter, with some little spots around it. but i dont supplement with calcium or anything, just keep up with my water changes. would it be a waste if i were to get the calcium supplement and not get the lighting just yet? or is one pretty much no good without the other?

No, not a waste. Coralline, being an algae, is yes, photosynthetic, meaning that higher lighting of the right spectrums, would undoubtedly produce aggressive growth (coupled of course with proper nutrients and water conditions), but that doesn't mean that without it, it won't grow. It's already growing, proof positive that it possess enough (even if not optimal) lighting to reproduce. By adding the calcium, you are supporting its natural requirements, and ensuring that whatever degree of growth it can achieve under this lighting, is sustained.

 

[jus85411]

i got the calcium test kit today but the directions say to keep adding from bottle 2 until it turns pink then purple, then 2 drops later it will turn blue. but the drops stay at the top of the vile unless i shake so i would have to shake then add a few, shake then add a few. but it took approx 20 drops which is 400 ppm. i didnt shake the first bunch of drops so i want to retest tomorrow night and shake after every two drops i put in

 

[jus85411]

bump?

 

[water_baby83]

The space allotted for diffusion within a vile is minimal, so yes, it will require gentle agitation to mix the chemicals. You shouldn't have to shake, just re-cap the vile, and turn over 3-5 times until the chemicals have diffused evenly within the water sample. I usually do 2-3 drops at a time, then re-cap and turn over a few times, then as it changes, start doing 1-2 at a time.

Was there another question you had? I couldn't figure out if you were just explaining what you're doing, or had a question in there somewhere, let me know.

 

[jus85411]

lol no just wanted to see some more input incase anyone had some to add. im doing my test tonight again to see what i come up with. could it be possible that without even supplementing for calcium it is at good levels already? is that dependent on the salt you use?

 

[water_baby83]

... could it be possible that without even supplementing for calcium it is at good levels already? is that dependent on the salt you use?

Well I can see how one could assume that, but - no. If you were to have a FO saltwater tank, and maybe even a FOWLR, then the levels of calcium (and other elements) present in your salt, as an additive, would provide minimal levels to support growth and baseline regulation of minerals to a minute habitat, but it would in no way provide enough to support the biological demand of every living creature within a reef environment. Thus, as your biological load increases, so too should your supplements, calcium being one of the utmost importance for any invertebrates and corals.