How come we don't dose Ca and Mg?

[|squee|]

In American forums, like http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com , elements like Calcium and Magnesium are more important with them, and they actually add stuff like CaCO3 and MgS04 to their tanks. It isn't common here isn't it? I always thought it should be the other way round. Is there enough Ca and Mg in our tap water already?

I'd like to know why

[vinz]

Tap water around the world are of different quality and content. Heck, the tap water in the US is different from state to state, because they have different natural soruces and different water companies treating the water.

For Singapore, it seems our water has enough. But I'm beginning to dose Ca and Mg using Equilibrium again. I have noticed improvements in my plants when I started dosing Mg for my arowana's sake. Other hobbyists I have spoken to experience algae outbreak when the coral chips in their filters were completely dissolved away without their knowledge.

[FLIM]

Hi Vinz,
Can you elaborate more why Mg is needed for your arowana planted tank ?
Thanks in advance.

Regards,
FLIM

[vinz]

She jumped and lost some of her protective slime coat. Mg is suppose to help the coat grow back.

[Plantbrain]

APC folks use RO water and then reconsitiute it that discuss GH a lot.

They are most often seeing Ca/Mg issue that are really something other than Ca/Mg issues.

Unless you go below limiting levels, say less than 2-5ppm, then these should not cause plant growth issues. You can add more without issue, much more in fact, adding a 1/4 teaspoon of seaChem Eq per 20 gal once a week will easily cure any issue you might have at any light level.

I've had very low GH's/high GH's etc, I've yet to see anything negative if the GH is 2-3 degrees or higher.

SeaChem Eq also have a lot of K+ and some Fe/Mn also.

So it may not have anything to do with Ca or Mg, but rather K+.

Folks need to be careful and go down one by one to figure these things out.

Most don't..........
Most folks have issues because they do not have control, over other parameters, not so much Ca/Mg.

Then everyone gets on the bandwagon, excess K+ causes plant issues was the last one.....turned out to be foolishness and I was right from day one on that issue.

"But Tom is not always right..."

Yea, I'm not, but I'm a lot more right than the other folks and have been for a very long time now........

Regards,
Tom Barr






Regards,
Tom Barr