calcium for soft corals

[Lumina42]

My soft corals aren't growing as fast as I expected. I've been keeping my calcium around 420 ppm, but they still seem kinda sluggish. Anyone got tips on how to boost their growth without messing with the water chemistry too much?

[desertfox]

420 ppm is a solid range for calcium, but soft corals also need magnesium and alkalinity balanced. What's your mag level at? I keep mine around 1350 ppm, and my Zoanthids explode with growth. Also, check your lighting. Too much or too little can stunt them.

[Vyro9]

420 ppm is a solid range for calcium, but soft corals also need magnesium and alkalinity balanced. What's your mag level at? I keep mine around 1350 ppm, and my Zoanthids explode with growth. Also, check your lighting. Too much or too little can stunt them.

Yep, mag is key. I'd also throw in some amino acids if you're not already. My Ricordeas went nuts after I started dosing them weekly.

[daisymay]

I'm new to this, but my soft corals are doing okay. I just follow the instructions on the bottle for calcium and mag. Should I be testing more often?

[fluxe]

Testing weekly is a good habit, especially if you're tweaking levels. Soft corals are chill, but they'll let you know if something's off. My Leather Coral started shrinking when my alk dropped below 8 dKH.

[Lumina42]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll test my mag and alk tonight. I've been slacking on those tests lately.

[desertfox]

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll test my mag and alk tonight. I've been slacking on those tests lately.

Good call. Let us know what you find. If your mag is low, a bump to 1350 ppm should help. Also, consider a trace element supplement if your salt mix is lacking.

[Vyro9]

Another thing to watch is your water change schedule. I do 10% weekly with Red Sea Coral Pro, and it keeps everything stable. Skimping on changes can throw things off fast.

[daisymay]

How often do you guys dose calcium? I've been doing it every other day, but I'm not sure if that's too much.

[fluxe]

Dosing depends on your tank's demand. Test before you dose, otherwise you're just guessing. My 40-gallon sucks up calcium fast, so I dose daily. Smaller tanks might need less.