Red Sea Reef Foundation A Calcium

Red Sea Reef Foundation A Calcium

Red Sea Reef Foundation A Calcium is a marine reef conditioner that helps maintain optimal calcium levels in coral reef aquariums, supporting healthy coral growth and stable water parameters. It suits reef keepers who test their water regularly and want to replenish calcium to target levels, whether they keep soft, LPS or SPS corals.

Why the Foundation Elements Matter

A successful coral reef aquarium depends on appropriate, stable water parameters, because stability is what corals need to thrive. All the elements found in natural seawater play a part, but a few have a more significant role in overall stability. These are the foundation of the reef environment, and they include three major elements:

• Calcium (Ca)
• Magnesium (Mg)
• Bicarbonates (HCO3)

Together these three have a major effect on water chemistry (pH stability, alkalinity and seawater ionic strength) and on many of the coral's biological processes (skeleton formation, ion exchange and photosynthesis). They complement each other in building the coral skeleton. If they are not available in the correct ratios, one of them will quickly become the limiting factor for healthy coral growth.

Key Benefits

• Maintains optimal calcium levels in the reef aquarium
• Supports healthy coral growth and stability in water parameters
• Contains calcium, strontium and barium in the ratios found in coral skeleton
• Available as a liquid or a much more concentrated powder formula
• Works with both weekly and daily supplementing routines

Dosage

• Liquid: 1 ml will raise the Ca level of 100 liters by 2ppm.
• Powder: 1g will raise the Ca level of 100 liters. The powder formula has a much higher concentration than the liquid Foundation Program, so do not substitute one for the other measure for measure.

How to Use

Supplementing weekly (soft and LPS corals): Test the foundation elements every week and dose each supplement to replenish them back to the optimal levels.

Supplementing daily (SPS and LPS corals):

• Make sure all of the foundation elements are at optimal values.
• Run the aquarium for 4 days at a stable salinity without adding any supplements, compensating for evaporation daily by adding freshwater.
• At the end of the 4 days, test the foundation elements and calculate the 4-day dosage of each supplement needed to replenish them to the optimal levels.
• Add the 4-day dosage to the system.
• Divide the 4-day dosage by 4 and use the result as the daily dosage for the next week.
• After a week of daily dosing, test the foundation elements again and calculate the adjusting dosage of each supplement needed to return to optimal levels.
• If the adjusting dosage is significantly different from the previous daily dosage, amend (increase or decrease) the daily dosage as appropriate.
• If the measured level of an element is above the optimal level, wait for the excess to be depleted before restarting daily supplementation with the amended daily dosage.
• Keep testing all of the elements every week and adjust the daily dosages as required.

Ongoing care: As your corals grow, or as you add or remove livestock, the uptake of the elements in your aquarium will gradually change. Keep a logbook of the weekly measurements and dosages to track these trends. If you miss one or more days of supplementing, add the complete amount that you missed, but do not exceed the maximum recommended daily increase for any of the elements.

Suitable For

• Coral reef aquariums
• Soft and LPS corals on a weekly testing and dosing routine
• SPS and LPS corals on a daily dosing routine

Specifications

• Contains: calcium, strontium and barium, in the ratios found in coral skeleton
• Formats: liquid and powder
• Liquid dosing: 1 ml raises Ca in 100 liters by 2ppm
• Powder dosing: 1g raises the Ca level of 100 liters

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the liquid raise calcium?
1 ml of the liquid will raise the Ca level of 100 liters by 2ppm.

How is the powder different from the liquid?
The powder formula has a much higher concentration than the liquid Foundation Program. The stated powder dose is 1g to raise the Ca level of 100 liters.

How often should I test when keeping soft or LPS corals?
Test the foundation elements every week and dose each supplement to replenish them back to the optimal levels.

How do I set up daily dosing for SPS and LPS corals?
Start with all foundation elements at optimal values, then run the tank for 4 days at stable salinity without supplements. Test, calculate the 4-day dosage and add it. Divide that figure by 4 for the daily dose over the next week, then re-test and adjust.

What if I miss a day of dosing?
Add the complete amount you missed, but do not exceed the maximum recommended daily increase for any of the elements.

Does this product cover magnesium and bicarbonates as well?
No. Reef Foundation A contains calcium, strontium and barium. Magnesium and bicarbonates are the other two foundation elements, and they should also be tested and kept at optimal levels so that none becomes the limiting factor for coral growth.

When can I expect delivery?

• Gauteng (Jhb/Pta) - 1-3 working days
• Nationwide (Cpt/Dbn+) - 2-5 working days
• Outlying Areas - 3-7 working days

All orders are sent via Economy Road, typically through Fastway or Internet Express Couriers*. Estimated timeframes are not guaranteed. Once the order is collected by the courier, we have no control over third-party logistics and cannot make any time promises.

If you prefer a faster 🚀 shipping option, we also offer The Courier Guy during checkout in the dropdown selection. Please note that this option is not free, and you must choose it to use it. Please pay careful attention to the cutoff times and delivery timeframe for these options during checkout.

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No more waiting at home or at work for your delivery. Simply choose a collection locker or pickup point and collect your order when it suits you.

Delivery times to lockers and pickup locations typically range from 2–7 working days, depending on your location.*

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Collection timeframes:

• Bob Box: Collect within 2 days of receiving your collection notification.
• PUDO Lockers: Collect within 36 hours of receiving your collection PIN or SMS notification.

If a PUDO parcel is not collected within 36 hours, it will automatically be transferred to the nearest PUDO Kiosk or Depot at no additional cost. The parcel will then be held there for approximately 2 days before being returned.

Please ensure you collect your parcel within the applicable collection period. Uncollected parcels will be returned to the sender, and additional shipping charges may apply should the order need to be resent.