Tank calcium

[siniardem]

I wonder can you have too much calcium? I know I have pest or bladder snails in half of my tanks, but my potho roots grow incredible. Now looking at this, it could be due to the light and the random snail shells left behind. Could I add wonder shells to what is already there in my other tanks? Even if some have crushed coral? Now the tank that has crushed coral and snail shells plus the incredible light is the tank that grows like crazy. I have all hard water and 7.6 ph in all tanks. I don’t want to mess with ph, but that will be with water from my well with gh and KH. I just want better plant growth. Thoughts here? 
 

Tanks:

48 gallon: crushed coral and no pest snails, only nerite and slow reproducing (forgot the name). Plants grow medium, good LED aquenon kit light, pothos have to be established with root system before adding here because of Buenos Aires tetras will eat.

2.6g fluval: crushed coral, great LED light, pest snails constantly reproducing, one nitrite snail, and pothos grows extremely fast root system here. Basically my start up tank for propagation.

first 10g: good light, pest snails, one nerite snail, no crushed coral, pothos grows slower but will grow.

second ten gallon: okay light, no pest snails, one nerite snail, no crushed coral, pothos grows extremely slow until moved out of filter and into tank light and then started picking up pace.

 

so from what I see is that extra calcium helps, but my Buenos Aires are a predator. The great tank light of my 2.6g is crucial as well. But my question remains, what is too much calcium?

 

As for parameters, All tanks are a stable- ph7.6, ammonia and nitrite 0ppm and nitrates at 40-80ppm in the red on the api scale. Hard to read but room for plants to grow here and absorb. I’ve been doing weekly water changes as well. (I got covid and it did get out of control and my older plants died so I am planting new ones.) 

[Daniel]

Plant nutrition is a black mysterious art, who knows what too much Calcium is.

In general to grow plants you need light, nitrogen and carbon. Phosphorus and Potassium play an important role also.

If you have good light and sufficient nitrates there is a really good chance that none of the other elements will be limiting.

There is usually an adequate amount of in CO₂ dissolved in the aquarium water to provide for the plant's carbon needs.

Your hard water must certainly be a significant source of Calcium Carbonate and Magnesium Carbonate providing a steady supply Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺. But all that aside, from your description your water probably has as about as much Calcium as can possibly stay in solution without precipitating out, so you are probably maxed on Calcium.

The reason our generous host sells so much Easy Green is because it has, in general, everything the average tank needs for plant growth. But you might not want to dose with Easy Green until your nitrates are a bit lower than they currently are.

Irene did a series of blog post (which you may have already read) that talk about Calcium deficiency symptoms, none of which you seem to have.

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/which-aquatic-fertilizer-is-right-for-you

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/plant-nutrient-deficiencies

https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/how-to-get-started-with-aquarium-plants

So what would I do?

• Great light seems to make difference for you - so more of that

And what wouldn't I do?

• Add more Calcium
• Change too many things at once

 

[siniardem]

Awesome! Thank you!!