Calcium 850 g — Calcium Chloride Powder for Reef Aquariums - Aquaforest

Aquaforest Calcium 850 g — stable calcium supply for reef aquarium corals

The Aquaforest Calcium 850 g is the powder calcium salt for the classic Balling protocol, formulated from high-purity calcium chloride. It lets you prepare a calcium stock solution to dose daily into the reef tank, paired with KH Buffer (sodium bicarbonate) and Magnesium (magnesium chloride). Economy alternative to the liquid Components for hobbyists preparing their own Balling solutions.

The 850 g jar covers several months of use on a 100-300 L reef and yields several liters of calcium chloride stock solution at Aquaforest's recommended concentration.

Use in the Balling protocol

• Stock solution: dissolve 50 g of Calcium in 1 L of RO/DI water to prepare Balling Part 1.
• Strong add-on: incorporate 5 ml of Component A Strong and 5 ml of Component B Strong per liter of prepared solution for advanced Balling.
• Alternative concentration: possible to double or triple concentration (100-150 g/L) for tanks with low evaporation, within the solubility limit.
• Daily dosing: based on measured Ca consumption, in equal shares with the KH Buffer and Magnesium/Reef Mineral Salt solutions.

Parameter targets

• Reef calcium: 380-460 ppm (aim 420-440 on SPS).
• Ca/Mg ratio: hold Mg between 1,180 and 1,460 ppm to block abiotic precipitation.
• Correction rate: never more than 50 ppm Ca per 24 h.

Specifications

• Brand: Aquaforest (Poland)
• Format: 850 g powder jar
• Type: calcium chloride for classic Balling
• Compatibility: SPS and LPS reef tanks, Balling protocol with or without Components Strong

Why choose Aquaforest at ReefSolution

• Calcium 3.5 kg — the economy large format for established tanks with steady consumption.
• KH Buffer 1200 g — Balling Part 2 (sodium bicarbonate) to prepare alongside.
• Magnesium 750 g — Balling Part 3 (magnesium chloride).

Frequently asked questions

How long does an 850 g jar last on a 200 L tank?

On a 200 L mixed SPS/LPS reef with moderate consumption, Balling prep uses about 100-200 g of Calcium per month. An 850 g jar then covers 4 to 8 months. On a high-growth SPS tank, duration can drop to 2-3 months.

Can I dose Calcium powder directly into the tank?

No — the calcium chloride powder must be dissolved into a stock solution before dosing. Direct addition would trigger an extreme local calcium and chloride spike, with burn risk on coral tissues.

Should I use RO/DI water for the stock solution?

Yes — tap water or even non-DI RO water would introduce contaminants (silicates, phosphates, spurious ions) making the stock less pure. Aquaforest explicitly recommends freshly produced RO/DI water to preserve stock solution stability.