{"product_id":"red-sea-reef-care-calcium-foundation-a-powder","title":"Red Sea Reef Care Calcium+ Foundation A (Powder)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReplace the calcium your corals consume, mixed fresh from a concentrated powder.\u003c\/strong\u003e Red Sea Reef Foundation A is a calcium and strontium supplement for reef aquariums, part of the three-part Foundation ABC+ program alongside Alkalinity (B) and Magnesium (C). Dissolve the powder into a concentrated stock solution and dose it daily to replace what your corals and coralline algae pull out of the water. Available in a 1 kg tub or an 18 kg bulk pail for larger systems.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eKey features\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eConcentrated powder format\u003c\/strong\u003e — mix your own stock solution rather than paying to ship and store a pre-mixed liquid.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e1 mL raises calcium by 2 ppm per 100 L\u003c\/strong\u003e — a precise, repeatable dosing rate once mixed to solution.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUnder 1c per litre of tank water treated\u003c\/strong\u003e — both pack sizes work out to a fraction of a cent per litre at standard maintenance dosing.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePart of the Foundation ABC+ system\u003c\/strong\u003e — designed to be dosed alongside Foundation B (Alkalinity) and Foundation C (Magnesium), in that order.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStrontium included\u003c\/strong\u003e — supports skeletal density alongside calcium.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eVariant\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003ePack size\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eFormat\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eApprox. yield at standard maintenance dosing\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eCost per litre treated\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/thead\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1 kg\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1 kg powder\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMix into 1.8 L RO\/DI water for a concentrated stock solution\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e≈18,000 L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUnder 1c per litre\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e18 kg\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e18 kg powder (bulk pail)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMix into RO\/DI water at the same 1 kg : 1.8 L ratio\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e≈324,000 L\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUnder 1c per litre\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eMixing and dosing\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eDissolve the full 1 kg tub in 1.8 L of RO\/DI water to make a concentrated stock solution. Once mixed, 1 mL of that stock solution raises the calcium level of 100 L of tank water by approximately 2 ppm. Dose to a tested target, not a fixed schedule — test calcium before dosing and adjust the volume to what your system is actually consuming.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eWhat calcium range should I be running?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eRed Sea's own guidance puts the target between 410 mg\/L for a low-nutrient system and 465 mg\/L for an SPS-dominated frag tank. Match the target to your system type rather than chasing the highest number on the chart.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eHow much can I safely raise calcium in one day?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eRed Sea's stated maximum is 20 ppm in 24 hours. Raising it faster risks stressing corals even though the number itself isn't dangerous to fish.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eCan I dose Foundation A, B and C together?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes — Red Sea's recommended order is magnesium first, then alkalinity, then calcium, with roughly 10 minutes between each so the three don't react with each other before they've dispersed through the water column.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSuitable for, and not suitable for\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eSuitable for reef and marine aquariums keeping stony coral, soft coral or coralline algae that need ongoing calcium replacement. Not suitable for freshwater aquariums, and not a substitute for testing — dosing calcium without testing risks pushing the system toward saturation, which can crash alkalinity.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSafety\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHandle the dry powder the same way as any concentrated mineral supplement: avoid inhaling dust when measuring, and keep it away from children and pets. Once mixed to solution, dose into a high-flow area of the sump rather than directly onto livestock.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCare and maintenance\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eStore the tub sealed, dry and out of direct sunlight. Once mixed, keep the stock solution in a sealed, opaque container — light and air both shorten its working life. Re-test calcium weekly and adjust the daily dose rather than assuming consumption stays constant as coral cover grows.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWarranty and delivery\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eConsumable supplement — check the use-by guidance on the tub rather than a fixed warranty term, and your rights under Australian Consumer Law apply regardless. Standard freight; the 18 kg pail ships as a heavier parcel.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eGoes well with\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRed Sea Foundation B (Alkalinity+) — dosed alongside Foundation A in the three-part program.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRed Sea Foundation C (Magnesium+) — the third element in the ABC+ program.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRed Sea Reef Care Dosing Cap Tube — for connecting a stock solution bottle to a dosing pump.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ch4\u003eIs Foundation A the same as Reef Foundation ABC+?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo — ABC+ is Red Sea's name for the combined three-part program. Foundation A is the calcium and strontium element on its own, for reefkeepers who want to dose and test each parameter independently.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eDo I need the 18 kg pail or the 1 kg tub?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003ePer-litre cost favours the 18 kg pail, but only if you'll use it within its working life once mixed — for a smaller system, the 1 kg tub avoids stock solution sitting around for months.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eWill this raise magnesium or alkalinity too?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo — Foundation A is calcium and strontium only. Alkalinity and magnesium are dosed separately with Foundation B and C.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch4\u003eCan I use this instead of a calcium reactor?\u003c\/h4\u003e\u003cp\u003eYes, on smaller to mid-sized reef systems many keepers dose Foundation A instead of running a reactor. On larger, heavily stocked SPS systems a reactor is usually more cost-effective long-term.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"RedSea","offers":[{"title":"1kg","offer_id":54774153937187,"sku":"RED302","price":46.5,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false},{"title":"18kg","offer_id":55335146389795,"sku":"RED302a","price":588.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/Red_Sea_Reef_Foundation_A_Powder.jpg?v=1782112597","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/red-sea-reef-care-calcium-foundation-a-powder","provider":"Nicks Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}