Calcium too high ?
- Thread starter seismic
- Start date
Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:
Reeferdude
Reeferdude
That would depend on the tanks inhabitants since corals/fish respond differently. Nevertheless, what have you been dosing to get it that high? Or maybe it's a false reading? I would definately get it down under 450. I keep mine between 425 and 450…
Here’s a link that was on another thread that may help.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
Here’s a link that was on another thread that may help.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php
Im using a CR, but some times I dose CaribSea Purple Up. When I tested Ca yesterday, it was reading 600 or so. I did the test a few times. I've slowed the drip down to get the Ca levels back to around 450'ish.
Im in a war with this matting green algae which seems to cover up some parts of my live rocks. Im using Rowaphos, Phospates read zero, yet I still see the algae.Did a water change yesterday, Im expecting phospate to go up a bit since our tap water quality is not that good. Hoping that by dosing Purple it may help a bit
Im in a war with this matting green algae which seems to cover up some parts of my live rocks. Im using Rowaphos, Phospates read zero, yet I still see the algae.Did a water change yesterday, Im expecting phospate to go up a bit since our tap water quality is not that good. Hoping that by dosing Purple it may help a bit
Boomer
Well-known member
Being that high will not hurt anything. However, being that high can cause other problems such as snowstorms, which is controlled by the Alk and pH. More than likely it is a testing error, unless you dumped in a bunch of calcium chloride.
Sadly I don't think my kit is off 
When adding baking soda to increase alkalinity, is it alright to used baked baking soda (ie, sodium carbonate) as is suggested by Lee for pH control? I don't necessarily want to change the pH though...just get the alkalinity up where it belongs.
When adding baking soda to increase alkalinity, is it alright to used baked baking soda (ie, sodium carbonate) as is suggested by Lee for pH control? I don't necessarily want to change the pH though...just get the alkalinity up where it belongs.
Boomer
Well-known member
seismic
A lot of your problem is that Purple-Up..............STOP
rjarnold
You can not get high calcium unless you are adding something or something is going into solution
Both of you stop all sup additions and do two large water changes and clean /siphon the bottom as you do it. Then we will start over once we know what the pH, Ca++, Mg++ and Alk are after the WC. You guys have added so much crap to your reefs you have every thing out of wack
A lot of your problem is that Purple-Up..............STOP
rjarnold
You can not get high calcium unless you are adding something or something is going into solution
Both of you stop all sup additions and do two large water changes and clean /siphon the bottom as you do it. Then we will start over once we know what the pH, Ca++, Mg++ and Alk are after the WC. You guys have added so much crap to your reefs you have every thing out of wack
Reeferdude
Reeferdude
Good advice Boomer. If you keep your water changes regular and often you really don't need all the additives. Patience quality and stability will get that corraline going. The rest mother nature will take care of. Try not to focus on one indicator, focus on how they work or should work together.
I'll do the large water changes...but saying that I had to have supplemented in order for it to get that way makes me nervous, cause all I supplement is Elos Omega Amino Acids and Iodine. Time to test the source water I guess, which I should have done anyways.
The Reef Builder I've been using to try to get the Alkalinity up... I was using Oceanic Natural Sea Salt mix up until last week when I read on the label that it contains calcium and natural trace elements. Normally that'd be good but since mine was too high, I went with a different brand...not really knowing if that one didn't also have calcium though. When I said I was pretty sure my test wasn't off, that was for the alkalinity. I have an Elos calcium test but I think I'll try a Salifert to verify.
The Reef Builder I've been using to try to get the Alkalinity up... I was using Oceanic Natural Sea Salt mix up until last week when I read on the label that it contains calcium and natural trace elements. Normally that'd be good but since mine was too high, I went with a different brand...not really knowing if that one didn't also have calcium though. When I said I was pretty sure my test wasn't off, that was for the alkalinity. I have an Elos calcium test but I think I'll try a Salifert to verify.
DonW
R.I.P.
I agree with Bummer, oops I mean Boomer. FWIW the oceanic salt could have easily caused this problem. Ive seen it as high as 625.
Don
Don
Without wasting valuable time to do my own salt mix research, what are the more highly recommended brands to use?
DonW
R.I.P.
Instant Ocean or Reef Crystals. Are you aware of how to properly balance a water change so that you dont have a different set of problems?
Don
Aiy, not really. I have so little time to read things...right now I'm just inbetween PCR runs on frogfish DNA
For water changes, I just make sure the temp, pH, and salinity are the same (if I'm not trying to change the salinity). There's no room in my little office for more than a few jugs of water.
DonW
R.I.P.
Aiy, not really. I have so little time to read things...right now I'm just inbetween PCR runs on frogfish DNA
If you dont want to mess with it Id try RC. Most salts require addition in one way or another to get it balanced. IO for example needs a little ca and mg to be balanced with the alk. Oceanic usually needs to be diluted with IO or some other low ca salt.
Don
Thanks for the info Don - I'll get some RC (I'm betting my nearest PetCo doesn't carry it) so I'll do some calling and get on that. It's in mine and my aquarium's best interest to get as little maintenance-required things as possible for the current time. I think after the end of September when I present my preliminary results I'll be able to breath again
Having been there, adding the Purple up and other "I am in a hurry additives" and then realizing that the more you leave your tank alone and just do regular water changes the better off you will be. Water changes, skimming and the proper lighting are a big step to what you need. Sometimes the chemistry gets out of wack but since they are all tied together in one way or another when we add a product to change or boost one of the parameters we get one (or more ) of the others out of wack, we then add a different additive to correct the second problem and so on. Soon we have screwed up the balance so bad that we don't know where to start to correct. If you just sit back, take a breath and do water changes with a good salt mix and test with a reliable test kits, it normally all comes together. Like I said most of us who got started in this hobby have been there and sometimes when others give us help on how to correct it, we still think that we know better than they do, but in the end the ones who finally realize to take it slow and that no additive will correct a imbalanced are the ones who succeed......and save a little money along the way> IMO
Does the Purple Up encourage the matting green algae to grow ?
I just did a 40% water change yesterday. Already stopped Purple Up...emptied the bottle already last week
I use IO salt mix as well. The only other thing I add is Kent Marine's trace elements, I guess I should stop this as well!!!
I just did a 40% water change yesterday. Already stopped Purple Up...emptied the bottle already last week
I use IO salt mix as well. The only other thing I add is Kent Marine's trace elements, I guess I should stop this as well!!!
Holygral, I think you got it spot on. I was actually a lazy reefer, I left the tank alone and it was doing fine. Only recently when I had some idle time in my hands, I started adding additives, thats when I started to see some algae growing....patience patience.....
Don't feel bad, also used the purple up and other additives and fought very high Alk for 6-9 months. All the water changes in the world did not help. Once I left it along it slowly came down with weekly 10% water changes. Now it is and stays very well balanced, the additives also go hand and hand with adding fish and/or coral quickly, take your time and it just seems to be a little easier to control, with more time to enjoy rather than constantly working to correct one mistake after another, after all we all got into this to enjoy the fruits of our labor, not to take on a second job.
