High CA

[dozer99]

I just tested both my 125 and 75 gal. today and got the following results:

125 gal. 75 gal.
temp-78 76
ca- 640 580
alk- 7 dkh 7
ph- 8.2 8.0
sg- 1.025 1.025

I used API test kits, I knew that they had been sitting around awhile so I picked up new CA, KH and PH test kits all API and the above is what I came up with.

I normally do not dose with anything and am not religious on testing parameters. The 125 has been up and running since June 2005 and the 75 since Nov 2007. I do weekly water changes, 6 gals for the 125 and 4 for the 75 using oceanic salt.

The 125 has a chalice, tubineria, 4 small SPS frags given to me that I have not identified other than SPS, a pagoda, maze brain, open brain, favia, frogspawn, anchor, 2 types of candy cane and various polyps and mushrooms and plenty of corraline.

The 75 has not been up long and has VHO lighting so there are only polyps at the moment, corraline is starting to appear on the rock.

Both tanks have high CA levels but everything else looks ok to me. Everything looks to be in good health, both coral and fish. Why is my CA so high for both tanks? Should I stop the weekly water changes for awhile and monitor? I know Oceanic has a pretty high CA level.

Any suggestions would be great.

 

[Boomer]

Dozer

1. It may be the Oceanic. Make up a fresh liter and check it.

2. Take some water to the LFS and have it checked with their test kit or a friends.

3. Are you adding anything like Purple-Up ?

4. Do you have any DIY live rock.

6. What sup's are you adding if any ?

 

[dozer99]

I'll mix some water and check the readings of it. I have used purple up in the past but not in awhile. I don't have any diy rock. I used seachem reef complete and reef builder for awhile when I first started up the tank but now I do weekly water chnages and thats it.

Do you think I should bump my alk up to see if the CA comes down a little or maybe discontinue the water changes for awhile. When I first changed over to Oceanic I checked the CA and I think it was around 500 and there's a thread on Reef Central where they had done tests on 10 or so different salts and the average for Oceanic was 500-550. I'll also get the LFS to test a sample for me.

 

[Dustin1]

I had my calcium levels up around 650 some how and i have just done water changes with r/o water and after a few weeks it is down to 500

 

[dozer99]

Did any of your other parameters fall with the calcium drop?

 

[Dustin1]

nope not that i am aware of