Um.

[timberwollf]

i have been doing test every other day and noticed my Calcium is off the charts is that bad for a coral tank?

 

[Red C Aquarium]

Whats your alk at ?

 

[timberwollf]

my pH is 8.2 nitrate 0' nitrite 0' ammonia 0' calcium 520+ Alk is 9 does this help i have a notebook where i keep my readings

 

[lizardarm]

What (if any) calcium supp. have you been dosing? Is it possible that your test kit is faulty?

 

[NaH2O]

I have the same questions. Are you dosing any supplements? What salt mix are you using? What test kit are you using? Have you tested your Magnesium? What is your salinity?

Here is one of my favorite threads. An absolute great read: Let's Talk About ~Reef Chemistry~

 

[returnofsid]

Your calcium being so high and alk a lil' low can cause a serious percipitate issue. The calcium will solidify out of it's dissolved state and you'll get white flakes all over your tank. I'd suggest making sure you're testing correctly and maybe double check with a different test kit.

 

[DonW]

If your not using oceanic salt or dosing then I'd take a look at a new test kit.

Don

 

[luke33]

520 isn't sky high imo. Lots of reefers run there cal at 500. Just see why its so high, let it come down and go from there.

 

[NaH2O]

Just because a lot of reefers run their calcium at 500 doesn't mean it is a good idea. Read through the thread I linked and find out why (specifically post #9). Tissue growth is inhibited. The high calcium puts stress on corals, as they have to work extra hard to deal with the excess calcium ions.

If your salt mix is creating the high calcium, then water changes won't help you. If it is an additive, then you can stop dosing, and conduct water changes to help you decrease your calcium.

 

[luke33]

Did i say it was a good idea to run at 500? Just said its not the end of the world and let it come down to normal readings : )

 

[NaH2O]

Woah, slow down, Luke - I wasn't jumping on you. You may not have said that it was a good idea, nor meant it, but it certainly could be interpreted that way to someone that doesn't know the issues with running high calcium. Someone reading that a lot of reefers run calcium at 500 could say to themselves, "oh, hey, lots of reefers do it, so it must be fine." No worries, just some miscommunication

 

[luke33]

Sorry Nikki, didnt mean it like that......didn't you see the smiley! lol

 

[NaH2O]

ROFL....no, but now I do