Calcium Questions

[revhtree]

My Avipora is not doing well. It does not come out fully, and it is getting a few small brown spots on it, like its dying.

PH 8.2
Amm. 0
trite 0
trate 0

I tested my calcium and it was 720. Is this possible? Is this bad or good?

What is a high Calcium level?

How do you get it down?

What is a good level?

What causes it to rise?

TIA!

 

[jamal-188]

Here are a few good link:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/articles/calcium.shtml
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/rhf/feature/index.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2002/chem.htm

Those should get you started

 

[jackdp]

A calcium level of 720 is very high...I'm not sure what would happen to corals at those levels or how you would've gotten those levels. Do you dose Calcium? Have you also checked your alkalinity levels? Calcium and Alk are closely tied. Check out those articles and post some more details.

 

[revhtree]

Thanks for the great links even though they are still kind of hard for me to understand. Is there anyone who can put it into laymen terms for me?

And, no I do not dose calcium. And I have not checked alkalinity. Thanks all.

 

[saberry]

A calcium level of 720 is very high...I'm not sure what would happen to corals at those levels or how you would've gotten those levels. Do you dose Calcium? Have you also checked your alkalinity levels? Calcium and Alk are closely tied. Check out those articles and post some more details.

Isn't pH a measure of alkalinity (high ph = more basic or alkaline) or do you mean something else?

 

[steve-s]

Thanks for the great links even though they are still kind of hard for me to understand. Is there anyone who can put it into laymen terms for me?

And, no I do not dose calcium. And I have not checked alkalinity. Thanks all.

Check the alk level and see where that's at. Typically high Ca will be the result of a declining alk, low Mg or faulty reading on the test kit. In any event, the absolute easiest fix is a few simple water changes over the next week. High Ca like that can cause quite a few issues with most scleractinians and especially clams. Not to mention an all out snowstorm. I would get it fixed as soon as the water is ready.

If you get a chance, post the test results on you newly made SW after it's been aerated for at least 12 hrs.

Cheers
Steve

 

[steve-s]

A calcium level of 720 is very high...I'm not sure what would happen to corals at those levels or how you would've gotten those levels. Do you dose Calcium? Have you also checked your alkalinity levels? Calcium and Alk are closely tied. Check out those articles and post some more details.

Isn't pH a measure of alkalinity (high ph = more basic or alkaline) or do you mean something else?

pH is not a measure of alkalinity, it's a measure of acidity. Higher pH values indicate a more "basic" solution (as you said) or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (as the acronym indicates) but not a measure of alkalinity. Alkalinity in SW is the measure of the total hardness and only an indication of it's ability to resist changes in pH. The lower the alk, the more influenced pH becomes.

Cheers
Steve

 

[mojoreef]

Steve your just to smart big fella.

Mike

 

[saberry]

A calcium level of 720 is very high...I'm not sure what would happen to corals at those levels or how you would've gotten those levels. Do you dose Calcium? Have you also checked your alkalinity levels? Calcium and Alk are closely tied. Check out those articles and post some more details.

Isn't pH a measure of alkalinity (high ph = more basic or alkaline) or do you mean something else?

pH is not a measure of alkalinity, it's a measure of acidity. Higher pH values indicate a more "basic" solution (as you said) or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (as the acronym indicates) but not a measure of alkalinity. Alkalinity in SW is the measure of the total hardness and only an indication of it's ability to resist changes in pH. The lower the alk, the more influenced pH becomes.

Cheers
Steve

I knew I should have paid more attention in science class. :?

 

[kenor33]

Steve S. never stops amazing me with his knowledge.. If I ever get as knowledgable as Big Steve ( which will never happen) i'd quit my regular job and just help other folks with all their problems.......ummm....kinda like.......damn thats what Steve does

 

[Atari]

Rev, looks like you got some new members for that fan club

 

[jackdp]

pH is actually the negative log of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. What is most important to saltwater aquarists the the carbonate hardness of the tank's water. It is the carbonate that interacts so closely with the calcium. Still, a calcium concentration of 720ppm is almost ridiculous. I would double check your test kit or take a water sample to the LFS for testing. You may have a bad test kit or you may just not have tested right. I agree with Steve...check your freshly mixed SW to be sure you're not introducing the Ca that way.

 

[kenor33]

Everytime I think I'm ready to add a SW tank to my room I read posts like this let me know i'm still pretty dumb to alot this

 

[enginbeering]

lol, Jackdp obviously knows a bit about chemistry (taken a few college-level classes). I wouldn't worry kenor. You don't need to know every little detail. You can have a pretty cool tank with basic knowledge. Plus, any questions you have, we're always here to answer (and usually pretty good at putting them in laymans terms). (I act like I've been here for a while, and the truth is, i just signed up a little while ago, but i've been reading these things for months and months before I got my tank).