Calcium levels at 500 and salinity is 1.030!

[Cjsanders757]

How to get my calc and salinity down did a water change this past Friday.

 

[Allisonzim28]

How to get my calc and salinity down did a water change this past Friday.

Siphon out some of your water and add freshwater to it to bring the salinity down. Slowly add the amount of water you need back in to avoid stressing out your fish. You'll probably have to do this process over a few days to work the salinity down.

 

[Cjsanders757]

Siphon out some of your water and add freshwater to it to bring the salinity down. Slowly add the amount of water you need back in to avoid stressing out your fish. You'll probably have to do this process over a few days to work the salinity down.

Could the salinity being high be the reason why my zoa and sympodium don't fully open??

 

[Allisonzim28]

It's very possible. We're they open before you noticed the salinity was getting high?

 

[Cjsanders757]

It's very possible. We're they open before you noticed the salinity was getting high?

No my frags were new

 

[Allisonzim28]

How long have you had them?

 

[Allisonzim28]

Two things you can try are higher lighting (use PC lighting if you don't already use it) and adding phosphate reactor to your tank. Start with the phosphate reactor as it may be the cheaper option.

 

[Cjsanders757]

How long have you had them?

About a week now

 

[Cjsanders757]

Two things you can try are higher lighting (use PC lighting if you don't already use it) and adding phosphate reactor to your tank. Start with the phosphate reactor as it may be the cheaper option.

72w t5ho odyssea light sits about an inch above the tank

 

[Cjsanders757]

Jut tested ph and it shows 7.8. I added some ph buffer to try and get it up

 

[Craigdillman]

Don't chase ph test for alk first ph will swing in a reef tank by the sounds of it I bet it's through the roof, do a water change and add RO water till you get your salinity into normal range then test for cal mg and alk then stabile them before messing with ph ph isn't as important in saltwater as freshwater

 

[Allisonzim28]

I agree with the other person. As far as lighting, ive heard people need 250watts for their plants to open. Sounds crazy but a possible last resort.

 

[czwicky]

Ph is watt more important in saltwater than in freshwater. My advice is to do a partial water change with freshwater and drip it in at least over a few hours. Limit your salinity change to .003 a day. 1.030 is not horribly high, 1.026 is optimal. If you don't feel comftrable slowly adding rodi water you can buy standard saltwater salt(not reef salt) and do a larger water change with a lower salinity solution. This will lower your salinity and prevent the addition of more calcium and magnesium. Continue doing water changes that way until your cal, alk, and mag are within acceptable levels. DON'T RUSH THIS PROCESS. Changing things to quickly will kill stuff.
You will have to let your levels decrease over time by being absorbed and used by your corals. In my first year of saltwater my biocube got to 1.035 salinity, 12dkh, 640 ppm calcium, 1800 ppm mag, and 7.7 ph. Doing what I just described I did not lose a single piece of livestock while getting my tank back into balance. Send me a pm with your specific levels of alk, cal, mag, ph, phosphate, and salinity. I will explain to you exactly what I did.

Note- if you don't have hard corals then the calcium is going to have to precipate to lower in concentration in the water. Keep an eye out for this and don't let the precipate sit on any of your corals as it becomes extremely alkaline and will eat through your corals.

 

[Cjsanders757]

Tested kh today and its either at 8-9

 

[mr_X]

Corals don't close up because the light is too weak. If anything, they would spread out to increase surface area the weak light is hitting, or stretch upwards trying to reach light.
Lower the salt level and increase flow towards the surface. This will help raise your ph.

I never heard of or seen calcium precipitate and burn through corals. I have heard of test kits giving bad results however. I'm betting you are using API's test kit for calcium, which is more times than not, way higher than reality.
IMO, there is no way someone can have 640 calcium and 12dkh...It's just not scientifically possible. Your tank is going to be either more alkaline, or more acidic....not both.

 

[Cjsanders757]

Corals don't close up because the light is too weak. If anything, they would spread out to increase surface area the weak light is hitting, or stretch upwards trying to reach light.
Lower the salt level and increase flow towards the surface. This will help raise your ph.

I never heard of or seen calcium precipitate and burn through corals. I have heard of test kits giving bad results however. I'm betting you are using API's test kit for calcium, which is more times than not, way higher than reality.
IMO, there is no way someone can have 640 calcium and 12dkh...It's just not scientifically possible. Your tank is going to be either more alkaline, or more acidic....not both.

My lfs tested the calcium witha seachem test kit

 

[mr_X]

I haven't heard of them used often. I can't speak for the accuracy, however, close to 500 cal and 6 or 7 dkh is about right...and not anything to be alarmed about.

 

[Cjsanders757]

I haven't heard of them used often. I can't speak for the accuracy, however, close to 500 cal and 6 or 7 dkh is about right...and not anything to be alarmed about.

Ok so most likely it's because of the salinity being high my coral wont fully open?

 

[mr_X]

It's hard to say without being there, but I would correct the obvious, then go from there.

 

[Cjsanders757]

It's hard to say without being there, but I would correct the obvious, then go from there.

Got my rodi in and set up. The Tds in is 13 and the out is 0!! ? Water changes here we come!