Too much Calcium?? Is it possible

[sqrle]

Is it possible? I have a reading of slightly over 500. HUH?? I know the optimal range is a bit lower but have also heard that it is also tolerable to have a reading slightly higher. What is slightly higher?? What is the deal. All of my other parameters are great. I just don't know about this one.

ph 8.3
amm 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 7
phosphate ?
salinity 1.022

My tank is about 3 months old and cycled for about 1.5 months. I have loads of LR 65lbs for a 55g tank. 90lbs of sand.

 

[jhampton_wsu]

What salt do you use? 500 seems high for most commercial salt mixes. What kind of coral load do you have?

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Where's your alkalinity at?

 

[melosu58]

Mine stays around 480 so you are not that far off. Using Oceanic salt mix will be about 500. Usually as Kurt was asking you their alk levels are kind of low.

 

[Tank2379]

Mine is around 580 and I am using Oceanic Salt mix.... But probably because I do weekly it stays that high....

 

[jhampton_wsu]

Mine is around 580 and I am using Oceanic Salt mix.... But probably because I do weekly it stays that high....

I also use Oceanic and with a moderate load of LPS and a couple sps. I do about 15% water changes every week and my Calcium hangs around 460 but my Alk gets used up very quickly and I have to dose one part of a two part to buffer my Alk to 9.5 dkh. Before I buffered my Alk up from 6.5 dkh my corals didn't seem to be able to use the calcium up and my calcium was around 5-550.

Here's a good link about salt mixes

Reef Central Online Community - A General Guide to Salt Mixes

Here's a thread I started in January when I was having similar problems.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/alkalininity-and-calcium-110952.html

It should be said that since this thread I switched to an Elos test kit for Calcium and for the first 30 days I tested for Alk every day switching to every other day for the last two weeks and I now test for Calcium twice a week. I've logged all these numbers and found that with my dosing every other day I have stabalized all my numbers. I also bought a pinpoint Ph monitor imo the only way to test for Ph. I record my Ph every time I test for Alk. I also test Ph once a week with Elos to double check my Pinpont. I know this seems like a lot of testing and it's been more expensive than I wanted burning through test kits, but once I get it figured out I'll cut back my testing to once a week or if someting looks out of order. On a side note I'm going to start switching salts this week. I've talked to some reefers who swear by the Tunze reef pro salt.

Also, welcome to AA

Jason

 

[Tank2379]

Mine stays around 480 so you are not that far off. Using Oceanic salt mix will be about 500. Usually as Kurt was asking you their alk levels are kind of low.

I also use Oceanic and with a moderate load of LPS and a couple sps. I do about 15% water changes every week and my Calcium hangs around 460 but my Alk gets used up very quickly and I have to dose one part of a two part to buffer my Alk to 9.5 dkh. Before I buffered my Alk up from 6.5 dkh my corals didn't seem to be able to use the calcium up and my calcium was around 5-550.

Here's a good link about salt mixes

Reef Central Online Community - A General Guide to Salt Mixes

Here's a thread I started in January when I was having similar problems.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f11/alkalininity-and-calcium-110952.html

It should be said that since this thread I switched to an Elos test kit for Calcium and for the first 30 days I tested for Alk every day switching to every other day for the last two weeks and I now test for Calcium twice a week. I've logged all these numbers and found that with my dosing every other day I have stabalized all my numbers. I also bought a pinpoint Ph monitor imo the only way to test for Ph. I record my Ph every time I test for Alk. I also test Ph once a week with Elos to double check my Pinpont. I know this seems like a lot of testing and it's been more expensive than I wanted burning through test kits, but once I get it figured out I'll cut back my testing to once a week or if someting looks out of order. On a side note I'm going to start switching salts this week. I've talked to some reefers who swear by the Tunze reef pro salt.

Also, welcome to AA

Jason

Sorry don't mean to HiJack this thread but since both of you are using Oceanic. What are you guys doing different to keep your Cal under 500?

 

[jhampton_wsu]

Sorry don't mean to HiJack this thread but since both of you are using Oceanic. What are you guys doing different to keep your Cal under 500?

When your calcium will not drop, I think it's important to look at two things, what is consuming calcium in your tank and what are your Mag and Alk levels. It is my understanding that if your Alk is too low your corals wont be able to use (for lack of a better term) the calcium so if you're using Oceanic and you have a decent coral load your tank is probably using up the alk faster than the calcium which will ultimitly inhibit the ability for your corals to use the calcium leaving you with low alk and high calcium. What are your Alk and Mag reading. What kind of corals do you have?

Jason

 

[sqrle]

I think that mainly my radings being so high was due to a testing error. I was using an "API" test kit. In the book it said to add the # of drops from bottle #1, then add the drops from bottle #2 until it reaches the end point colour specified in the booklet and that # of drops would correspond to a calcium reading on the chart. The colour in the book is not the right colour. I did a spoof test to try and figure it out. It will only go soo dark. I added enough drops in the tube to make the test read over 1000 for calcium and realized what the problem was, the colour in the booklet was off. Problem solved. It is now between 460-480. Thanks every one for you help.