Bringing Alk and CA down

[NewAcreReef]

Odd question but I just got my Red Sea Ca, Alk, and Mg test kit... I quickly found out that my Ca and Alk levels are off the charts.

Ca:500+ppm
Alk:13dkh+
Mg:1200ppm

After my dropper ran out of fluid I figured that regardless of what my levels are, they need to come down.



So, my question is, what is the best way to slowly lower Alkalinity and Ca? I does all three elements on a daily basis, should I back off to once a week or just not dose at all until the levels are normal?

 

[disc1]

I'd stop all dosing until they come down for sure. Then I'd look at the dosing levels and see how much they need to come down to keep it from climbing back up.

 

[sleepydoc]

Whenever I get values that are 'off the charts, the first question I ask is are they consistent/believable?

Were you testing before? (If not, slap your wrist for dosing without testing!) Are you sure the values are correct and that you're using the test kit correctly? It might be worth taking a water sample to your LFS or a friend to confirm.

 

[Dr. Reef]

first step would be to double check the results with a second opinion from a different kit. if still levels are off and high then stop dosing or using any equipment like cal reactor dosers 2 part system etc.
let things fall back in place on their own before restarting the dosing systems.
alk at 13 is high but not dangerous will fall in few days, cal for 500 is also a bit high but will also fall back in place in few days.
mag at 1200 is low try to bring that up to 1300+ range to max 1400. making sure don not exceed 100ppm per day.

 

[bertoni]

I'd get a second opinion, too, but it's rare for high calcium or alkalinity to cause problems over the short run. I might do some water changes if animals were having problems, but I'd mostly stop dosing and wait, as David suggested.

 

[NewAcreReef]

I'm not terribly concerned about fish and coral because everything is doing great, I may invest in another test kit just to make sure everything is correct. I have a hard time believing that a brand new Red Sea test kit is off but worse has probably happened, right?

What are some long term effects high calcium and alkalinity could have on a reef tank?

 

[Dr. Reef]

honestly cal of 500 and alk of 13 isnt really all that high, some reefers keep cal 480 and alk 12 constantly so ur very close to the high end of acceptable range. i dont see any problem with at as alk will drop soon enough anyways if u are not dosing excessively.
the only thing u can run into is precipitation and u would see cloudy milky water or like hard water deposits on heaters pumps or power heads etc.

 

[tmz]

If the levels are verified at 13dkh and 500ppm calcium , there should be no problem in the short run. I'd stop dosing and wait for them to come down as they are used. Bouncing it down via medium to large waterr changes with a low calcium and alkalinity salt water change may be more stressful fro the animals ;I would avoid that unless animals in the tank were struggling which should not be the case at the reported levels.
The alk will depleted more noticeably than than calcium;the later may take some time. Each dkh of alk consumed will take along only about 7ppm calcium.
I'd bring the magnesium up to the recommended range 1250 to 1350 later, after the calcium and alk are at levels you want.Raising it now will just slow consumption of alk and calcium.

 

[bertoni]

Well, technically the numbers were 500+ and 13+. You could keep titrating and get some bounds on the numbers if you'd like, though. Some second opinions on the test kits might be useful, as well as a second opinion on the SG measurement. Refractometers and hydrometers can be inaccurate, even when calibrated with distilled or RO/DI water.

 

[tmz]

OK. I missed the pluses. How high are they? Didn't see a salinity measure but that could throw it all off . I'd check that measure as well as Jonathan noted.

 

[rjdv420]

magnesium its low ,, dose mag only your alk will drop a little!!if using red sea coral pro this its gona happen ! mag will lower lots of ciano and the calcium and alk will go up, LPS WILL LOVE THIS but softies begin to fail!

 

[leveldrummer]

stop dosing, why are you dosing if you dont know how much your tank needs?

just stop dosing and let it drop. dont dose ANYTHING unless you have tested and retested and know that your tanks actually needs something.

 

[tmz]

magnesium its low ,, dose mag only your alk will drop a little!!if using red sea coral pro this its gona happen ! mag will lower lots of ciano and the calcium and alk will go up, LPS WILL LOVE THIS but softies begin to fail!


Just for clarification:
Dosing magnesium does not effect cynao bacteria .
It won't cause calcium and alkailnity to fall: it will slow the precipitation of calcium carbonate as it replaces calcium carbopnate crystals slowing their growth or stopping it. Thus, it will help increase carbonatate alkainity and calcium in the water ; not reuce it.