Calcium Off The Chart.....?

dirtyvegas

dirtyvegas

In Memoriam
Hey diryvegas here. Ive been using coralife seasalts and so far so good. i usually add every other week some calcium but only a maintenance calcium as directed, directions say 2 times each week, i only add once every other week.I dont have much corals just a few.

well today i tested my calcium it was off the charts at 640, I dont know how to bring it down. Is the water change the only thing i can do to bring it down to 400-450..?

Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks
dv
 
Better odds of getting an answer here :D .........


I'd suspect the accuracy of the test , or an error in testing.
 
I dont know why you moved the thread. I just need to know if I should do a water change or not and whats the best way to bring down the calcium, nothing to do with chemistry IMO. Thanks for helping though.
dv
 
Test your fresh saltwater made for water changes. When I used Coralife for awhile it ran 480-520 on it's own. The only way to bring it down would be with a number of decent sized water changes. That's what I'd do at least to 500ish and then let it drop on it's own and not add any more.
 
You can do a water change but I would just leave it.The calcium will deplete on its own.Nothing is going to die at that level.I run mine between 460 -500 ppm.
 
Once your levels are where you want them, always dose an equal amount of a 2 part supplement unless you want one or the other of ca/alk to become out of balance over time. If you don't use a balanced 2 part type supplement then a little math is required to figure out the balance but it will save you imbalances with the dosing anyway.
 
yeah i just tested it again to double check, making sure the test is correct and yes it is exactly 640, taking exactly 32 drops to the end color on the chart (each drop is = 20). 20x32=640.

Everything looks great just I read that calcium levels above 500 is useless to to the enviornment because after 500 somthing happens to the calcium at this strength cause the calciums to strong causing the corals and everything that thrives on calcium to not use it anymore. Does this sound right, or make sense.?

I would like to maintain around 420, like all the tank of the months, those tanks are nice.

What would be the ratio of water change in order to get the calcium below 500.? maybee 1/3 or 1/2..?

Thanks guys
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6698049#post6698049 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
Once your levels are where you want them, always dose an equal amount of a 2 part supplement unless you want one or the other of ca/alk to become out of balance over time. If you don't use a balanced 2 part type supplement then a little math is required to figure out the balance but it will save you imbalances with the dosing anyway.
Click to expand...

What are you refering to by "balanced 2 part supplement".

can you post a link to this supplement for me please.?

dv
 
Running calcium over 500 is hard on your equipment but doesnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have a negative affect on your corals. I would stop adding calcium, the calcium will eventually decline. How is your KH?
 
Thatââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s good if you are sure it was 12dkh, I am wondering why your system isnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t using up the calcium but you say you donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t have many corals, are they hard corals? In a system with few corals you wonââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t need to supplement calcium as much as you think. I had a tank that I never dosed calcium and it tested at 350 it was a fowlr.
 
Thanks for your help here gobie. i just now tested the dkh and ph

dkh=10 exactly so in the past few days its droped 2dkh.
ph=7.6 exaclty I have a vary hard time keeping this up...??

calcium is still 640

OOoo and I keep a bunch of LR, 1 lps (pugoda), and bunch of various shroomies.. various algaes also and mangroves.

dv
 
Don't believe the directions on dosing anything. They have no idea what the demands of the system are. Only add stuff when you test and it is lower than you desire.

Sorry, believe the dosage, but not the frequency. You don't want to add too much too fast.
 
Yes I use that to try and raise the PH but it doesnt seem to help much cause it raises the dkh also to about 14 somtimes and might if im lucky bring the PH to 8 ,and i was thinking this is too high for dkh.

what is the highest for dkh, the bottle say 14... what do you suggest.?

I was thining that the high levels of calcium are depleating my ph level. Is this possible, and could this be my case you think.?

dv
 
I have this same problem. dkh stays at 12-15 while my pH is 7.7-8.0. Calcium is usually 400. Never been able to fix this, but as it has been stable for 2 years I haven't much cared. This is in my 20g hex tank.
 
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