High Alkalinity, High Calcium

[eugene2009]

Hey, my water parameters are
Salinity - 1.025
pH - 8.1
Cal - 510 ppm
Alk - 13.5 dKH
Mag - 1400 ppm
Phosphate - .1
Nitrate - Undetectable

I do not dose, never have. I use reef crystals. 120 display, 40 sump, tank 13 months old. Protein Skimmer rated for 220g. Was a tank full of fish, live rock, zoas, and softies.

So about 2 weeks ago I added a few SPS frags and noticed they werent fully opening. They extend majority of their polyps only half way, and only at night. My tank was always thriving, and it being mostly fish only I never tested the water. So now that I got those results, I'm thinking that might be the problem? Ive had a clam for about 6 months and hes grown twice his size. My concern is about the acros though, Can you guys please give me your opinions on if I should wait for it to drop on its own, or take action. If so, what exactly should I do to fix this.

Thanks in advance.

 

[downbeach]

What are you measuring your salinity with? If it's a swing arm type of hydrometer, it could be giving you erroneous readings and leading you to be adding too much salt mix to your make up water. If it's a refractometer or some type of meter, is it calibrated, with the proper solution, i.e. 35ppt/53.0 mS solution?
Since you've never tested before, what kits are you using, are you sure you performed the test accurately?

 

[eugene2009]

What are you measuring your salinity with? If it's a swing arm type of hydrometer, it could be giving you erroneous readings and leading you to be adding too much salt mix to your make up water. If it's a refractometer or some type of meter, is it calibrated, with the proper solution, i.e. 35ppt/53.0 mS solution?
Since you've never tested before, what kits are you using, are you sure you performed the test accurately?

Refractometer, yes I calibrated it with the Solution. I also checked the ro water and got a perfect 0.

Im using all the ELOS kits. I tested each parameter more then 5 times this week. I even wait 30 seconds between each drop.

 

[eugene2009]

and I actually just tested my fresh, makeup water still brewing in the garage. Its at 1.025 77.5 degrees with an alk of 13.5 what in the world is going on

 

[downbeach]

This might be a long shot, but is the salt mix in a bucket or a bag? There is a possibility that if it's in a bucket that the elemental grain sizes have separated somewhat during shipping. If so, you should thoroughly mix the contents of the bucket to ensure proper proportions of those elements.
It also might be prudent to get another opinion on the salinity, with all three: Ca, Mg and Alk on the high side, I'm still a little suspicious of the reading.

 

[RA]

Any man made rock in your tank?

 

[eugene2009]

This might be a long shot, but is the salt mix in a bucket or a bag? There is a possibility that if it's in a bucket that the elemental grain sizes have separated somewhat during shipping. If so, you should thoroughly mix the contents of the bucket to ensure proper proportions of those elements.
It also might be prudent to get another opinion on the salinity, with all three: Ca, Mg and Alk on the high side, I'm still a little suspicious of the reading.

I have the box with 4 bags in it. Check this out if you have a minute.

"We have not had to, nor do we ever intend to, cut corners or try to lessen the quality of our sea salts. Period.
We improved the formula of Reef Crystals about 3 months ago (early March) by adding more Calcium. When properly prepared to 35ppt, Reef Crystals should yield readings of 455-470 Calcium, 1400 Mag, and 13dkh, with a tolerance of +/- 5%."

Thats quoted from this thread.

I thought my clam and softies would be eating up the extra alk and cal throughout the months but looks like they havent. Now that Ive had sps for 2 weeks, my cal dropped by 90. but alk and mag stayed the same. sorry i forgot to mention that my cal started at 600. ive always done 20% water changes weekly so now I see where I might have created that problem. What do you think?

 

[eugene2009]

Any man made rock in your tank?

No sir, all the live rock has been in my tank for over a year and I purchased it from a friend who had it 5 years +

 

[Dr. Reef]

those levels are not extremely high i would skip a water change and let the levels drops on their own over few days/week. test ur freshly mix saltwater (after 24hrs of mixing) to see if levels are too high there. try to open the bag of salt and put it in old salt bucket and mix/roll is 10 time to mix it evenly before using.

 

[downbeach]

I have the box with 4 bags in it. Check this out if you have a minute.

"We have not had to, nor do we ever intend to, cut corners or try to lessen the quality of our sea salts. Period.
We improved the formula of Reef Crystals about 3 months ago (early March) by adding more Calcium. When properly prepared to 35ppt, Reef Crystals should yield readings of 455-470 Calcium, 1400 Mag, and 13dkh, with a tolerance of +/- 5%."

Thats quoted from this thread.

I thought my clam and softies would be eating up the extra alk and cal throughout the months but looks like they havent. Now that Ive had sps for 2 weeks, my cal dropped by 90. but alk and mag stayed the same. sorry i forgot to mention that my cal started at 600. ive always done 20% water changes weekly so now I see where I might have created that problem. What do you think?

Well, that thread is 3+ years old, and I couldn't verify the quote, without the original post, as anything but hearsay. But, I've been using RC for years, and have never seen readings that were that high. I also buy the 200 gal. boxes(4 x 50 gal. bags), and check the parameters every time I open a new box, which have always been around the advertised amounts, i.e. Ca @ 450, Mg @ 1350, the Alk has always measured around 12dKH at a SG of 1.026. Because of my experience with this, is why I have questions about your salinity reading, since @ 1.025, you are mixing it even lower than I am.

 

[MHG]

with low nitrate that high alk may cause RTN.... Hold off on a few water changes...


My alk jumps up a bit then I do water changes and levels off... Hold off on the water changes until it drops to where you want it then the usual 10% WC should only bounce it up a bit each time.

 

[Michigan Mike]

I've always had parameters around 11* dkh ALK and 460-480 CAL @ 1.025

 

[darkiss]

might be your lighting

 

[eugene2009]

might be your lighting

for the high alk? ? or the sps not opening up all the way?

 

[eugene2009]

Well, that thread is 3+ years old, and I couldn't verify the quote, without the original post, as anything but hearsay. But, I've been using RC for years, and have never seen readings that were that high. I also buy the 200 gal. boxes(4 x 50 gal. bags), and check the parameters every time I open a new box, which have always been around the advertised amounts, i.e. Ca @ 450, Mg @ 1350, the Alk has always measured around 12dKH at a SG of 1.026. Because of my experience with this, is why I have questions about your salinity reading, since @ 1.025, you are mixing it even lower than I am.

I got my water tested at my lfs today. 1.025. with the same params i got. I think im just going to wait it out and hopefully everything balances out soon. Thanks for your help

 

[csauer52]

I also buy the 200 gal. boxes(4 x 50 gal. bags), and check the parameters every time I open a new box, which have always been around the advertised amounts, i.e. Ca @ 450, Mg @ 1350, the Alk has always measured around 12dKH at a SG of 1.026.

I have to concur with downbeach. I get similar readings at 1.026 with RC.