High Calcium 500-520 ppm 7.5 dKH

[CTaylor]

My acros are sensitive to higher alk than 7.5 dkh, not meg or so. Is this higher level of Ca concerning? I ask because I'll have an acro decline for little reason sometimes, though it often coincides to alk higher than 8 dkh. My tank is too low in nutirients incl PO4, which might be why the acros are alk sensitive. But is the higher Ca level contributing to the sensitivity?

My Ca may be high b/c my Mg is 1500+. I'm thinking that the Ca and Alk being out of balance is possibly my issue more than my acros being alk sensitive (?)

If I need to, The only way I can think of without bringing down alk is lowering the Mg. I have a product from TLF in my CR that adds Mg so I dont have to dose it. I can try to pull those out (they are in wafers).

Thanks!

 

[bertoni]

Do you mean 7.5 dKH for alkalinity? 7.5 meq/L is very high.

Calcium at 500-520 ppm should be safe. I probably would dose only alkalinity for a while to let the calcium level drop, but that's not critical.

The magnesium level won't affect the calcium level directly, although the higher level will help prevent precipitation events. Given that the level is over 1500 ppm, I would remove the magnesium supplement in the reactor, though, since that's well above the canonical average ocean level of 1275 ppm or so.

 

[CTaylor]

Hi I cant change the title to dkh, it is dkh. I use a CR, and it has reMag in it. I thought that higher Mg will cause directly or indirectly Ca to increase -- become more soluble or stay in solution easier somehow. If not then why else wouldnt my alk and Ca levels be in balance, like 7-7.5 dkh and 420-450 ppm Ca? I am going to try to take out some of the remag, since it can't hurt to be at natural levels if nothing else

 

[bertoni]

The source of the calcium could be the salt mix. A lot of salt products mix to levels like that. Also, a bit of settling during shipping can shift the balance of part of the bucket.

There's not actually any useful meaning of "balance" when it comes to alkalinity and calcium. Salt products are all over the map on the ratio.

 

[CTaylor]

The source of the calcium could be the salt mix. A lot of salt products mix to levels like that. Also, a bit of settling during shipping can shift the balance of part of the bucket.

There's not actually any useful meaning of "balance" when it comes to alkalinity and calcium. Salt products are all over the map on the ratio.

I jsut opened my CR. LOTS of remag, as if none of it dissolved, but 1/3 of the Ca media did. So I had way too much % Mg pellets in there. I pulled 3/4 of them out. I'll monitor my Mg and readd as needed weekly.

The mg 1500 might not be 'bad' but I dont see how it can hurt to get it down to natural levels.

TY bertoni for responding!

 

[bertoni]

You're welcome.

I agree that getting the magnesium down is a very reasonable idea. Water changes will speed the process, but can be costly.

 

[CTaylor]

You're welcome.

I agree that getting the magnesium down is a very reasonable idea. Water changes will speed the process, but can be costly.

I wont get any new corals for a while until the Mg comes down so I can at least exclude that as a problem if there would be one. We'll see how the Ca settles, though like you said like it doesnt matter. I use Tropic Marin Pro reef. I'll test it Ca next time I do a WC.