Why is my calcium rising?

[lougotzz]

Hello everyone,
The first time I took my calcium test, it read at 420 ppm. Then I took a calcium test again a couple of weeks later after my tank has cycled, and it read 440ppm. Now, about a week later, my calcium reads 480 ppm. What is causing it to rise, and is it bad if it gets to high? What do you guys do to keep it at the desired 420 ppm?
Thanks.

 

[Flipper62]

480 is really not that bad, a good normal is in the 450 range. I use Oceanic Natural Sea Salt & it starts out at 580.

What salt are you using & did you do a water change

 

[lougotzz]

I use instant ocean, with the purple lid on the bucket. I did a water change about an hour before I took the calcium test. When do you have to much calcium?

 

[Flipper62]

Regular IO only has a calcium of 350. Your calcium will be higher after a water change. It will deplete as the corals use it up. Are you dosing any calcium ?

I'm not sure how much calcium is too much. The Oceanic that I use has the highest level of calcium right out of the box that I know of. I cant seam to get it down to the 450 range, everything seams ok.

That will be a question for someone like Bertoni or Randy Holmes Farley

 

[lougotzz]

Nope not dosing anything, I guess as I add my corals in down the road, like you said, thats how it will lower, and then Ill have to dos to keep it up at teh 450 realm. Thanks.

 

[bertoni]

The only way calcium should be rising would be through higher salinity. I might double-check that, and the test kit.

High calcium might eventually lead to a precipitation event (a snowstorm) but your tank isn't there yet.

 

[lougotzz]

My sg is at 1.026

 

[bertoni]

Well, I suppose something in the tank might be dissolve, but that seems unlikely. I'm thinking this is a testing problem of some sort.

 

[lougotzz]

Well, now that you mention SG going up causing higher calcium. My Sg was at 1.028 earlier in the day. I dialuted it with freshwater lowering it down to 1.026, so maybe it was that. Ill test calcium tomorrow to see if it goes down. Thanks.