high calcium levels!

[john]

just tested my calcium in my 180 gal with a sailfert test that i just received and my calcium is at about 550.will a simple water change lower this?????

used to test with another product and couldnt get a good read off of it so this test came as a shock to me.any suggestions?? thanks

 

[ReefLady]

A good, healthy water change will do it, but you'd better check the CA level of your salt mix first.

 

[john]

i use instant ocean salt mix.how much of a water change do you recomend??

 

[blue_eyes53813]

How old is the test kit? I thought mine was high and come to find out my test kit was old. I baught a different test kit and the reading were totally different. Maybe its the kit that is wrong.

 

[Witfull]

test fresh made IO, it should be around 380,,,if not you have either a bad batch of salt, or a bad test kit.

 

[RANDY]

I Recommend Utilizing The Sea Chem Ca Test Kit. This Is An Extremely Accurate Test Kit And It Comes With A Sample Bottle Of Test Liquid Set At 440mq/l. This Will Let You Know If Your Reagents Are Stale Dated Etc. I Also Recommend Using Tropic Marin Bio Calcium. Since Using This Product, I Have Had An Insane Amount Of Coralline Algae Developing Everywhere. Where There Is Coralline Growth, There Is Coral Growth! Try Not To Let Calcium Levels Exceed 400-440 Mq/l As This Causes Excess Saturation Of Said Calcium. Good Luck!

 

[Rogue]

If my test kit is right, my Calcium is WAY high.

I've tested my water three times now (over the past few weeks), with the following results: 640, 680, and finally 720 today.

I did a 10 gallon water change today, so hopefully that will help.

A couple of questions though: What would cause this level to get so high in a new tank? And what kinds of negative impacts could this have on my system, if I don't get it down?

My Magnesium is also testing on the high side, btw... Everything else looks great.

 

[cheeks69]

will a simple water change lower this?????

That depends, the salt could be the problem have you tested it after you mixed it ? Which salt do you use ? Do you dose any calcium supplements ? What is the Alk level at ?

 

[Woodstock]

Please remember that all synthetic salts are NOT made the same. They have very different parameters and it is most important to know what they are. Always, always check your newly made salt for the following PRIOR to using it.... salinity, PH, calcium, alkalinity. Knowing what you put IN is imperative to keeping the parameters correct.

Supplements are another thing that people use without thinking of how they will affect the water parameters. Do not use a supplement unless you are testing for its ingredients.

With that said, what are you supplementing with? What is your newly made salt water testing at?

 

[john]

ive been adding kent marine coralvite and essential elemants due to the inacuracy of an old test.new one says im obviously adding to much.im gonna do a water change and let the skimmer go for the next couple days to bring it down.

 

[SCUBEDREW]

john, kent marine's coralvite will not affect your ca. levels. i agree with the other guy, your test kit might be old. they.go badd in 12mo. or less. also check your alk. there is a distinct corralation between the two.If one is out of wack the other will rise. kents part A & B and turbo Ca. and related products will raise your Ca. levels not the products your talking about.
And for randy 4 threads back the Sea Chem test kit is impressive looking but the purple powder in the test kit goes badd real quick. Randy I would finish it and buy the Saliferts there,re the best!!! John u just need to do a 10-15% water change and if that doesn't work do another till u get to 380-410 Ca.

 

[Woodstock]

John, both the supplements you are using contain calcium. Keep an eye on your calcium and alkalinity levels when using such supplements.

Kent Marine Coralvite

Kent Marine Coral-Vite

Directions for Use:
Add 1 to 2 teaspoons per 50 gallons of aquarium capacity every week depending on animal load (1 capful, or 5 ml = 1 teaspoon). Add directly to aquarium or sump. If you are using a doser, do not dose Coral-Vite from the same container as Kalkwasser. Ingredients:
Inorganic mineral salts of Barium, Boron, Bromine, Calcium, Cobalt, Fluorine, Iodine, Iron, Lithium, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Rubidium and Strontium; EDTA, Vitamins: L-Ascorbic Acid 2-Sulfate Dipotassium Dihydrate, Vitamin A Propionate, Vitamin A Palmitate, D-Activated animal sterol (Vitamin D3), Folic Acid, Choline Chloride, Niacin, d-Pantothenic Acid, Thiamine (Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12, d-Biotin, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex (Vitamin K3) in a base containing Deionized Water, inorganic stabilizing compounds, and preservatives.

Kent Essential Elements

Kent Marine Essential Elements
Ingredients:
Deionized Water, Calcium Chloride, Chromium Chloride, Cobalt Chloride, Ferric Chloride, Lithium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride, Manganese Chloride, Nickel Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Potassium Iodide, Sodium EDTA, Sodium Metavanadate, Sodium Molybdate, Sodium Selenate, Strontium Chloride, Zinc Chloride.

 

[RANDY]

Just A Note: My Purple Powder Has Been Around For 18 Months And Is Still Measuring Accurately. The 440mq/l Test Solution That Comes With The Kit Has Shown This To Be True. Maybe You Just Got A Bad Batch! I Will, However, Take Your Advice And Try The New Kit. I'm Always Looking For New Stuff To Make Things Better. Thanx!

 

[john]

been having a hard time keeping my alk up also,use kent marine buffer a couple times a week.gonna cut back a little on the coralvite and essential elemants.should help keep calcium levels down.

 

[Witfull]

you can forget the essesial elements all together,,,,a partial waterchange adds them,,and does so much more for a tank.

 

[Warnberg]

Wait a minute... why do you want to lower a calcium level of 550? Yeah it's a little high but as long as you Alk is in line leave it alone and let the coraline, corals, snails, clams, etc use it up... it will come down on its own, there is no need to rush out and do a large water change to lower this. As far as all the extra stuff you are talking about, skip it.... not necessary, your water changes (monthly, bi-weekly, whatever it is) will put all the trace elements you need back into the water for you....

Here is a good rule to follow, if you can not test for it do NOT add it.

Just my 2 cents

 

[gussy]

All Oceanic salt have high calcium...I've gotten as high as 600. It's not a bad batch...I now mix Oceanic with IO to get a slightly lower Ca. I mix one part IO to two part Oceanic. I've also tried Tropic but its way to expensive. Been using Oceanic for two years and always had Ca. You can live with 550 as long as the Alk is okay. Saves me the trouble of mixing Kalkwasser.

 

[Woodstock]

All Oceanic salt have high calcium...I've gotten as high as 600. It's not a bad batch...I now mix Oceanic with IO to get a slightly lower Ca. I mix one part IO to two part Oceanic. I've also tried Tropic but its way to expensive. Been using Oceanic for two years and always had Ca. You can live with 550 as long as the Alk is okay. Saves me the trouble of mixing Kalkwasser.

Ditto~ I am currently mixing 1/2 Oceanic & 1/2 IO too...

 

[Witfull]

why do you want to lower a calcium level of 550? Yeah it's a little high but as long as you Alk is in line

the problem is, when Ca is to high, its usually forcing other things out of the water. high Ca is usually combined with lower Alk or low Mag. levels. more of one thing means less of another. water can only hold so many disolved particles.

in a high Ca demand tank Oceanic's Ca levels are good, due to partial waterchanges bump up the Ca, and alk can be adjusted rather cheaply. on tanks without high demand, you arent cetting any benefit of the higher Ca and are reducing the alk which all tanks need.

 

[gussy]

Ditto~ I am currently mixing 1/2 Oceanic & 1/2 IO too...

I thought you were switching to Tropic Marine...their reef salt?