high calcium levels!

[mopecula]

I would first have the water tested by someone else with a different kit to verify the results. then I woul check alk and mag levels to make sure they are where they sHould be. If everything is ok then let the tank use up the calcium. It will come down on its own.

 

[Woodstock]

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

I will switch to TM when my IO and Oceanic are gone I purchase by the 200 gal bucket, so it will be a bit longer...

 

[NaH2O]

John - what’s your salinity? It is also important to know where your salinity is when looking at your calcium and alkalinity levels.

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....

Another problem with having extreme levels of calcium is coral stress. The process is complex, but the coral wastes the calcium onto the skeleton, so when the concentration of calcium is excessively high in the water, the coral has to work that much harder using more energy in depositing the excess onto the skeleton. Mojoreef explains it really well in this post from another thread:

Yea this one is a little deeper and you have to go into how the coral calcification. Ok heres the short version. Calcium will actually inhibit the molecules in the coral tissue from growing. Since the coral polyp is always pumping in fresh SW the calcium concentration in the surrounding water is the same as it is inside the molecules of the coral. In order for the molecule to survive and multiply it must lower the concentration of calcium with in it. It does this by attaching the free calcium ion to its outer membrane and then secretes it out and forms the skeliton. So the calcium is a waste product in sence. the real player on growth is the carbonate and the reaction it has with CO2 the zoox releases.
So having any level of calcium in your water that is beyond normal balanced levels creates a huge energy loos the coral has to give up in order to free itself.

 

[Woodstock]

been having a hard time keeping my alk up also....

SOLVING CALCIUM AND ALKALINITY PROBLEMS

Corrections for Zone 4​

Zone 4 problems are also a little harder to correct. It is typically caused by overdosing calcium RELATIVE to alkalinity, but does not necessarily imply that alkalinity is either to high or too low (though it is almost always too low). To correct problems in this zone, monitoring of calcium and alkalinity values during correction is especially important.
If this problem is extreme (i.e., you are far from the line at the left hand edge of zone 4), then water changes may be the best way to correct to the problem. In most cases, however, water changes aren’t necessary.<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O> </O>

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</TD><TD background=../../images/darkbrownback.jpg>Figure 5.A graph showing how to correct values within zone 4 by adding an alkalinity additive, such as baking soda (the blue arrow).</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></CENTER>

If alkalinity were less than 4 meq/L (11 dKH; the most common situation in zone 4; shown in Figure 5), I would advise correcting this problem by adding an alkalinity supplement until you have moved into the target zone (or zone 1). For systems with a pH of 8.2 or above, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a good choice. For systems with a pH below 8.2, washing soda (sodium carbonate) is a good choice (though use some baking soda too if the correction is a large one and the pH gets too high; that is, above pH 8.5 or so).
In gauging how much to add, here are some rough guidelines:
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Baking Soda
To raise 50 gallons of tank water by 1 meq/L will require about 16 grams of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate; sodium hydrogencarbonate). Since a level teaspoon of baking soda weighs just under 6 grams, then 1 teaspoon will raise the alkalinity in that 50 gallons by ~0.4 meq/L (~1 dKH).
<O></O>
Washing Soda
To raise 50 gallons of tank water by 1 meq/L will require 10 grams of washing soda (sodium carbonate). Since a level teaspoon of washing soda weighs just over 6 grams, then 1 teaspoon will raise the alkalinity in that 50 gallons by ~0.6 meq/L (~1.7 dKH).
One special note about washing soda: Apparently some Canadian brands of washing soda contain surfactants. VIP brand, in particular, contains them and a reef keeper using them on my advice turned his tank into a bubble bath. On questioning, the manufacturer did indicate that a surfactant is present. The same reef keeper says the local Arm & Hammer brand in Canada smells strongly of perfume. I’d avoid perfumed brands, if possible. My Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda purchased in the US apparently contains no significant surfactants, and is not perfumed. Nevertheless, anyone using washing soda for the first time ought to put some in water and stir it around to see if soapy bubbles form. If so, I’d suggest finding another brand.
Many commercial alkalinity supplements will also be fine for this purpose, as long as no significant calcium is added. In general, I don’t prefer those that contain substantial borate. The alkalinity component of the two-part calcium and alkalinity additive systems would be OK. You CANNOT use limewater or a calcium carbonate/carbon dioxide reactor to correct this problem. Any of the balanced calcium and alkalinity additive systems will move you parallel to the line at the left edge of the zone, while you want to move over to it, and cross it.
If alkalinity is more than 4 meq/L (11 dKH; an uncommon situation), then you can safely either do nothing until it drops and you need to add more alkalinity, and treat it as suggested in the previous two paragraphs, or you can add some alkalinity immediately, move into zone 1, and then just let it drop on its own.
​

 

[john]

nah20,my salinity is at 1.023

 

[Woodstock]

How is the ca and alk level now John?

 

[NaH2O]

nah20,my salinity is at 1.023

Are you reading this with a hydrometer or a refractometer? If it is with a hydrometer, then your actual salinity may be higher or lower than what your hydrometer is reading. Your specific gravity is a tad low, especially with a calcium level of 550. You can hold more calcium ions at a greater salinity than at a lower one. NSW is a salinity of 35ppt, and has your salinity is 30 ppt. NSW has a calcium content of 420 ppm, and you are at 550 ppm. You can see the percent difference there. This article is a good one on what aquarium parameters should be in the range of, when keeping a reef tank. There is a chart that compares NSW and Aquarium parameters: Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley.

Also a quote from the article:

Most reef aquarists try to maintain approximately natural levels of calcium in their aquaria (~420 ppm). It does not appear that boosting the calcium concentration above natural levels enhances calcification (i.e., skeletal growth) in most corals. Experiments on Stylophora pistillata, for example, show that low calcium levels limit calcification, but that levels above about 360 ppm do not increase calcification.3 Exactly why this happens was detailed in a previous article on the molecular mechanisms of calcification in corals.

 

[john]

my alk is perfect(added a buffer 2 days ago) and calcium seems to be slowly dropping probably due to skimming.i havnt added any supplements with calcium in over a week.was gonna retest tommorow and if the calcium is still to high,i will do the water change.been working a lot and havnt had a chance to do the water change yet.

oh and nah20,i use a hydrometer and plan to up the salinity to 1.024-1.025 with the next water change