Strange parameter - Ca too high

Spikewire · 11-03-2009, 03:47 PM

Hey all,
My water parameters are usually very consistent but last night I got a strange one. My calcium is usually around 420 but last night I got a reading of 500. It's a day after a 5 gallon water change but I've never had such a high reading.

Can/should I do anything about it or just wait for it to be used up naturally? Is it dangerous to be too high?

Thanks!

DrHank · 11-03-2009, 04:53 PM

Carefully recheck your CA. Also check the age of the kit (reagents).

Reefmack · 11-03-2009, 05:02 PM

Weird - I got a reading like that a while back too. Switched kits from Salifert to SeaChem (neither past the expiration dates) & got the same thing. It didn't last long though. Now I'm back to trying to keep my Ca over 400. pH, Alk & Mg were in line at the time, so I never could figure out what happened to get that goofy result.

DrHank · 11-03-2009, 05:05 PM

Only other thing I can think of is that either your CA reactor burped or your drip solution concentration or rate increased. Might want to double check Mg too. One seems to affect the other. Good luck.

Reefmack · 11-03-2009, 05:45 PM

No Ca reactor here and the same amount of a 2-part Ca/Alk being added. It was just strange, but obviously one of the water parameters was out of whack for some reason that day, to allow the Ca to test that high. Maybe my Mg test wasn't accurate.

11-03-2009, 03:47 PM	#1 (permalink)
Spikewire Serpent Star Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 210 View Gallery Karma Komment	Strange parameter - Ca too high Hey all, My water parameters are usually very consistent but last night I got a strange one. My calcium is usually around 420 but last night I got a reading of 500. It's a day after a 5 gallon water change but I've never had such a high reading. Can/should I do anything about it or just wait for it to be used up naturally? Is it dangerous to be too high? Thanks! __________________ Chris from Boston My tank thread 34g Red Sea Max 130D (July '09), 40 lbs. live rock, Mix of Red Sea substrate with live sand, Tunze 9002, Steve T media rack and cup, Hydor Koralia 1, Chemi-Pure Elite, Purigen \| CUC: (20) Assorted Snails, (2) Red Legged Hermits, (3) Blue Legged Hermits, Cleaner Shrimp (Cocktail), Fire Shrimp (Scampi) \| CORALS: Duncan, Ricordia (Orange, blue, and green), Acan Lord (6 Frags), Favia Brain, War Coral (Meteor Shower), Trumpet, Pink Birds Nest, Blasto, Hammer (2), Neon Green Chalice, Purple Chalice, Sunset Encrusting Montipora, Seasons Greetings Encrusting Montipora, Meteor Shower Cyphastrea, Pavona, Neon Pink and Green Open Brain, Leather, Baby Dendro, Numerous Zoanthids, \| FISH; Ocellaris Clown (Lemme), Bangii Cardinal (Perry), Flame Angel (Orbit), Red Scooter Blenny (Skittles), Yellow Watchman Gobie (Fang) silly crabs

11-03-2009, 04:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
DrHank Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 2,758 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Strange parameter - Ca too high Carefully recheck your CA. Also check the age of the kit (reagents). __________________ Doc Dr Hank's 210 Build: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nks-tanks.html

11-03-2009, 05:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
Reefmack NaClH2O Addicted Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC, USA Posts: 10,564 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Strange parameter - Ca too high Weird - I got a reading like that a while back too. Switched kits from Salifert to SeaChem (neither past the expiration dates) & got the same thing. It didn't last long though. Now I'm back to trying to keep my Ca over 400. pH, Alk & Mg were in line at the time, so I never could figure out what happened to get that goofy result. __________________ aka Terry Excellence in reefkeeping is achieved by mastering the fundamentals, and learning from mistakes. No such thing as an evil crab. Only humans have the ability to be evil. 34g Red Sea Max 130 (April 07), ~50-60 lbs. live rock, Aragonite substrate. Lighting: Current USA Outer Orbit Pro - 150W 14K HQI, 2 x 24W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent by ATI, 1 x 24W KZ Fiji Purple T5, 1 x 24W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent by UVL, Vortech MP20, Vortech battery backup, LifeReef RSM Siphon, EShopps RS-75 Sump, Nano Reef Systems custom sump skimmer, Simplicity media reactor, Tunze Osmolator ATO, ReefKeeper Lite L3 controller Reefmack's RSM 130 and...Red Sea Max Owners Club and My JBJ 6G in this thread

11-03-2009, 05:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
DrHank Golden Moray Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Crestview, FL Posts: 2,758 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Strange parameter - Ca too high Only other thing I can think of is that either your CA reactor burped or your drip solution concentration or rate increased. Might want to double check Mg too. One seems to affect the other. Good luck. __________________ Doc Dr Hank's 210 Build: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...nks-tanks.html

11-03-2009, 05:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
Reefmack NaClH2O Addicted Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Charlotte, NC, USA Posts: 10,564 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Strange parameter - Ca too high No Ca reactor here and the same amount of a 2-part Ca/Alk being added. It was just strange, but obviously one of the water parameters was out of whack for some reason that day, to allow the Ca to test that high. Maybe my Mg test wasn't accurate. __________________ aka Terry Excellence in reefkeeping is achieved by mastering the fundamentals, and learning from mistakes. No such thing as an evil crab. Only humans have the ability to be evil. 34g Red Sea Max 130 (April 07), ~50-60 lbs. live rock, Aragonite substrate. Lighting: Current USA Outer Orbit Pro - 150W 14K HQI, 2 x 24W Blue Plus T5 HO Fluorescent by ATI, 1 x 24W KZ Fiji Purple T5, 1 x 24W Super Actinic T5 HO Fluorescent by UVL, Vortech MP20, Vortech battery backup, LifeReef RSM Siphon, EShopps RS-75 Sump, Nano Reef Systems custom sump skimmer, Simplicity media reactor, Tunze Osmolator ATO, ReefKeeper Lite L3 controller Reefmack's RSM 130 and...Red Sea Max Owners Club and My JBJ 6G in this thread

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