High calcium, how to fix ?

sharkbait-uhaha · Jul 16, 2024

So as title says, my calcium is currently “570ppm” according to salifert test kit and I have tested a few times back to back getting roughly the same levels. Prior to high calcium I did notice my alk get low to what I believe was 6.8dkh which I’ve heard if there’s an imbalance in alk/calcium , calcium can just shoot up , which I think is what happened because after I started to dose alk (sodium carbonate) to try to get it back up to desired level, my calcium started to rise as well .

Now the question is how do I lower my calcium without affecting anything else . Currently keeping things stable dosing All For Reef (0.9ml a day). Tank is a waterbox 10g AIO.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I think these are the 2 best possible ways of doing so that I’ve found ….

1. Doing frequent water changes with lower calcium level salt to try to bring calcium down, how ever I feel like doing that will also throw my N03 and P04 off and cause me to bottom out .

2. Stop AFR and just dose sodium carbonate to keep alk where it’s at and let calcium drop by itself . But question is how much sodium carbonate do I need to dose to keep alk stable.

Everything in tank is healthy and growing , I have not seen any ill effect on my corals so not sure if to leave it alone and let it be or try to adjust the calcium back to NORMAL parameters.

sharkbait-uhaha · Jul 16, 2024

resortez · Jul 16, 2024

This is my own personal opinion, I would let it ride back down on its own. Looks like calcium has been at the high 500 for roughly 2 weeks & pics of the display show corals in pretty good health based on color & polyp extension. In my experience, taking parameters on a roller coaster ride can cause more harm than good, so I would be careful on swinging parameters too fast but that’s my personal take on it. About alk, you would need to collect data on how much does it take to move numbers back up, all depends on your system & every system is different. If you want to try the more frequent water change, then I would feed heavier & more frequently to assure that other parameters don’t bottom out, create a buffer you can play with but I would still take it slow. Still, your corals look very healthy & higher calcium doesn’t seem to be causing any ill effects. That’s my $0.02. Good luck

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 16, 2024

570 ppm is ok, and I agree to let it drop on its own. I’d use the kit on some new salt water to check several possibilities, including test error, high calcium in the salt, and calcium in the water used to make it.

Assuming that is lower, then using an alk only supplement for a while is a good plan.

GARRIGA · Jul 16, 2024

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
570 ppm is ok, and I agree to let it drop on its own. I’d use the kit on some new salt water to check several possibilities, including test error, high calcium in the salt, and calcium in the water used to make it.

Assuming that is lower, then using an alk only supplement for a while is a good plan.

Is there such a thing as too high as it pertains to corals or is it just a point where too high precipitates?

My test tank without corals went to 650 plus because I was topping off with tap to see how macroalgae impacted that and cheap form of silicates to fight dinos. I honestly expected precipitation past 550.

sharkbait-uhaha · Jul 16, 2024

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
570 ppm is ok, and I agree to let it drop on its own. I’d use the kit on some new salt water to check several possibilities, including test error, high calcium in the salt, and calcium in the water used to make it.

Assuming that is lower, then using an alk only supplement for a while is a good plan.

Will test fresh made water , I’m using tropic marine pro , also will dosing sodium carbonate be ok to try to keep alk steady as calcium drops , or should I go 2 part and just dose the alk portion ?

sharkbait-uhaha · Jul 16, 2024

resortez said:
This is my own personal opinion, I would let it ride back down on its own. Looks like calcium has been at the high 500 for roughly 2 weeks & pics of the display show corals in pretty good health based on color & polyp extension. In my experience, taking parameters on a roller coaster ride can cause more harm than good, so I would be careful on swinging parameters too fast but that’s my personal take on it. About alk, you would need to collect data on how much does it take to move numbers back up, all depends on your system & every system is different. If you want to try the more frequent water change, then I would feed heavier & more frequently to assure that other parameters don’t bottom out, create a buffer you can play with but I would still take it slow. Still, your corals look very healthy & higher calcium doesn’t seem to be causing any ill effects. That’s my $0.02. Good luck

Yes I was thinking on letting calcium go down on its own but if I’m dosing all for reef I believe it will just keep levels where they are at and calcium won’t ever drop . I do .9ml a day of all for reef to keep alk steady

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 16, 2024

GARRIGA said:
Is there such a thing as too high as it pertains to corals or is it just a point where too high precipitates?

My test tank without corals went to 650 plus because I was topping off with tap to see how macroalgae impacted that and cheap form of silicates to fight dinos. I honestly expected precipitation past 550.

Well, certainly, but I do not know how high that might be. 1000 ppm calcium in otherwise normal seawater is no more prone to precipitation than is pH 8.55 in otherwise normal seawater.