Calcium test results- HELP

Cosper · #1 10/05/2005, 09:59 AM

I just tested calcium and my levels are up around 500-550! Is this even possible? Am I using the kit wrong? Also- how bad is this for the coral/fish? Desired is 400-450 right? Thanks in advance for any help.. I am going to run a second test to make sure.

Travis L. Stevens · #2 10/05/2005, 10:05 AM

Definitely run a second or third test and get it tested with a fellow reefer or a LFS. If this is true you will want to test your alk and pH to see where they are at and take steps to get this back in balance. If your Alk and Ca are both high, you might want to just do a water change or just wait it out and not add any chemicals or kalkwasser.

menace · #3 10/05/2005, 10:10 AM

using oceanic salt?

Triggerfish · #4 10/05/2005, 10:12 AM

what have you been dosing? what kit are you using?
i would suspect if kit is accurate that your DKH is pretty low as a result.

Travis L. Stevens · #5 10/05/2005, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Triggerfish
what have you been dosing? what kit are you using?
i would suspect if kit is accurate that your DKH is pretty low as a result.

That's what I was thinking as well. I would be using an Alk suplementation to raise it back up, but DON'T DO ANYTHING until you get positive results for pH, Alk, AND Ca.

Cosper · #6 10/05/2005, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by menace
using oceanic salt?

yes.. I am actualy..

Cosper · #7 10/05/2005, 10:24 AM

I'll do some more testing later on after I fill my sump.. that may dillute the parameters out some.

Travis L. Stevens · #8 10/05/2005, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cosper
yes.. I am actualy..

Oceanic is known for it's high Ca content. This is a common occurance. Many people switch to Instant Ocean because of its lower Ca content because they prefer to add their own. Im working on trying to find a mixture of both, personally.

menace · #9 10/05/2005, 10:47 AM

oceanic is very high in ca, especially if mixed to full strength sea water. how is your alk? probably on the low side? iirc, some of randy's responses are not to supplement ca, and only buffer alk while the ca gets used up. may want to post in the chemistry forum and see what he says.

Cosper · #10 10/06/2005, 08:51 AM

So really.. for my application.. I could get away with never using a calcium supplement when using Oceanic?

Ive heard story after story about Oceanic salt, but Ive never really had any issues with it. Algea for me has always been a little bit of a nusciance, but when is it not? Ive never had any other problems with it.

I have never tested alk... not once. Going to start... just got my kit. From my understanding alkalinity is what allows the PH of the water to remain stable throughout the day? Without proper alk.. one would get PH swings? PH swings if bad eneough I guess, it would hurt corals and fish?

Oh BTW- I did more testing after I added about 5gal of water to my sump to my 40gal system.. and calcium was still about 500!!

Sugar Magnolia · #11 10/06/2005, 08:54 AM

Actually, that's not really too bad. Optimum range is 450, so you're not really that high. Check your alk though to make sure you're in balance.

jeffbrig · #12 10/06/2005, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cosper
I have never tested alk... not once. Going to start... just got my kit. From my understanding alkalinity is what allows the PH of the water to remain stable throughout the day? Without proper alk.. one would get PH swings? PH swings if bad eneough I guess, it would hurt corals and fish?

Not so much swings, but there is a strong dependency between alkalinity and pH. Low alkalinity causes low pH (although other factors like CO2 can depress pH as well). You'll probably find you need to buffer your water. From what many have said, Oceanic mixes up to high calcium, with low alkalinity. That's not necessarily a problem, since baking soda can be used, and it's dirt cheap.

I wouldn't try to "balance" alkalinity with your artificially high calcium levels. You can let calcium run a little higher without any serious consequences. If you try to push alkalinity up too high, you can end up with massive precipitation on your pumps, heaters, and in severe cases, the water column.

Read some of Randy's articles, liked at the top of the chemistry forum.

Cosper · #13 10/06/2005, 09:40 AM

Well I just tested alkalinity for the first time... Is this good... or bad? lol

3meq/L or 50ppm CaCO3 or 8.4 dKH.

Cosper · #14 10/06/2005, 09:51 AM

Wow.. I jus did another calcium test.. I went slow and was very carefull this time. I made sure that the test matched the color on the chart etc.. Calcium levels around in the area of 700!! I wasnt looking at the test properly before.. no wonder I didnt really understand how it worked. (I failed to notice the chart on the back of the book. LOL) Is this eneough to cause problems.

All of the corals are fine. Ive just never really noticed any awesome growth from them. Of course the tank has only been going for about 4months now; and I really dont know what I can expect in that amount of time.

Cosper · #15 10/06/2005, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jeffbrig
Not so much swings, but there is a strong dependency between alkalinity and pH. Low alkalinity causes low pH (although other factors like CO2 can depress pH as well). You'll probably find you need to buffer your water. From what many have said, Oceanic mixes up to high calcium, with low alkalinity. That's not necessarily a problem, since baking soda can be used, and it's dirt cheap.

I wouldn't try to "balance" alkalinity with your artificially high calcium levels. You can let calcium run a little higher without any serious consequences. If you try to push alkalinity up too high, you can end up with massive precipitation on your pumps, heaters, and in severe cases, the water column.

Read some of Randy's articles, liked at the top of the chemistry forum.

Will do, thanks..

What is recomendable alk levels?

jeffbrig · #16 10/06/2005, 12:08 PM

7-9 DKH is normal, some people regularly run as high as 10 or 11 without issue. Yours sounds great.

Sugar Magnolia · #17 10/06/2005, 12:49 PM

What kind of test kit are you using? IMO the "match the color" tests aren't very accurate. The tests that use the titration method give you exact numbers. (Salifert)

Cosper · #18 10/06/2005, 01:04 PM

My calcium kit is made by hagen.. it is the only one I have found in an LFS. Guess I may have to order a good one from the net. Seems like the net is the best way to go with a lot of things in this hobby.

Herbert T. Kornfeld · #19 10/06/2005, 01:13 PM

Hagen is a POS test kit. I remember getting a 400 ppm variance when using that calcium test once...three times on the same water!?!?! Go get a salifert, seachem, or Lamotte. Calcium, alk, and nitrates are the three tests that cheaper makers cant get right...get a good one.

Cosper · #20 10/06/2005, 01:17 PM

I like my alk test.. its very easy to tell when your there. Its made by lazy reef supplies. I bought that from a buddy of mine. Does anyone know if/where I can get a calcium test from them? Thanks agian to everyone for the help.

MIKE NY · #21 10/06/2005, 01:28 PM

It seems like all us Oceanic users have the same issues.High cal (500+) and low PH. They seemed to have solved the problem of low alk. Every bucket I have gotten recently has tested at about 9. I was a IO user for years, but got tired of dosing to get the numbers up. There is no real problem in my system of a cal of 500, except to clean all the pumps and salt creep more often. I also keep the mg level high at 1480 to help stabilze the alk. I have been recently testing other salts for cal, alk, PH, and Mg levels. I'm liking Tropic Marin Pro, but is it worth the money?

Cosper · #22 10/06/2005, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MIKE NY
It seems like all us Oceanic users have the same issues.High cal (500+) and low PH. They seemed to have solved the problem of low alk. Every bucket I have gotten recently has tested at about 9. I was a IO user for years, but got tired of dosing to get the numbers up. There is no real problem in my system of a cal of 500, except to clean all the pumps and salt creep more often. I also keep the mg level high at 1480 to help stabilze the alk. I have been recently testing other salts for cal, alk, PH, and Mg levels. I'm liking Tropic Marin Pro, but is it worth the money?

So.. do you dose calcium at all when using Oceanic? Seems as tho, with oceanic all of the paramaters are set already with calcium even running on the high side. Because like you said the alk doesnt seem to be a problem.

NeilPearson · #23 10/06/2005, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cosper
So.. do you dose calcium at all when using Oceanic? Seems as tho, with oceanic all of the paramaters are set already with calcium even running on the high side. Because like you said the alk doesnt seem to be a problem.

It depends on what is in your tank. If you have a lot of stoney corals, they will deplete calcium fairly quickly. I use Oceanic and even with water changes I have to dose calcium to keep my calcium around 380-420.

I have to dose baking soda to keep the alkalinity up too.

And this is after using kalk water for top off... I need a calcium reactor.

Cosper · #24 10/06/2005, 02:11 PM

I am keeping all soft corals.. and only have a total of 8 as of right now.

3 types of polyps
1 zoa rock
Small leather coral
Decent sized colt coral
xenia
musrooms

NeilPearson · #25 10/06/2005, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cosper
I am keeping all soft corals.. and only have a total of 8 as of right now.

I wouldn't worry too much about calcium then except for coralline algae. Don't worry about it being too high either. I'd just test it every couple weeks and make sure it doesn't fall too much below 400.

Too high calcium isn't going to cause any issues. Just keep your alkalinity levels up and you'll be fine. I wouldn't do anything to lower it and obviously, if the calcium is high, no calcium suppliments are needed.