calcium??

skinz78 · #1 04/15/2007, 05:44 PM

Ok so I have a new Salifert calcium profi test test kit and I have tested my water twice now and both times it said that my calcium is at about 600ppm. I don't add much calcium to my tank. I dose very little Purple up wich has ionic calcium in it. I have had tht 16 oz bottle for about 8 months now and there is still about 6 oz left in it. That is all I add as for calcium. I have 7 clams and lots of sps's and everything is growing nicely.

could this be why I can't add cleaner and peppermint shrimp and keep them alive for more than 24 hours? these are the only species that I have found that I can't keep successfully

as for my water paramaters everything is ideal.

thanks,
Chris

a4twenty · #2 04/16/2007, 07:07 AM

i would get a friend or LFS to test the water as well, something doesn't sound right. what salt do you use and how often do you do WC's? ( not that it could increase it but maybe maintain it? )

what is your Alk, Ph and Mg?

jmaneyapanda · #3 04/16/2007, 07:12 AM

shrimp are quite sensitive to salinity issues, also, so check that level also. I agree with 20, something is fishy. You calcium could read exceptionally high if you lkalinity and pH suck, but I doubt the clams would be thriving if this were the case. What type of salt and water source do you use?

skinz78 · #4 04/16/2007, 06:23 PM

I have aquatic gardens premium marine salt mix and my water is just tap water, no ro/di. I am on a small community water system and they don't add any chemicals yet, that is coming soon though. They are starting construction on the water treatment facility right now. I have a wood stove so my water in my tank evaporates quickly so I add about 5 gallons of water a week.