Alk in range but calcium really high?

[jmp21677]

So I've been using a trident set up with my apex to stabilize by parameters. I've had fairly good success but struggle to keep my calcium down? I'm only dosing 2ml per day of calcium and might need to look into a simple 3 part system vs the current chemicals I'm using from ATI which call for equal dosing. Is there a correlation between low alk and high calcium?

Alk 7.8
Calcium 478
Mag 1247

 

[Pico bam]

Id like to try to answer but my answers would be conflicting, are you using 2 part? Not familiar with ati products.

 

[Themastaa]

Your alk is actually low should be 8-12. When your calcium is high then is pulls your alk down, and vice versa. Correct me if I'm wrong. I would not say you calcium is high, but when you keep calcium that high you should also keep your mag on the higher side

 

[Pico bam]

I'd raise you alk and mag a bit, just a little really. High sevens not terrible and neither is your mag. I agree your calcium is a little high and I believe lowered levels can kick start the growth of some stubborn corals. I personal shoot for lower numbers.

I'm trying to remember the roll of magnesium to calcium. A quick Google search says that magnesium stops the precipitation of calcium out of the reef. But I thought magnesium was needed at a certain level for calcium to be absorbed by the coral? Lol I'm not sure anymore.;Smuggrin can anybody clarify my rambles?

 

[jmp21677]

Id like to try to answer but my answers would be conflicting, are you using 2 part? Not familiar with ati products.

It is a two part that includes some trace elements as well.

 

[jmp21677]

I'd raise you alk and mag a bit, just a little really. High sevens not terrible and neither is your mag. I agree your calcium is a little high and I believe lowered levels can kick start the growth of some stubborn corals. I personal shoot for lower numbers.

I'm trying to remember the roll of magnesium to calcium. A quick Google search says that magnesium stops the precipitation of calcium out of the reef. But I thought magnesium was needed at a certain level for calcium to be absorbed by the coral? Lol I'm not sure anymore.;Smuggrin can anybody clarify my rambles?

I have slightly increased my Alk to see if that helps to offset the higher calcium.

 

[blasterman]

Raising alk won't knock down calcium unless you raise alk to astronomical levels and forcing calcium to precipitate out. Not advised.

This is yet another result of reefers blindly buying into two part nonsense. You are adding both calcium and alk and only alk is being consumed. Result: sky high calcium and low alk.

You do not have enough hard corals to bother with dosing calcium, so stop. Alk on the other hand can be consumed by all kinds of biology in the tank. There's nothing wrong here. Just a common misunderstanding of two part dosing perpetuated by marketing depts.

Stop dosing calcium.

 

[Stones-Reef]

Agreed with above: I would try to get Alk up to between 8.2 and 12. That alone should even out your CA, which btw is still within an acceptable range. I like to keep mine at 450, but 478 is not too bad.

 

[ReeferBud]

Your parameters are fine, as long as they remain STABLE.

don’t get to worried about chasing the “perfect” value.

I personally like to keep Alk in.the 8.0-8.5 range. Have also found that corals don’t seem to be too susceptible to calcium or mag fluctuations as much as they are to Alk fluctuations.

 

[Storm Trooper Reefer]

Raising alk won't knock down calcium unless you raise alk to astronomical levels and forcing calcium to precipitate out. Not advised.

This is yet another result of reefers blindly buying into two part nonsense. You are adding both calcium and alk and only alk is being consumed. Result: sky high calcium and low alk.

You do not have enough hard corals to bother with dosing calcium, so stop. Alk on the other hand can be consumed by all kinds of biology in the tank. There's nothing wrong here. Just a common misunderstanding of two part dosing perpetuated by marketing depts.

Stop dosing calcium.

The instructions asume you are consuming equal Alk and Cal. What is your weekly consumption of each? Don’t know, water change, test, Don’t Dose, wait a week, test again, water change, dose (figure out how much of what you need) dose for a week, test, adjust, repeat. This will change as your corals grow.

 

[RedReefer]

Your numbers don't look too bad. I wouldn't adjust any parameters too much.

 

[jmp21677]

Appreciate everyone's input! I'm going to make very small changes and see how things go. I will likely go back to a basic two part and manually dose mag.