Calcium & Alkalinity too high

[Mengchhorn Chhun]

Hi, i never really care much about measuring anything in my tank, but these morning i try to test my water parameters and this is what it come up with:

phosphate: 0.03ppm
Alk: 13.3dKH
Calcium: 569ppm

I use all hanna test kits.

Note: It is a FOWLR tank but want to try to add more coral to it.

Can anyone told me why it like that and what will that cause?

 

[Reeferdood]

Are you dosing anything now?

 

[Billldg]

What is your salinity and what type of salt are you using?

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

There are two basic ways that calcium and alkalinity can increase, from your salt mix or from dosing (using two-part, calcium reactor, or limewater). If you're not dosing, then your salt mix must be very high in these elements. What salt do you use? Do you know the calcium and alkalinity of your freshly mixed saltwater? It's also worth noting that the Hanna Calcium Checker is not always the most accurate because of how dilute the sample must be. I would confirm your calcium reading with another kit.

The only way to reduce calcium and alkalinity is let it fall on its own over time. Or, do water changes with a salt mix that has lower alkalinity.

Also, you mention that your tank is FOWLR, but you want to add "more" corals? Do you already have corals in the tank?

 

[Mengchhorn Chhun]

Are you dosing anything now?

No, i don’t dose or use any supplements at all.

What is your salinity and what type of salt are you using?

my salinity is 1.024 and i’m using the ocean blue bag for these tank.

 

[Mengchhorn Chhun]

There are two basic ways that calcium and alkalinity can increase, from your salt mix or from dosing (using two-part, calcium reactor, or limewater). If you're not dosing, then your salt mix must be very high in these elements. What salt do you use? Do you know the calcium and alkalinity of your freshly mixed saltwater? It's also worth noting that the Hanna Calcium Checker is not always the most accurate because of how dilute the sample must be. I would confirm your calcium reading with another kit.

The only way to reduce calcium and alkalinity is let it fall on its own over time. Or, do water changes with a salt mix that has lower alkalinity.

Also, you mention that your tank is FOWLR, but you want to add "more" corals? Do you already have corals in the tank?

There are two basic ways that calcium and alkalinity can increase, from your salt mix or from dosing (using two-part, calcium reactor, or limewater). If you're not dosing, then your salt mix must be very high in these elements. What salt do you use? Do you know the calcium and alkalinity of your freshly mixed saltwater? It's also worth noting that the Hanna Calcium Checker is not always the most accurate because of how dilute the sample must be. I would confirm your calcium reading with another kit.

The only way to reduce calcium and alkalinity is let it fall on its own over time. Or, do water changes with a salt mix that has lower alkalinity.

Also, you mention that your tank is FOWLR, but you want to add "more" corals? Do you already have corals in the tank?

I didn’t test my newly mix water at all but i will check it next time i mix it again. So the only way to reduce it, is to let it reduce itself. Also I do add one zenxia to test it out.

 

[chipmunkofdoom2]

I didn’t test my newly mix water at all but i will check it next time i mix it again. So the only way to reduce it, is to let it reduce itself. Also I do add one zenxia to test it out.

Yes, the only way to reduce it is to let it fall on its own. You should test your newly mixed saltwater. If that is the source of the high levels, then calcium and alkalinity may never fall on their own. Every time you do a water change, you will just be increasing the calcium and alkalinity.

If your salt mix has alkalinity and calcium where you'd like to be, then you don't need to do anything. The levels will come down on their own.