Calcium help

[KPollard1986]

I've been wondering lately as I have been testing my parameters, about my calcium levels. It stays pretty close to the 320-340 ppm area. My DKH is at 9. Could I be misreading my calcium test, or should I try and raise my calcium levels with dosing? Any feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

[AdamB]

Couple questions.. What salt mix do you use ? What’s your salinity?What test kits are you using ? Have you tested magnesium levels?
Do you have a lot of coral ?sps?
you might be misreading . I have done that in the past but hard to say on this end.
If it is accurate I would dose to get your calcium up and stable.

 

[KPollard1986]

Couple questions.. What salt mix do you use ? What’s your salinity?What test kits are you using ? Have you tested magnesium levels?
Do you have a lot of coral ?sps?
you might be misreading . I have done that in the past but hard to say on this end.
If it is accurate I would dose to get your calcium up and stable.

I'm using instant ocean sea salt, not reef crystals. Salinity is 1.025, and I have not tested magnesium. I only have one toadstool and a small hammer frag in a 55 gallon. I see coraline starting to take off though so I'm confused lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

No way to easily know if you Have a measurement issue ir a low calcium issue. Have you measured the new salt water? Raising it is a reasonable plan because even if it is already 400 ppm, raising that to 500 ppm is no problem.

 

[KPollard1986]

No way to easily know if you Have a measurement issue ir a low calcium issue. Have you measured the new salt water? Raising it is a reasonable plan because even if it is already 400 ppm, raising that to 500 ppm is no problem.

So I made a new batch today and the new batch had a low calcium reading as well. Maybe just a bad batch? I'm not sure. Should I dose for now until salt batch is done, or just buy a new batch and re-test with that?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What salinity? That may be low, or the kit may be off. Less likely is an off batch if salt.

 

[Seadoc]

So I made a new batch today and the new batch had a low calcium reading as well. Maybe just a bad batch? I'm not sure. Should I dose for now until salt batch is done, or just buy a new batch and re-test with that?

Is there a way to get a measurement with a different kit or take it to the LFS to validate your results?

 

[Seadoc]

What salinity? That may be low, or the kit may be off. Less likely is an off batch if salt.

+1

 

[KPollard1986]

What salinity? That may be low, or the kit may be off. Less likely is an off batch if salt.

Salinity is 1.025. Everything else checks out fine, except magnesium, I don't have a test for that.

 

[KPollard1986]

Is there a way to get a measurement with a different kit or take it to the LFS to validate your results?

I could buy a different kit, but I wont have it for a few days as my LFS is closed and petco doesn't carry anything except API. Also the reason I cant have my LFS test the water, closed for renovations.