Calcium PPM keeps rising from no apparent reason

[CasperOe]

Hi Reefers,

I have been battling with my reef chemistry for a couple of months or so now, and while most of it is under control i still struggling controlling my Calcium PPM. I have a Red Sea 170 L system which is fairly well stocked; mostly with LPS and have a decent consumption of Alkalinity with below following parameters:

PH: 8.2
Temp: 25.8 deg. C
Salinity: 1.025 SG
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: 0.18 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.8 dKH (… stable!)
Calcium: 540 ppm (… and rising!)
Magnesium: 1350 ppm

I am dosing the following every day to maintain my levels as per above:_

Red Sea Foundation (A) - NILL (Calcium)
Red Sea Foundation (B) - 9 ml (Alkalinity)
Red Sea Foundation (C) - 4 ml (Magnesium)
Red Sea Foundation (AB+) - 5 ml (Coral nutrition)

Thanks

 

[Dburr1014]

Hi Reefers,

I have been battling with my reef chemistry for a couple of months or so now, and while most of it is under control i still struggling controlling my Calcium PPM. I have a Red Sea 170 L system which is fairly well stocked; mostly with LPS and have a decent consumption of Alkalinity with below following parameters:

PH: 8.2
Temp: 25.8 deg. C
Salinity: 1.025 SG
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: 0.18 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.8 dKH (… stable!)
Calcium: 540 ppm (… and rising!)
Magnesium: 1350 ppm

I am dosing the following every day to maintain my levels as per above:_

Red Sea Foundation (A) - NILL (Calcium)
Red Sea Foundation (B) - 9 ml (Alkalinity)
Red Sea Foundation (C) - 4 ml (Magnesium)
Red Sea Foundation (AB+) - 5 ml (Coral nutrition)

Thanks

Stop dosing calcium, problem solved.
Edit, oops, nill.
Try stopping mag for a day or 2. That shouldn't need that much.

 

[CasperOe]

Stop dosing calcium, problem solved.
Edit, oops, nill.
Try stopping mag for a day or 2. That shouldn't need that much.

I’ll give it a go with no Magnesium for a couple of days and see what happens.

I suppose could do a number of big water changes and ‘start over‘ trying to balance the Alk / Calc. also..

Cheers!

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hi Reefers,

I have been battling with my reef chemistry for a couple of months or so now, and while most of it is under control i still struggling controlling my Calcium PPM. I have a Red Sea 170 L system which is fairly well stocked; mostly with LPS and have a decent consumption of Alkalinity with below following parameters:

PH: 8.2
Temp: 25.8 deg. C
Salinity: 1.025 SG
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10 ppm
Ammonia: 0
Phosphate: 0.18 ppm
Alkalinity: 8.8 dKH (… stable!)
Calcium: 540 ppm (… and rising!)
Magnesium: 1350 ppm

I am dosing the following every day to maintain my levels as per above:_

Red Sea Foundation (A) - NILL (Calcium)
Red Sea Foundation (B) - 9 ml (Alkalinity)
Red Sea Foundation (C) - 4 ml (Magnesium)
Red Sea Foundation (AB+) - 5 ml (Coral nutrition)

Thanks

How are you measuring Calcium?
How much water are you changing and using which salt?

 

[CasperOe]

How are you measuring Calcium?
How much water are you changing and using which salt?

For testing, i am using the following:

Alkalinity - Hanna Checker
Calcium - Hanna Checker
Magnesium - Red Sea

I am changing 10% water every week (sunday)

I am using H2Ocean Classic salt with the following parameters:

PH - 8.3
Alk - 9.8 dKH
Cal - 440 ppm
Mag - 1340 ppm
Sal - 1.026 SG

 

[gbroadbridge]

For testing, i am using the following:

Alkalinity - Hanna Checker
Calcium - Hanna Checker
Magnesium - Red Sea

I am changing 10% water every week (sunday)

I am using H2Ocean Classic salt with the following parameters:

PH - 8.3
Alk - 9.8 dKH
Cal - 440 ppm
Mag - 1340 ppm
Sal - 1.026 SG

A lot of people have problems with the Hanna Calcium checker.

It is very tricky to use correctly with the micropipette Hanna provide and often reads high.

I'd suggest using the Red Sea test. I have the Hanna and the Red Sea and the Red sea is much more consistent. The salifert is also good.

 

[CasperOe]

A lot of people have problems with the Hanna Calcium checker.

It is very tricky to use correctly with the micropipette Hanna provide and often reads high.

I'd suggest using the Red Sea test. I have the Hanna and the Red Sea and the Red sea is much more consistent. The salifert is also good.

I have tried my Red Sea test kit as well, this max out at 500 ppm making it somewhat difficult to cross check the Hanna Checker.

I will give it a few days with no Magnesium dosing to see if the levels drop down.

Would I benefit from lowering my alkalinity- or should I avoid touching that considering my stable level?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Calcium cannot rise on its own without adding it somehow, and water changes won't alter whatever the issue is.

Are you using tap water?

I agree that test error may be an issue.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I have tried my Red Sea test kit as well, this max out at 500 ppm making it somewhat difficult to cross check the Hanna Checker.

I will give it a few days with no Magnesium dosing to see if the levels drop down.

Would I benefit from lowering my alkalinity- or should I avoid touching that considering my stable level?

Nothing you do with alkalinity can be causing calcium to rise.

Are you sure you don't have the alk and calcium dosing bottles mixed up?

 

[CasperOe]

Calcium cannot rise on its own without adding it somehow, and water changes won't alter whatever the issue is.

Are you using tap water?

I agree that test error may be an issue.

I am using RODI water from a 4-stage system

I am currently only dosing as per the the initial post and feeding lightly (cope pods and mysis)

I was using NoPOx but I stopped using this a couple of weeks ago.

 

[CasperOe]

Nothing you do with alkalinity can be causing calcium to rise.

Are you sure you don't have the alk and calcium dosing bottles mixed up?

I fairly sure - you made me doubt my self now though

Further checks has been carried out, bottles are not mixed up..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am using RODI water from a 4-stage system

I am currently only dosing as per the the initial post and feeding lightly (cope pods and mysis)

I was using NoPOx but I stopped using this a couple of weeks ago.

If nitrate was declining due to the NOPOX, that will add alkalinity, but not alter calcium.

Have you actually measured the calcium in the new salt water? Don't just accept manufacturer claims of what it should be.

 

[CasperOe]

If nitrate was declining due to the NOPOX, that will add alkalinity, but not alter calcium.

Have you actually measured the calcium in the new salt water? Don't just accept manufacturer claims of what it should be.

That is a fair point- I have measured the cal ppm in my stored salt water to 420 ppm using the Red Sea test kit.

 

[KrisReef]

What are your levels now? Did you find out what was going on?