Calcium running high?

[gotmesalty77]

In the never ending battle to stabilize the tank i took over I've begun to test daily for the last several days. Not really chasing any particular numbers but more or less just want to see where i am at and understand what's going on in my tank. What ive found is that my hanna calcium checker os consistently reading around525 ppm. The rest of the parameters i can test are:
Calcium: 525
Alkalinity:9.2
Ph: 7.38
Phos:0.04
Nitrates: 80ppm
Obviously i am trying to lower thr nitrate present to something more manageable but so far large water changes and reduced feeding hasnt seemed to help. I think my biological filtration is keeping the phos to low for any meaningful reduction in nitrates. I am going to slowly introduce nopox and reef energy to bring up phos. This is my plan at least. What is really puzzling is why my calcium is remaining high while alk is acceptable. I do not dose calcium, alk or mag and my bioload is very low for my tank (melanarus wrasse, clown fish and maybe 10 frags) 80g rimless shallow tank with 40 breeder sump around 100g total water volume with 100lbs of live rock and a chaeto and dragons breath in the fuge. Any thoughts on this would be great. Corals are starting to look unhappy.

 

[BayouReefer]

PH is very low, slowly increase your PH should be 8.2-8.5 range this will help stabilize your All and Calcium. Also no need to try and increase PO4 the reading of .04 is acceptable.

 

[BayouReefer]

What salt mix are you using that could be the cause of the elevated Calcium. And above I meant Alk and Calcium “dang auto correct”. What are your means of nutrient export? Skimmer, fuge, Algae scrubber? NoPox will help you get Nitrates down but I wouldn’t undo that by dosing something to increase phosphate

 

[gotmesalty77]

What salt mix are you using that could be the cause of the elevated Calcium. And above I meant Alk and Calcium “dang auto correct”. What are your means of nutrient export? Skimmer, fuge, Algae scrubber? NoPox will help you get Nitrates down but I wouldn’t undo that by dosing something to increase phosphate

I ive got e shops s-120 skimmer, 3 boxes of marine pure gems and and refugium with macros, chaeto and dragons breath. kessil h80 providing the photo. 0.04 i thought was a bit low to try and drive denitrification but ill not add phos. I was not sure about that.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Calcium should be about 430 and oh minimum 7.8 ....ideal at 8,0-8.2. Stop dosing of calcium until desired level is reached and add alk at night for ph adjustment.... GRADUALLY !!

 

[gotmesalty77]

Calcium should be about 430 and oh minimum 7.8 ....ideal at 8,0-8.2. Stop dosing of calcium until desired level is reached and add alk at night for ph adjustment.... GRADUALLY !!

I don't dose anything at this time. Should i begin dosing alk? I have kalkwasser and was thinking of adding it to my ATO, thoughts?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don't dose anything at this time. Should i begin dosing alk? I have kalkwasser and was thinking of adding it to my ATO, thoughts?

Yes on kalk. I add mine to sump but ATO also acceptable . Do it in little bits and monitor ph. Best to dose at night as ph increases when lights are on

 

[gotmesalty77]

Lights are still on in sump but I'm not sure how much that would affect overall pH of tank. Will stabilizing calcium alkalinity and pH help at all the denitrification process I'm still trying to find the root cause I'm leaning towards sand bed but I'm not certain

 

[vetteguy53081]

Lights are still on in sump but I'm not sure how much that would affect overall pH of tank. Will stabilizing calcium alkalinity and pH help at all the denitrification process I'm still trying to find the root cause I'm leaning towards sand bed but I'm not certain

Sump lights - very little impact. Ph- little affect on denitrifying process but chaeto, algae scrubber And vodka dosing will.