Calcium super high.

brownsalt92 · Jan 16, 2016

I have a 100 gallon total water volume i ve used api test kit for a while well its down to the bottom of the bottle for the second part. I cracked open the new box and checked calcium... Well I'm at a 660 I rechecked 3 times and confirmed it was correct. I just did a 10 percent water change to cut down the calcium. Only corals affected is a frogspawn that's not its normal size and a brain that hasn't inflated. I use reef Chrystal's and know it has a high dkh. So I use Kent turbo ca in my top off water. Well my tank was at a 360 380 for a table spoon and a half would raise it for a day to 450 and it would drop. So I've been putting a table spoon per gallon of top off water. Well I learned my lesson lucky I didn't loose any coral. Gonna take a little bit to drop my car tho plus my sps will suck it out also

brownsalt92 · Jan 16, 2016

Mag 1400
Cal 660
Dkh is 10.5 using red sea
Salt 35

samba_dad · Jan 16, 2016

I had the same problem this month. Just stop your Ca supplementation. You can measure after a few days to get an idea of how long it will take for it to drop to normal levels. Good luck.

brownsalt92 · Jan 16, 2016

samba_dad said:
I had the same problem this month. Just stop your Ca supplementation. You can measure after a few days to get an idea of how long it will take for it to drop to normal levels. Good luck.

Thanks. I've been reading online it won't hurt anything but to bring it down to normal level. If it isn't one thing its another. No one said reefing was a easy hobby!!!

maroun.c · Jan 17, 2016

I would check the levels again with different kits as I would assume you'd see a lot of precipitation at these levels.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 17, 2016

brownsalt92 said:
. Well my tank was at a 360 380 for a table spoon and a half would raise it for a day to 450 and it would drop. So I've been putting a table spoon per gallon of top off water. Well I learned my lesson lucky I didn't loose any coral. Gonna take a little bit to drop my car tho plus my sps will suck it out also

I don't know what you are referring to exactly, but adding 1.5 tablespoons of Kent turbo Calcium in 100 gallons of tank water will only raise calcium by 22 ppm, not the 70-90 ppm that you mention.

To boost 100 gallons of tank water from 400 to 660 ppm would take 18 tablespoons (10 ounces) more than the actual demand in the tank.

Is it possible you added that much? If not, you may have some test issues going on.

brownsalt92 · Jan 17, 2016

No I didn't add that much I still have like 7/8 of the tub of turbo calcium. I've probly used close to 6 table spoons of it

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jan 17, 2016

brownsalt92 said:
No I didn't add that much I still have like 7/8 of the tub of turbo calcium. I've probly used close to 6 table spoons of it

OK, so I suspect there are some testing issues of some sort going on, and it may not be as high as you think (or wasn't as low as you think).

twilliard · Jan 17, 2016

So your adding it to your top off water.
How much top off do you use in a day?
Also doesnt RC already mix to a higher calcium? Been a while since I used it so I cant remember what it mixes at.
Sounds like too much is being added for the uptake of the system.