Calcium too high, won't go down

[mpoletiek]

So I did some maintenance on the trident and dos systems the other day.

I replaced the Trident reagents and refilled my alk and calc dosing reservoirs. I've been using Seachem Reef Builder and Seachem Calcium, mixing per the instructions.

This is the second time I've re-upped the reservoirs, and the second time I've renewed the trident reagents, but the first time I've done both at once.

Immediately after doing this maintenance my calcium skyrocketed above 650 and magnesium dropped significantly. I turned off the calc dosing pump and let it ride hoping it would go down on it's own, while leaving the alk dosing pump on.

It's been a few days now and magnesium continues to gradually decline and the calcium seems to be gradually increasing.

This is weird..... I'm a bit concerned, but I haven't noticed any impacts to fish or inverts. There aren't any corals in the tank yet.

Anyways, I think I'm about to try water changes next, but how worried should I be really?

670ppm for Calc seems high. I am trying to maintain about 9dkh alk, 440ppm calc and 1400ppm magnesium.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[mpoletiek]

I'm going to re-calibrate the trident tonight.

 

[Spare time]

Unless you keep dosing it, the calcium isn't going up and thus its a testing error. Just let it go down and walk for precipitation.

 

[Gatorpa]

Test it with a reliable test kit.
Mine did this and it was a kinked line on the trident.
when I opened the drawer and re ran a test it was back down 150pts

 

[mpoletiek]

Just tested with the Hannah kit and it returned 441ppm.

Probably an issue with the trident

 

[PeterEde]

are any of these systems worth it

 

[mpoletiek]

Recalibrated trident and verified with Hannah. It was a measurement error.

 

[mpoletiek]

are any of these systems worth it

Definitely.

 

[Rit6942]

Worry less about raw #s and more about visual health and consistency. Ppl worry too much about testing #s. I use feedback from probes and test kits as a base guideline at most. I have one tank......over 5 years old..........only thing i test for on it is temp and salinity like once or twice a year.........i havent bothered testing any other parameter on it.........hell i havent even done a single water change on it either.......all the fish and corals thrive in it..........

 

[adammarcos]

the calcium isn't going up and thus its a testing error. Just let it go down and walk for precipitation.

 

[adammarcos]

the calcium isn't going up and thus its a testing 192.168.100.1 192.168.1.1 error. Just let it go down and walk for precipitation.

 

[salt creap]

Worry less about raw #s and more about visual health and consistency. Ppl worry too much about testing #s. I use feedback from probes and test kits as a base guideline at most. I have one tank......over 5 years old..........only thing i test for on it is temp and salinity like once or twice a year.........i havent bothered testing any other parameter on it.........hell i havent even done a single water change on it either.......all the fish and corals thrive in it..........

5yo tank and no water changes /no tests?!?! …you need to write a book, and make a documentary plz

 

[Rit6942]

5yo tank and no water changes /no tests?!?! …you need to write a book, and make a documentary plz

Just make sure your setup is wellbalanced and thought out........be surprised how littlework you need to do. My systems dont need to be f'd with because of proper system planning.

 

[salt creap]

wud like a pic of the system or more details if possible, cuz im really curious and mind blown

 

[Rit6942]

wud like a pic of the system or more details if possible, cuz im really curious and mind blown

Mind blown why? How long have you kept a reef tank exactly?

 

[salt creap]

its been ten years total (had a three year break when i had a kid, but have always been a “budget reefer” starting in wisconsin 2009 lol buying 50lb bags of premium driveway salt to dose calcium hydroxide, baking soda , epson salts, ect ,,,but with apex systems, probes, and dosers today i guess everything can really be automated. i don’t really have the money and feel like id miss out on “quality time with my reef, im not trying to insinuate anything i just dont know what you mean i guess