Danger to High Calcium and High Alkalinity

[DiZASTiX]

Question: Is there a downside or even a danger to having a lower, near NSW alkalinity but high calcium and magnesium:

• Alkalinity: 7.8 dKH
• Calcium: 575 ppm
• Magnesium: 1560 ppm

I'm considering maintaining alkalinity at NSW levels using just AquaForest Component 2+, which I have on hand, while waiting for calcium and alkalinity fall.



Context: Previously I accidentally elevated all three levels; since then, alkalinity has been steadily dropping at a rate of 0.233 dKH per day. Calcium and magnesium however, haven't really changed.

Key:
Light Blue Circle - Alkalinity
Deep Blue Triangle - Magnesium
Green Triangle - Calcium


The tank has previously cycled, but not to the point of hair algae. It since is going thru a second cycle, and hair algae has grown, although not heavily, as the tank is phosphate-limited with a higher nitrate:

Key:
Red Square - Nitrate
Green Circle - Phosphate

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That all seems normal and OK. The calcium is not so high as to be a substantial problem.

 

[DiZASTiX]

Ah thank you. People at a LFS were thinking the "really high magnesium would bleach SPS" and even the "high calcium could burn SPS."

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ah thank you. People at a LFS were thinking the "really high magnesium would bleach SPS" and even the "high calcium could burn SPS."

At some very high level, that could probably be said of any chemical, but not for calcium and magneisum at the levels you are close to.

 

[DiZASTiX]

At some very high level, that could probably be said of any chemical, but not for calcium and magneisum at the levels you are close to.

One follow up question then:

Would you dose Balling 3-part in a balanced manner, or would you only dose alkalinity?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

One follow up question then:

Would you dose Balling 3-part in a balanced manner, or would you only dose alkalinity?

In your situation, I would dose only calcium chloride, which is likely all that the calcium part is.

 

[DiZASTiX]

In your situation, I would dose only calcium chloride, which is likely all that the calcium part is.

Interesting logic. Would you kindly teach me why the calcium portion, and not dose the alkalinity portion to hold the alkalinity at 7.0 or so, which at this rate, I believe should occur in 4 days? (Or perhaps that's not an this or that situation--but rather I would dose calcium now until alkalinity falls to 7.0, and at that point, dose alkalinity in conjunction with calcium?)

(Also I believe both Component 1+ and 3+, in their system, contains both calcium and magnesium, but I could certainly try to acquire calcium chloride).

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Interesting logic. Would you kindly teach me why the calcium portion, and not dose the alkalinity portion to hold the alkalinity at 7.0 or so, which at this rate, I believe should occur in 4 days? (Or perhaps that's not an this or that situation--but rather I would dose calcium now until alkalinity falls to 7.0, and at that point, dose alkalinity in conjunction with calcium?)

(Also I believe both Component 1+ and 3+, in their system, contains both calcium and magnesium, but I could certainly try to acquire calcium chloride).

Oops, lol, I confused two threads.

Dose only the alkalinity part.