Dosing failure - Calcium overdose

[Scottybgood]

I dose ESV B-Ionic 2-part with a pair of BRS Dosers. Tank normally runs Alk at 8.8-9.0 and Calcium 450-460. Have a 75g with 26g sump.

In adjusting my dosing timers on the Reefkeeper a couple weeks ago, I turned the Calcium to ON instead of Automatic, and I did not notice until a couple days later when the reservoir was empty! DOH!

Using the Hanna Checkers the Ca was 575 and Alk dropped to 6.9 in about 2 days (assuming it got bound up in all the Calcium). I did a 20% water change, and turned off CA doser and continued my normal Alk dosing to slowly bring back up. Today I tested again and Alk was 7.7 but the Ca pegged out the Hanna Check at >600!!!

Not sure why it is rising instead of falling (did some precipitate and now going back into solution?) and not sure what I should do, if anything. Should I increase my Alk dosing to counter? Don't want to swing it back up too quickly since I understand Alk swings are worse than high Calcium levels.

 

[Mjrenz]

I dose ESV B-Ionic 2-part with a pair of BRS Dosers. Tank normally runs Alk at 8.8-9.0 and Calcium 450-460. Have a 75g with 26g sump.

In adjusting my dosing timers on the Reefkeeper a couple weeks ago, I turned the Calcium to ON instead of Automatic, and I did not notice until a couple days later when the reservoir was empty! DOH!

Using the Hanna Checkers the Ca was 575 and Alk dropped to 6.9 in about 2 days (assuming it got bound up in all the Calcium). I did a 20% water change, and turned off CA doser and continued my normal Alk dosing to slowly bring back up. Today I tested again and Alk was 7.7 but the Ca pegged out the Hanna Check at >600!!!

Not sure why it is rising instead of falling (did some precipitate and now going back into solution?) and not sure what I should do, if anything. Should I increase my Alk dosing to counter? Don't want to swing it back up too quickly since I understand Alk swings are worse than high Calcium levels.

What is your magnesium level? And how are your corals looking?

 

[Scottybgood]

What is your magnesium level? And how are your corals looking?

Mg is >1500 based on the Salifert test. This tank has always had high Mg levels for whatever reason.

Corals are looking "OK",my green slimer has a couple branches that the tips look a bit grey, but overall nothing looks too stressed at this point.

 

[malacoda]

... Don't want to swing it back up too quickly since I understand Alk swings are worse than high Calcium levels.

You're right, alk swings are much, much worse than high Ca.

Hopefully Randy or someone else with much more chemistry knowledge will chime in, but it's my understanding that won't necessarily be detrimental as long as it's not causing any precipitation or other such issues.

I wouldn't mess with your alk in away in an attempt to counter. It would take a huge increase in alk to make any worthwhile dent in the Ca increase.

Instead, as long as the water you mix up is at, or very close to the current alk level of your tank, it would probably be much better to continue doing a 20% or 30% water change each week over the next few weeks to bring both your Ca and Mg back down to your target levels.

 

[malacoda]

Just a little more info that might help:

This thread talks about a similar issue -- Ca over 500 and Mg >1500: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/high-calcium-and-magnesium.243269/

Could've sworn I saw a thread once where Randy Holmes-Farley mentioned 600-650 Ca needn't be a cause for significant alarm or fast, drastic action ... but I can't seem to find it right now.

For what it's worth, my Ca sometimes runs as high as 510-520 for weeks at a time (alk 7-8 and Mg ~1300) and my corals and critters couldn't seem to care less.

 

[Scottybgood]

Thanks @malacoda, from what I read and talking with my local reef guru, I didn't think it was anything too crazy to deal with. I am probably more stressed than the corals. I think any stress they may be showing is probably due to that 2 pt alk dip last week when it bound with the Ca overdose. I will just watch my alk and make sure it stabilizes and let the Ca fall naturally with consumption. I suppose this is a good excuse to get more sticks!!! HAHA

 

[Scottybgood]

Everything has stabilized, Alk is back up to 7.9 and holding steady and Ca is down to 480 but my Corals are looking pretty rough. My green slimer which was one of the first I put in the tank and had quite a bit of new growth in the first year is getting grey tips as are a couple of the other Acros. Have a couple Acans that have receeded a bit as well.

Hoping this is just a symptom of the big Alk swing and not something more serious. Anything I can do other than just be patient, keep it stable and hope they come out of it?