Gotta lower my calc and alk. How?

[cntryboi407]

Okay everyone, I've been battling high calcium and alk levels for a few months now. The calcium level is roughly 520 and alk is 13.1-13.3 on any given day. I am doing water changes like crazy and I can't seem to get ahead. I switched to Brightwell salt from Reef Crystals about a month ago and it seems to be lowering the levels a little. I am not dosing anything either. Any ideas?

 

[reefdan]

are you using stable test kits?

those numbers seem high if you've been doing water changes.

 

[cntryboi407]

are you using stable test kits?

those numbers seem high if you've been doing water changes.

My kits were about 6 months old. I've been going to the LFS and getting my water tested there. He goes through kits pretty regularly. His opinion was to keep doing water changes but I feel like that isn't working.

 

[ricwilli]

Maybe you don't have enough corals to consume ca and alk. What salt are you using? If you do have corals that need ca and alk, I would let it be until it goes down on its own. Not much you can do but maybe change salt.

 

[tangdiver]

I think your system is mostly LPS, from what I hear. Your tank may no go through alk and Ca very fast....and almost impossible to lower unless you do water changes with crappy salt lower in Alk and Ca.


With SPS it works out in a couple days, if your tank is all grown in.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Grant

 

[shapermike]

what is your mag levels? stop dosing it will come down.

 

[cntryboi407]

ricwilli, I am using Brightwell salt. I was previously using Reef Crystals

tangdiver, You are basically correct. I just started getting into SPS about a month ago. I have a few frags (ORA Blue Tort, Pink/white tip Birdsnest, Scrips Milli, and a few monti caps)

This may be stupid but are there any ideas on what corals I should invest in that consume Calc at a good rate? Are the frags not strong enough and I should look into colonies?