High Calcium and High dkh

[gallow3]

I have been searching thru a ton of threads, and i can't seem to figure out the answer so here goes.

I have had the tank up and cycled for about 2 months. goby, clown, pistol shrimp, and light mix of softies, lps and easy sps with lived rock and crushed coral. 10 gallon nuvo with purigen and filter floss. temp 77.

ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and phos all zero (based on eyeballing api tests)
ph 8
calcium 540
dkh 14
salt 1.026

i am not dosing anything, reef roids once a week and mysis daily for feeding.

my calcium and dkh has been this high since starting. i purchase my salt water premixed from lfs and use their rodi.

are my high alk and calcium hurting anything? getting harder algae on glass and rocks, but see no other impacts. i have read a lot about what it means when one is low and other is high but not both being high.

Thanks for the input!

 

[HuduVudu]

What salt do you use?

 

[BlennyTime]

What tests are you using? You could try testing the premixed water before you put it in your tank. The LFS should be able to tell you what the parameters are of their water.

 

[melanotaenia]

my calcium and dkh has been this high since starting. i purchase my salt water premixed from lfs and use their rodi.

There is your answer; your LFS is likely mixing their saltwater with a brand that registers high DKH and Calcium (my guess Red Sea Coral Pro). My advice would be to start mixing your own saltwater with a brand of salt with close to natural sea water (NSW) conditions such as Tropic Marin Pro.

I bet if the LFS tests their water the levels will be similar to your tank water with respect to Ca+ and DKH.

 

[Larry L]

Normally when calcium and alkalinity are both high, you just stop dosing until they both come back down ( https://reefs.com/magazine/chemistry-and-the-aquarium-solving-calcium-and-alkalinity-problems/ ). But since you are using store water, it must be mixing up that high to start with. Have you ever tested the water as it comes from the store?

 

[gallow3]

Thanks for all the rapid replies!

api test kits
Red Sea coral pro is the LFS salt
LFS saltwater I measured at 470 and 12

the core question though is whether there are adverse effects to this higher calcium and dkh tho?

 

[lapin]

Higher alk and calcium can be an issue to new coral additions. If something is grown in 9dkh and it gets moved to 12 dkh (alk spike) can be harmful.

 

[gallow3]

Higher alk and calcium can be an issue to new coral additions. If something is grown in 9dkh and it gets moved to 12 dkh (alk spike) can be harmful.

Thanks, thats a thought I haven't thought of yet. seems like extended drip acclimation period would be a good start for new additions