High calcium, low alkanity. What should I do?

[marcosnano]

Hello reefers,

I was adding calcium supliment to my nano reef 12g twice per week and now I have a problem.

ph 7.8
Calcium 720 (?!)
KH 6.1

How should I increase KH and deacrease calcium, and what would be the perfect levels and how should I do safely?

Thank you!

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Water changes with salt that meets your desired parameters is probably the safest bet...

 

[hexcolor reef]

Add PH up it will raise your KH levels as well.
only way to get rid of calcium is water change.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I wouldn't add ph up.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

What is your magnesium? What test kit

 

[marcosnano]

What is your magnesium? What test kit

I don't have magnesium test kit.

I use instant ocean salt.

How much water should I change?

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I don't have magnesium test kit.

I use instant ocean salt.

How much water should I change?

What about test kit for everything else? I pic of the tank will help get an idea of what we're dealing with, coral, rock ECT.

 

[hexcolor reef]

I wouldn't add ph up.

Is there a reason why? PH should be 8.2-8.4 which would put your KH at 9 where it should be. Over all you would need a water change to get your calcium levels down. Doing a 20%~30% water change should fix all issues.
no need to add calcium every week unless it’s needed meaning you have Acros, encrusting type coral soaking it up alot.
if your getting low readings the reason you start adding but now have a problem. You may want to start checking calcium levels twice before adding again. Or go to a LFS to have them double check if your in doubt of your own test kit

 

[marcosnano]

What about test kit for everything else? I pic of the tank will help get an idea of what we're dealing with, coral, rock ECT.

Nitrate 5ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
Saltinity 1.025
Temp 78f

4 months old tank, fully cycled, no fish at the moment, 10 small coral frags.

9 pound of rocks, 12g cube.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I don't have magnesium test kit.

I use instant ocean salt.

How much water should I change?

If you use IO salt and maintain any kind of water change schedule, I can almost guarantee your alk is higher than 6.1...

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Nitrate 5ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Ammonia 0ppm
Saltinity 1.025
Temp 78f

4 months old tank, fully cycled, no fish at the moment, 10 small coral frags.

9 pound of rocks, 12g cube.

What brand of tests are you using for alk and calcium?

 

[marcosnano]

If you use IO salt and maintain any kind of water change schedule, I can almost guarantee your alk is higher than 6.1...

I tested twice.

Also tested 3 times for calcium and it's weirdly high.

Also my torch coral is not opening at all, other corals seems fine.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I don't have magnesium test kit.

I use instant ocean salt.

How much water should I change?

Calculate your water change based on your actual tank parameters, the parameters your salt mixes to, and where you want the levels to end up...

 

[marcosnano]

What brand of tests are you using for alk and calcium?

Salifert for alk and API for calcium.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

The biggest question is, why were you dosing a 4 month old tank in the first place?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Before doing anything special, I'd suggest you carefully look into whether the amount of calcium you added would have raised calcium that high, since it is VERY high, and I'm concerned it is an inaccurate reading. Testing twice with the same kit and same procedure does not eliminate that concern. tes9ing the new salt water can help eliminate that concern.

Are you using tap water to replace evaporation?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Is there a reason why? PH should be 8.2-8.4 which would put your KH at 9 where it should be. Over all you would need a water change to get your calcium levels down. Doing a 20%~30% water change should fix all issues.
no need to add calcium every week unless it’s needed meaning you have Acros, encrusting type coral soaking it up alot.
if your getting low readings the reason you start adding but now have a problem. You may want to start checking calcium levels twice before adding again. Or go to a LFS to have them double check if your in doubt of your own test kit

Adding alkalinity to bring down calcium will work, but he would need to add huge amounts of alkalinity (about 44 dKH), and that will end up with a lot of precipitation on pumps and such.

 

[marcosnano]

The biggest question is, why were you dosing a 4 month old tank in the first place?

Didn't know I don't have to. Rookie mistake I guess.

 

[marcosnano]

Before doing anything special, I'd suggest you carefully look into whether the amount of calcium you added would have raised calcium that high, since it is VERY high, and I'm concerned it is an inaccurate reading. Testing twice with the same kit and same procedure does not eliminate that concern. tes9ing the new salt water can help eliminate that concern.

Are you using tap water to replace evaporation?

I use distilled or spring water. Is it possible that minerals from spring water can cause this?

Still I think I have to rise Alk and pH, what's the safest way to do it?

If I change 30% of water today, will I change water parameters rapidly and can that cause any harm to inverts and corals?

Thanks

 

[hexcolor reef]

use PH Up to raise PH and ALK, stop dosing calcium unless actually needed after having it checked by local fish store.
do a 10% water change everyday or week until calcium levels are back in check