High Calcium - such a thing?

[lysaer]

Hi Randy, I've been searching but I can't find anything specific to this so here's a new thread. If this has already been answered please point me in the correct direction and I'll head that way.

I have an API Calcium test kit that I've been using once a week for several weeks now, and according to that test, my calcium is around 580 mg/L consistently. With so many reefers needing to buffer their calcium, this concerns me that either I'm doing the testing completely wrong, or I've got something very wrong in my tank. Or should I even be worried? If low calcium is a problem for most people, is high calcium really an issue? The logical side of me says that high is as much a concern as low.

So, root questions. Am I doing it right? Is it an issue? If it is, how do I lower it?

Things you might need to know: 55g tank, 260w CFL light (10 hour cycle), canister filter with filter pads, PhosGuard, and Matrix media; 50 pounds live sand and 50 pounds live rock.

 

[Fish_BowLisha]

One issue with high calcium is that your alkalinity may be low. Try testing your alkalinity and see if this is the case. HTH

 

[Fish_BowLisha]

Found this from Randy..."For these reasons, I suggest that aquarists maintain a calcium level between about 380 and 450 ppm, although higher is generally not a problem until it gets so high that calcium carbonate precipitation becomes problematic. Aquarists with a very light demand may be able to maintain calcium with water changes, especially since some salt mixes have excessive calcium in them. But most established aquaria with growing hard corals and coralline algae will require some calcium supplementation, and in some cases, it might be needed every day."

 

[lysaer]

Alk is something I don't know ... yet. Got a RedSea pH/Alk test on a fedex truck arriving at my house at any minute, so when I get home tonight that's the third thing I'll be doing.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

What salt mix are you using and what is the salinity?

Some salt ixes start very high in calcium.

 

[lysaer]

Salinity is around 1.023 - according to the floaty pointer. I know, I know, refractometer is on the list.

Salt mix is Instant Ocean - I filled my tank with pre-mixed RODI water from my LFS and did my first few water changes with the same...now I'm just using their RODI water and mixing salt in myself, although I mis-ordered and got the IO sea salt mix instead of the reef salt mix.

 

[Russ265]

IO

Salinity is around 1.023 - according to the floaty pointer. I know, I know, refractometer is on the list.

Salt mix is Instant Ocean - I filled my tank with pre-mixed RODI water from my LFS and did my first few water changes with the same...now I'm just using their RODI water and mixing salt in myself, although I mis-ordered and got the IO sea salt mix instead of the reef salt mix.

IO is virtually the same as RC ime.

RC just has elevated potassium, alk, and some other trace elements.
there is a pdf on the web showing the differences between the two.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Calcium should not be that high from what you've described, unless the salinity is higher than you think. It may also be testing error.

In any case, however, I wouldn't worry about it. It won't hurt anything.

 

[Mike_Diako]

In my experience, the API calcium test kit was extremely inaccurate. I would get a reading of 520-560ppm with the API and test the same sample water with my Red Sea kit and obtain a reading of 320ppm. For the longest time, I thought I had a major Alk/Ca imbalance.

 

[lysaer]

Ok. Red Sea pH/Alkalinity test results:

Alkalinity: 9dKH/3.2Meq/L
PH: between 8 and 8.2...kinda hard to tell, the color of the water is definitely not as dark as the card.
Mr. Floaty Pointer says salinity is at 1.026 but I'm also down about 3-4 gallons from evaporation this week (it's been *super* hot down here in the south and my a/c is not working correctly), so I'll test all 3 again post-water change that I'm gonna do after dinner.

 

[lysaer]

Or I'll get distracted and forget and will do that tonight.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

lol

Happy Reefing.

 

[lysaer]

Alk 3.6meq/L
Calcium 500mg/L
Ph 8.2
Phosphate .25...according to api kinda sorta think this color matches that one.

Normal...ish I guess? I did lose two fish last night my 6 line and a damsel. I think they killed each other.

 

[Rob's Reef]

What you can also try is to take a sample of your water to your LFS and have him test it to see if you guys are getting the same results. Most LFS will do this for free

 

[lysaer]

The reef store i use only tests salinity. Next bet is petco and to be honest, i dont trust them.

 

[Rob's Reef]

The reef store i use only tests salinity. Next bet is petco and to be honest, i dont trust them.

That's weird... all the ones by me will

no other close reef stores? I wouldn't trust petco either... lol

 

[lysaer]

There's one near work, but I will not patronize that store. The others are too far to drive...it'd cost almost in gas what a better test would, which I'm going to acquire.

 

[Akida17th]

I've never once had an issue with any API tests. I have high end meters and test kits that all measure the same as the API. Just my experience though...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Alk 3.6meq/L
Calcium 500mg/L
Ph 8.2
Phosphate .25...according to api kinda sorta think this color matches that one.

Normal...ish I guess? I did lose two fish last night my 6 line and a damsel. I think they killed each other.

That calcium value is fine.

 

[cu455]

Whats not to trust about Petco testing your water? It is pretty fool proof, just make sure the employee adds the proper amount of drops. I am sure they will even let you test the water yourself.