High Calcium

[madlos123]

So I just realized my salifert calcium test kit is defective. My old test kit was giving me 250 to 300 ppm of calcium. So i dosed calcium chloride for 4 days 400 ml per day on my 90 gallon. I was baffled the next day because the test result will always be around 320 to 380.
Then I bought a new salifert and hanna calcium test kit and got a reading of 580 ppm.

Alk at 7.3 dkh

I have stopped dosing calcium chloride.
I stopped running my kalkwasser.

My plan:
manually dose liquid soda ash and keep alkalinity stable between 7 - 8 dkh
Let calcium naturally lower to ~420 ppm

Test every day or other day.

Then once it reach that taget range for calcium turn on kalkwasser back on.

Anyone know if thats the best plan or other steps im missing?

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

580 ppm calcium is not a big problem, and your plan sounds fine.

 

[madlos123]

580 ppm calcium is not a big problem, and your plan sounds fine.

Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

Agree, although deemed high, if stable is not end of world however if your calcium levels are too high in your reef aquarium, you run the risk of your alkalinity is too low so keep an eye also on alk which both can affect PH level

 

[Nburg's Reef]

I would think as long as your Alk stays at a good range, the calcium wont hurt any of the animals. Worst case scenario is possible Ca precipitate. should come down as you do normal water changes. If you dose 2 part, I would think you could always just dose alk and not Ca until they come back in line?

 

[madlos123]

Agree, although deemed high, if stable is not end of world however if your calcium levels are too high in your reef aquarium, you run the risk of your alkalinity is too low so keep an eye also on alk which both can affect PH level

Before i started dosing calcium chloride, my alk was at 8.5 dkh. My ph ran around 8.1- 8.2

After dosing for 4 days my alk dropped to 7.3 dkh and ph around ~8.0

Ill keep testing for both and monitor all 3

I did not see or notice any precipitation/white build up/ sand clumping as I dosed it on my drain line before the filter sock area which is draining @~1500gph

 

[madlos123]

Something weird is happening to my tank.
I used to add Kalkwasser using an avast marine reactor .

Im only dosing 40 ml Soda Ash everyday to balance calcium levels since April 15
no more kalkwasser dosing

I have only done a 5 gallon water change using Reef Crystals
Tank size 90 gallon + 40 gallon breeder sump

So unless my reef crystals mix have super high calcium levels? its so weird that the number to rise that high.
I still need to test my new saltwater mix (reef crystals)

I have test results.
Yes I know there could be some margin of error in my Alkalinity testing but its on that same area.
always done testing at 10 pm.

I am using brand new Salifert calcium test and Hanna Calcium Test Kit

April 15
580 ppm calcium (Hanna)

April 22
8.3 dkh (Salifert)
560 ppm calcium (Hanna)

April 24
8.1 dkh

April 28
8.0 dkh
487 ppm Calcium (Hanna)

April 30
8.0 dkh
475 ppm Calcium (Hanna)

April 30 - 5 gallon Water Change to remove some detritus in the sump area

May 3
8.1 dkh
550 ppm Calcium (Salifert)
565 ppm Calcium (Hanna)
8.25 pH
1.026 sg

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I think the jump from April 30 to May 3 has to reflect testing error, either on April 30 or May 3 or both.

There's no mechanism for calcium to rise on its own like that.

 

[madlos123]

Last night calcium at 560 ppm
1.026

I have been adding only 40 ml of liquid soda ash eveyday. 90 gallon system.

So no salinty rise yet.

Do i need to worry about any sodium or chloride imbalances since im only dosing liquid soda ash?
Or just keep an eye on my salinty
Or since it's too small of amount?
Or my protein skimmer is somewhat helping removing some saltwater?

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The skimmer may be offsetting the salinity rise.

Have you tried that calcium kit on new salt water?

 

[madlos123]

New saltwater calcium at 490 ppm

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All the values are ok, but that result is pretty high for new salt water.

what do you think the salinity is?

 

[madlos123]

1.026 salinty
Its reef crystals so im not surprised

I did a 20 gallon water change on May 8 to see if calcium would go down lower since new saltwater is at 490 ppm calcium.

Nope it went up to 600 ppm instead lol

So thats why my calcium last night is at 560 ppm.
Its not because it hasnt come down since may 3.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

1.026 salinty
Its reef crystals so im not surprised

I did a 20 gallon water change on May 8 to see if calcium would go down lower since new saltwater is at 490 ppm calcium.

Nope it went up to 600 ppm instead lol

So thats why my calcium last night is at 560 ppm.
Its not because it hasnt come down since may 3.

IMO, it’s more likely a testing issue (calcium or salinity) than a real calcium issue.

I’d advise to not worry much about it and just keep watching.

 

[madlos123]

Hmm could be.
Ill get some calibration solution to confirm my test kit accuracy.

 

[madlos123]

Ill get a reference solution too for calcium test kit ask around any other people to test my calcium too

 

[madlos123]

Omg i cant belive my idea for reference solution worked lol

 

[madlos123]

 

[madlos123]

+ - with margin of error
But 440 - 445 ppm calcium thats pretty dang close for a diy reference solution.

To the expected 450 ppm

Let me know if i miss a step or made an error

 

[madlos123]

Hanna read a little higher but still within 20 ppm