"Perfect" Calcium with no Dosing?

[MichaelReefer]

So I have been being "responsible adult," as my lady says and been buying things every paycheck instead of all at once

I got myself a Hanna Calcium checker and last night I used it for the first time. Had 431. I was honestly quite surprised that I had what is considered a "perfect" calcium level considering I did my last water change a little over a week ago? I am going to check it again tonight to be sure, but is that possible considering I do have quite a bit LPS? Wouldn't it of been drained a bit by now?

My next checker will be an Alk. I got these two primarily because I am looking to start dosing soon but maybe I dont need to. lol

 

[Chefwheredyougo]

Once the growth starts to take off, you'll almost certainly need to dose your calcium and alkalinity.

 

[Retro Reefer]

Depending on the frequency of your water changes and the growth of your LPS water changes may be sufficient to keep levels in your system stable.

 

[MichaelReefer]

is it worth starting to dose to get up to 450? Or do you think it's ok for now?

I feel like my Hammers have been taking off. My Zoas too. That's why I'm a bit surprised at how high my Calcium is

 

[ajhudson15]

also the hanna calcium checker isn't that great. you can test 3 times and get very different readings each time. id recommend either doing another calcium test also and using the average of the two or doing the Hannah a couple times and taking the average. a lot of people complain about this one form hanna

 

[MichaelReefer]

also the hanna calcium checker isn't that great. you can test 3 times and get very different readings each time. id recommend either doing another calcium test also and using the average of the two or doing the Hannah a couple times and taking the average. a lot of people complain about this one form hanna

Really? I heard Hanna were basically the best you can get? At least without spending hundreds.

 

[ajhudson15]

Really? I heard Hanna were basically the best you can get? At least without spending hundreds.

They are except for the calcium lol. you can look up other threads about the calcium checker being different each time and not matching other test. im sure others will chime in as well.

 

[sde1500]

A week isn't that long, especially if the tank isn't heavily stocked. It is also difficult to say how to react because what was your starting point? If you haven't been testing, your calcium could have been exceptionally high a week ago post water change, unbeknownst to you. Meaning the tank could be using a lot, but you won't know until you get your testing regimen down.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Yeah. I guess I didn't think about that. I will just do tests every 3 days and see how it looks.

My coral seems like they're doing great though. My lil' Zoa Garden is starting to take off. They are finally coming off the frags.

 

[Rubblereefer]

Agreed on the Hanna calcium checker being inaccurate, it’s rated like 2.5 stars on most sites and is notoriously untrustworthy. All the other Hanna checkers are great.

 

[sde1500]

Yeah. I guess I didn't think about that. I will just do tests every 3 days and see how it looks.

My coral seems like they're doing great though. My lil' Zoa Garden is starting to take off. They are finally coming off the frags.

Nice looking corals. I'd move them off the sand, and away from the nem though. I've lost a few heads from my hammer thanks to where my nem took up residence, plus the sand will likely irritate the polyps over time.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Nice looking corals. I'd move them off the sand, and away from the nem though. I've lost a few heads from my hammer thanks to where my nem took up residence, plus the sand will likely irritate the polyps over time.

Yeah. I know the sand can bother them but they seem to be doing ok. My main issue is my Diamond Goby likes digging my tank up...lol. So I had to move them towards the left of the tank because she digs under them and they fall over. She Mainly likes the middle of my tank.

 

[piranhaman00]

Hanna calcium is worthless, use salifert

 

[MichaelReefer]

Hanna calcium is worthless, use salifert

I actually got a "faulty" Salifert tester last time I bought one. Was shocked. It didnt even register.

 

[piranhaman00]

I actually got a "faulty" Salifert tester last time I bought one. Was shocked. It didnt even register.

What didnt register?

 

[MichaelReefer]

What didnt register?

It just didn't register anything. Then I used a Hanna and it did.

 

[piranhaman00]

It just didn't register anything. Then I used a Hanna and it did.

Im sorry that doesnt make sense. You are talking about the salifert titration test kit right? Where you add drops until the color change?

 

[LC8Sumi]

Maybe your calcium was above 500

 

[MichaelReefer]

Im sorry that doesnt make sense. You are talking about the salifert titration test kit right? Where you add drops until the color change?

Yup. It never changed. Just stayed clear even after I added the chemical.

 

[piranhaman00]

Yup. It never changed. Just stayed clear even after I added the chemical.

Ya you were above 500. I would highly recomend a different test kit.