why high mag and cal?

[h8z2luze]

So my tank is jabout a month old. (20L with 20g sump) It is cycled and houses a cuc, yellow watchman goby, peppermint shrimp I just added a rainbow birdsnest frag and a zoa frag. I have done a couple 5 gallon water changes. I tested today. Last wc was 3 days ago. I ended up with...



salinity 1.026
alk - 9
cal - 560
mag 1500
ph - 8.3




Any idea why my cal and mag are so high? Is it dangerous?




Not dosing or running any reactors. Using red sea coral pro salt I run a filter sock, charto and just added some carbon today to clear the water up.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Mag is ok, no worries there, but Cal, yea thats a bit high. Gotta be the salt, the levels will come down by themselves, and would come down faster if you had SPS, LPS and a bunch of coralline growing already.

 

[h8z2luze]

I dont understand why it is so high...

 

[Reefing Madness]

Salt is mixing out high. Test a fresh batch, before you put it in the tank.

 

[Mike J.]

What kind of salt? I can tell you what it should mix to.

 

[h8z2luze]

Red sea coral pro. Someone told me I should roll the bucket a bunch?

 

[Mike J.]

Red Sea Coral Pro should be 450 cal, 12.2 alk, and 1340 mag.

 

[h8z2luze]

Ya I know lol. Hence my concern...

 

[Mike J.]

Have you tested your water before putting it in the tank?

 

[h8z2luze]

No but I will now lol.

 

[ptd6996]

What are you using for top off water?

 

[h8z2luze]

Ro/di

 

[ptd6996]

Are you using any buffer?

 

[h8z2luze]

Negative

 

[alan.reef]

hope u dont mind 2luze. i use RC saltmix can't bump more than 1023 salinity.
i use 2 cup per 5g rodi. any1 have advise how to raise salinity without raise ALK, CAL

 

[h8z2luze]

Just add more salt... The directions on any salt are almost never right IME.

 

[ptd6996]

Sounds like you're headed in the right direction. It would almost have to be the batch of salt mix. They can all be off from time to time. Aquavitro is supposed to be a lab quality grade salt mix. I've always leaned towards the Instant Ocean and add what I want to it to get the parameters I'm looking for.

 

[h8z2luze]

Ya I am going to get the aqua vitro next time for sure.

 

[ptd6996]

Good luck let us know how it goes.

 

[h8z2luze]

I think I know why they are high... had my phosphates tested today.... 0.38 guess I'll be getting a reactor soon... For now I got the phosphate filter pad that supposedly reduces them.