Calcium and Alk. Levels too HIGH

jacobmorgan · 04/19/2018, 04:06 PM

So, I've had my 30 gallon cube up for almost a year now and am constantly doing more research on new equipment and things to try and make my reef tank more stable/efficient. I learned about kalkwasser as a good source for calcium and how it can help with pH and alk. Now testing it, I realized it wasn't needed and my levels are off.

I've been doing more frequent water changes to try and bring my levels down, but still my calcium has been hovering around 600-650 ppm and alk. around 15+dKh. Any suggestions on how to lower the levels?? All other parameters of the tank are in good shape.

Thanks, Jake

bitwise · 04/19/2018, 05:52 PM

What salt mix are you using? i’d just keep doing water changes once a week until the levels approach your salt mix levels.

In general you shouldn’t dose something you can’t test for.

Daddi0 · 04/19/2018, 07:03 PM

If you have sps, feed them well until you get alk down

ramseynb · 04/19/2018, 07:14 PM

Yeah, I agree with the water changes. You definitely don't want to bring them down rapidly so I'd do 10-15% once a week.

Also, I'm kinda surprised it's not precipitating out at those levels.

murphreef · 04/19/2018, 08:27 PM

yea those levels are at the maximum of anything ive ever seen. I would think you have no corals in your tank yet? No reason to dose kalk or other things until you actually have a demand for it.

Luckily you have a small tank so do some water changes over the next few days and check again.

Like above asked what type of salt mix are you using?

jacobmorgan · 04/19/2018, 09:47 PM

Thanks yall for the input. I've been using Instant Ocean salt mix because my LFS is Petsmart. The nearest coral store is over an hour away. Definitely now think I need to change the salt mix.

And I've done roughly a 15% water change about every 3-4 days. I've heard also the levels should lower on their own??

murphreef · 04/19/2018, 10:20 PM

I dont think their is anything wrong with IO salt, I dont use it but it shouldnt cause results that high. How are you measuring your CA and Alk?

I would keep doing some water changes and no dosing. No need to dose unless you have coral demanding it and at that point you need to know your dosing amounts not just add.

just keep checking every few days and see where your at.

bitwise · 04/20/2018, 05:31 PM

I’m pulling this from memory so could be off, but I think last time I tested instant ocean it was 10.5 dKH alk and 375 ppm calcium. There’s some variance between buckets but I bet the median is somewhere around there.

jacobmorgan · 04/21/2018, 09:59 AM

So now I did another significant water change with new salt and tested it with still high levels. I figured maybe my test kit was wrong so I got a new kit and brought some water to my LFS and still Calcium and Alk. is still high??!! Help

04/19/2018, 04:06 PM	#1
jacobmorgan Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 3	Calcium and Alk. Levels too HIGH So, I've had my 30 gallon cube up for almost a year now and am constantly doing more research on new equipment and things to try and make my reef tank more stable/efficient. I learned about kalkwasser as a good source for calcium and how it can help with pH and alk. Now testing it, I realized it wasn't needed and my levels are off. I've been doing more frequent water changes to try and bring my levels down, but still my calcium has been hovering around 600-650 ppm and alk. around 15+dKh. Any suggestions on how to lower the levels?? All other parameters of the tank are in good shape. Thanks, Jake

04/19/2018, 05:52 PM	#2
bitwise Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: CT Posts: 316	What salt mix are you using? i’d just keep doing water changes once a week until the levels approach your salt mix levels. In general you shouldn’t dose something you can’t test for. __________________ Red Sea Reefer 170 - SPS focus http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2583520

04/19/2018, 07:03 PM	#3
Daddi0 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Redwood City Posts: 1,354	If you have sps, feed them well until you get alk down __________________ 2x 65g displays with a 30g cryptic refugium and 30g sump - 55g reef 30g Bio-cube reef - I.M. 30g reef - 45g freshwater

04/19/2018, 07:14 PM	#4
ramseynb Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: New Braunfels, TX Posts: 630	Yeah, I agree with the water changes. You definitely don't want to bring them down rapidly so I'd do 10-15% once a week. Also, I'm kinda surprised it's not precipitating out at those levels. __________________ How do you make an octopus laugh? Ten tickles!

04/19/2018, 08:27 PM	#5
murphreef Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: simi valley Posts: 3,208	yea those levels are at the maximum of anything ive ever seen. I would think you have no corals in your tank yet? No reason to dose kalk or other things until you actually have a demand for it. Luckily you have a small tank so do some water changes over the next few days and check again. Like above asked what type of salt mix are you using? __________________ Justin Current Tank Info: 25G cube (finally back in the hobby in a small way)

04/19/2018, 09:47 PM	#6
jacobmorgan Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 3	Thanks yall for the input. I've been using Instant Ocean salt mix because my LFS is Petsmart. The nearest coral store is over an hour away. Definitely now think I need to change the salt mix. And I've done roughly a 15% water change about every 3-4 days. I've heard also the levels should lower on their own??

04/19/2018, 10:20 PM	#7
murphreef Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: simi valley Posts: 3,208	I dont think their is anything wrong with IO salt, I dont use it but it shouldnt cause results that high. How are you measuring your CA and Alk? I would keep doing some water changes and no dosing. No need to dose unless you have coral demanding it and at that point you need to know your dosing amounts not just add. just keep checking every few days and see where your at. __________________ Justin Current Tank Info: 25G cube (finally back in the hobby in a small way)

04/20/2018, 05:31 PM	#8
bitwise Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: CT Posts: 316	I’m pulling this from memory so could be off, but I think last time I tested instant ocean it was 10.5 dKH alk and 375 ppm calcium. There’s some variance between buckets but I bet the median is somewhere around there. __________________ Red Sea Reefer 170 - SPS focus http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2583520

04/21/2018, 09:59 AM	#9
jacobmorgan Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Posts: 3	So now I did another significant water change with new salt and tested it with still high levels. I figured maybe my test kit was wrong so I got a new kit and brought some water to my LFS and still Calcium and Alk. is still high??!! Help