Calcium - How high is too high?

Ashlique · 04/29/2008, 10:26 PM

My calcium was around 620 and after doing a water change, is still around 600. This tank is only 3 weeks old and all it has in it is the liverock and 8 hermits (and all the fun hitchikers I've found lately) and everyone seems to be doing fine. I am getting a slight algea bloom on the liverock and am keeping my light cycle down for a while. I'm just wondering how high is too high?

I know I want to work on getting around 500 but then again I have plenty of time till I'll be adding any corals. I just want to get the tank stabilized to what I'll want to keep it at for the lifetime of the tank.

Thanks in advance,
-Ash

D to the P · 04/29/2008, 10:31 PM

I don't think 600 is too bad, but you definately want to lower it. The problem with high calcium is you might be low or off on something else like alk or magnesium or PH. make sure you check them all to see how your high calcium has effected them.

demonsp · 04/29/2008, 10:45 PM

Your tank is still cycling and shouldnt have any stock. With the cycle you want to know your ammonia and nitrite and nitrate readings and i wouldnt trust any other readings due to the cycle. Also water changes during a cycle can actually slow the cycle down buy removing benifital young bacteria. This bacteria is what you what to mature and multiply . Heres a great read on whats going on in your new tank. And sounds like your getting bad advice or going about this without research ,either way means long bumpy road. The more you know the less you need to worry about.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/bio...a/aa073199.htm

bertoni · 04/29/2008, 10:47 PM

What's been dosed into the tank? What brand of salt is in use, and has some freshly-mixed (or purchased) water been tested?

Ashlique · 04/29/2008, 11:01 PM

It is purchased water. I also used Arago-Live sand and the 30lbs of live rock was pretty much already fully cured and my tests are as follows:

Phos: 0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrates:0
PH: 8.1
KH CaCO: 179
Calcuim: 640 (changed to 600 after very small water change on 4-28)
Temperature: 80.4
Salinity: 1.026

The first week of set up, my ammonia was at about .25 and nitrates raised almost unnoticeable amounts then went back to 0. The above test has been the same for 2 weeks now. The water change yesterday was the first water change and was a VERY small amount.

corals b 4 bills · 04/29/2008, 11:07 PM

I would start with what brand of test kit are you using? buy another test kit from a different manufacturer before you start lowering what could be a good number to start with then look at the ingredients in your salt, 450 would be a good # to keep your tank at.

Ashlique · 04/29/2008, 11:11 PM

I'll try taking some water to be tested by my LFS tomorrow I guess...see if they get any different readings.

Also, the purchased water has a calcium of 460.

bertoni · 04/29/2008, 11:12 PM

If nothing's being dosed, I suspect a measurement error, but you might have gotten a bad batch of the water. Do they mix it themselves? How is SG being tested?

demonsp · 04/29/2008, 11:21 PM

It may have cycled faster but dont go adding a bunch of stock. The benificial bacteria (which we cant see with naked eye ) are still young and there numbers low. You need time for them to grow and multiply for better water quality and stock support. Adding stock and early water changes only mean this will take longer.

I would see if the LFS or fellow reefer can test for you for comparason.

Ashlique · 04/29/2008, 11:33 PM

I'm already willing to wait months till I add my first fish. The LFS actually suggested I go ahead and add a gobie or something, but I apt out to wait till I felt the tank was more established. I went for the hermits to start cleaning the rock mainly.

I was just wondering about the calcium...not the cycling...

This is the post with some of the hitchhikers coming out of my live rock:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1379617

demonsp · 04/29/2008, 11:42 PM

Well 1 more week would have been better but sure its fine. Just dont add to many to fast and keep a harmony. Wait another week and if everything is good then add a fish or coral then wait a week or 2 and add more CUC and mb a coral then wait and ect..
Your tank will seem lifeless and boring but go slow and keep quality water and at the 1 yr mark you will post very nice tank pic's.

Well if it was cycling like i said i wouldnt trust this reading. You say its not cycling so i recommend you get a second source to test for accuracy.

demonsp · 04/29/2008, 11:46 PM

Noted on stock cause you have some at 3 weeks. Just some well meant advice. And can only help.
Everytime of go off topic even a little i hear about it. Then feel like i wasted my time typing this but i never stop. If it helps 1 person whether the thread starter or anybody that may read it then its not a waste of my time.

04/29/2008, 10:26 PM	#1
Ashlique Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 34	Calcium - How high is too high? My calcium was around 620 and after doing a water change, is still around 600. This tank is only 3 weeks old and all it has in it is the liverock and 8 hermits (and all the fun hitchikers I've found lately) and everyone seems to be doing fine. I am getting a slight algea bloom on the liverock and am keeping my light cycle down for a while. I'm just wondering how high is too high? I know I want to work on getting around 500 but then again I have plenty of time till I'll be adding any corals. I just want to get the tank stabilized to what I'll want to keep it at for the lifetime of the tank. Thanks in advance, -Ash

04/29/2008, 10:31 PM	#2
D to the P Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Amishville, USA Posts: 2,047	I don't think 600 is too bad, but you definately want to lower it. The problem with high calcium is you might be low or off on something else like alk or magnesium or PH. make sure you check them all to see how your high calcium has effected them. __________________ Nature V.S. Nurture: Nature Always Wins. Current Tank Info: 12 gallon Aquapod reef with LED's, multiple nano's at work.

04/29/2008, 10:47 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	What's been dosed into the tank? What brand of salt is in use, and has some freshly-mixed (or purchased) water been tested? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/29/2008, 11:01 PM	#5
Ashlique Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 34	It is purchased water. I also used Arago-Live sand and the 30lbs of live rock was pretty much already fully cured and my tests are as follows: Phos: 0 Ammonia: 0 Nitrates:0 PH: 8.1 KH CaCO: 179 Calcuim: 640 (changed to 600 after very small water change on 4-28) Temperature: 80.4 Salinity: 1.026 The first week of set up, my ammonia was at about .25 and nitrates raised almost unnoticeable amounts then went back to 0. The above test has been the same for 2 weeks now. The water change yesterday was the first water change and was a VERY small amount. Last edited by Ashlique; 04/29/2008 at 11:08 PM.

04/29/2008, 11:07 PM	#6
corals b 4 bills Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: San Francisco Bay Area (Belmont). Posts: 2,381	I would start with what brand of test kit are you using? buy another test kit from a different manufacturer before you start lowering what could be a good number to start with then look at the ingredients in your salt, 450 would be a good # to keep your tank at. __________________ Reefkeeper - (ref-ke-per) n: Individual obsessed with placing disturbing amounts of electricity and seawater in close proximity for the purpose of maintaining live coral reef organisms. Current Tank Info: 29 gallon Bio Cube, HQI 150 watt Nanotuner~Vortech MP10W ES~Arctica Chiller~AC II~Tunze Osmolator ATO~ Tunze 9002 skimmer W/In Tank Cup~ Korallin Reactor W/PH Monitor~ Korallin Denitrator~APC Back-up~Phosban/Carbon Reactor.

04/29/2008, 10:45 PM	#3
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Your tank is still cycling and shouldnt have any stock. With the cycle you want to know your ammonia and nitrite and nitrate readings and i wouldnt trust any other readings due to the cycle. Also water changes during a cycle can actually slow the cycle down buy removing benifital young bacteria. This bacteria is what you what to mature and multiply . Heres a great read on whats going on in your new tank. And sounds like your getting bad advice or going about this without research ,either way means long bumpy road. The more you know the less you need to worry about. http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/bio...a/aa073199.htm

04/29/2008, 11:11 PM	#7
Ashlique Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 34	I'll try taking some water to be tested by my LFS tomorrow I guess...see if they get any different readings. Also, the purchased water has a calcium of 460.

04/29/2008, 11:12 PM	#8
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If nothing's being dosed, I suspect a measurement error, but you might have gotten a bad batch of the water. Do they mix it themselves? How is SG being tested? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/29/2008, 11:21 PM	#9
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	It may have cycled faster but dont go adding a bunch of stock. The benificial bacteria (which we cant see with naked eye ) are still young and there numbers low. You need time for them to grow and multiply for better water quality and stock support. Adding stock and early water changes only mean this will take longer. I would see if the LFS or fellow reefer can test for you for comparason.

04/29/2008, 11:33 PM	#10
Ashlique Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 34	I'm already willing to wait months till I add my first fish. The LFS actually suggested I go ahead and add a gobie or something, but I apt out to wait till I felt the tank was more established. I went for the hermits to start cleaning the rock mainly. I was just wondering about the calcium...not the cycling... This is the post with some of the hitchhikers coming out of my live rock: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1379617

04/29/2008, 11:42 PM	#11
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Well 1 more week would have been better but sure its fine. Just dont add to many to fast and keep a harmony. Wait another week and if everything is good then add a fish or coral then wait a week or 2 and add more CUC and mb a coral then wait and ect.. Your tank will seem lifeless and boring but go slow and keep quality water and at the 1 yr mark you will post very nice tank pic's. Well if it was cycling like i said i wouldnt trust this reading. You say its not cycling so i recommend you get a second source to test for accuracy.

04/29/2008, 11:46 PM	#12
demonsp Moved On Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: el paso tx Posts: 7,634	Noted on stock cause you have some at 3 weeks. Just some well meant advice. And can only help. Everytime of go off topic even a little i hear about it. Then feel like i wasted my time typing this but i never stop. If it helps 1 person whether the thread starter or anybody that may read it then its not a waste of my time.