can calcium be too high ?

[liljay]

i just checked my ca and it was 0ver 500..i add nano part a and b daily ,,also magnisium and stronium..am i doing anything wrong,,,or it will come down,,,i just did a water change b4 i checked tha ca,,,any help guy thanks jay

[disaster999]

stop dosing for a while and do a water change to bring the parms down. your dosing more than what the coral could absorb.

[kermitthedaniel]

yes it can be bad ive seen it happen on a guys tank where the calcium started taking over the coral, and killed it.

[er1c_the_reefer]

yes, and it will mess up the alk, which will mess up pH

[The Propagator]

Calcium its self being high will not mess sup your alkalinity level or your PH to the best of my knowledge.

It WILL precipitate in the form of heavy calcium deposits, and possibly precipitate vie "snow" ( tiny particles of calcium floating in your water column ). BUT it will not usually precipitate until its well over 600-700 ppm.

You may notice calcium build up on your heater as well as your power heads though.

( Ben chime in here buddy ! )

 

Stop dosing for a while, and check the calcium levels in a freshly mixed bucket of your salt.

 

Calcium over taking corals and killing them off huh?

That's a new one on me

[masterbuilder]

yes it can be bad ive seen it happen on a guys tank where the calcium started taking over the coral, and killed it.

 

Thats a new one on me too.

Anywho.....What Prop said is the way to go. Sounds like your over dosing....give it a rest for awhile.

[MitchReef]

Good GOD!!!!!

 

I cannot BELIEVE I'm actually saying this....but.....

 

I agree with Prop......there..... I said it.....man, that left a nasty taste in my mouth.....(JK)....but I do agree with what he said...100%....make sure you mix up a little saltwater and test it...also, when figuring your dosing remember to take Live rock, sand, corals, fishies, heaters, pumps and powerheads and EVERYTHING else displaces water. Your 30 gallon may not even have 15 gallons of water....give that variable a think!

[The Propagator]

I feel all warm and fuzzy.

[reefdan]

so will the high Ca level itself adversely effect coral? or will it just precipitate?

 

i am currently at about 500ppm w/ ALK of 9 dkh

[Sexy Shrimp]

I have had Ca of 520 before and it didn't precipitate (or harm my corals). As long as you keep you alk up at the level it is at you shouldn't get precipitation. Like prop said - pull your heater and have a look (it will always happen here first due to the heat). Just stop dosing for a while and it will get used up

[The Propagator]

Really though CA @ 500ppm is nothing to worry about at all.

Now if you had high or low alkalinity, or low or high PH I would be worried.

[reefdan]

Really though CA @ 500ppm is nothing to worry about at all.

Now if you had high or low alkalinity, or low or high PH I would be worried.

 

not to steal this thread but i have 500pmm Ca, 9 ALK and my pH still hovers between 7.7-8.0.

 

what is the deal? i can't seem to correct this for the life of me

[The Propagator]

Either co2 build up or other wise lack of oxygenation.

Enough surface agitation?

Closed up windows with an old furnace ?

Crappy salt?

Crappy test kit?

[reefdan]

Either co build up or other wise lack of oxygenation.

Enough surface agitation?

Closed up windows with an old furnace ?

Crappy salt?

Crappy test kit?

 

salt = crappy reef crystals

 

surface agitation is good but i suspect it may be due to low ventilation. is 7.7-8.0 something i should be highly concerned about? i know it's not great. the sps looks ok and colorful but i am sure they could look better.

[bdare]

not to steal this thread but i have 500pmm Ca, 9 ALK and my pH still hovers between 7.7-8.0.

 

what is the deal? i can't seem to correct this for the life of me

 

The numbers you describe are not at all how RC mixes up. I suspect you are using either Red Sea or Seachem test kits. At 1.026 RC mixes to Ca - 420, Alk - 12. So like I said either your test kits are bunk, you've been dosing, or your SG measurements are off. Even with the batches of RC that have had issues in the recent past the Ca was LOW at around 360-380.

 

 

Calcium its self being high will not mess sup your alkalinity level or your PH to the best of my knowledge.

It WILL precipitate in the form of heavy calcium deposits, and possibly precipitate vie "snow" ( tiny particles of calcium floating in your water column ). BUT it will not usually precipitate until its well over 600-700 ppm.

You may notice calcium build up on your heater as well as your power heads though.

( Ben chime in here buddy ! )

 

Stop dosing for a while, and check the calcium levels in a freshly mixed bucket of your salt.

 

Calcium over taking corals and killing them off huh?

That's a new one on me

 

Prop is exactly right. One of the most important things when your Ca is that high is to keep an eye on Mg. Mg is what helps keep your tank from precipitating. I'd also be curious to know what test kits you are using. Are you using Oceanic Salt? If so you can expect your Ca to remain high.

 

One area I'll disagree with prop is the statement that Ca will not precipitate until it reaches 600-700. Ca can precipitate at much lower levels depending on Ph and Mg levels. Precipitation is much more likely to occur at HIGHER Ph and when Mg is LOW, but also the Alk levels will come into play.

 

Here is an awesome article:

 

A Simplified Guide to the Relationship Between Calcium, Alkalinity, Magnesium and pH

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-06/rhf/index.php

 

 

yes, and it will mess up the alk, which will mess up pH

 

WTF???