Calcium & Mag

[wazupjames]

I am still a newbie to saltwater and I have a quick water chem question. I do not dose my tank with anything and my calcium level is 480 Magnesium is 1590 Salinity 1.0245. I was thinking my calcium and magnesium are a little high arent they? Why would my tank remain at such high readings even without me dosing it?

[cptbjorn]

how are you measuring salinity? if it is incorrect/uncalibrated then you could be adding too much salt and causing the high calcium and magnesium levels.

[Mr. Fosi]

High? Yes.

Worry? No.

Why? Probably the salt you use is high in them.

 

What kits are you using?

How old is the tank?

What is your lighting?

[lakshwadeep]

What is your alkalinity, test kit brand(s), and salt brand?

[wazupjames]

High? Yes.

Worry? No.

Why? Probably the salt you use is high in them.

 

What kits are you using?

How old is the tank?

What is your lighting?

 

 

I have the JBJ 28 Gallon CF-Quad that runs the 105 Watt Compact Fluorescent Quad Lamp and led nights. I am saving up money to upgrade my lighting I know its not the best. My tank is only 3 months old but it has registered these high readings since I started testing for them. I am using a Red Sea Magnesium test and an API Calcium test kit. I dont have a test kit for Alk unforunately but my salt brand is Instant ocean. PH runs at 8.4 all nit phos amm silic etc unreadable

[Mr. Fosi]

I'm going to say it's your kits or the way you are using them, because IO never had those kinds of concentrations for me when I used it.

[Weetabix7]

I'm going to say it's your kits or the way you are using them, because IO never had those kinds of concentrations for me when I used it.

 

My thoughts exactly.

Also, Red Sea has a reputation for inaccurate test kits.

In my personal experience, that reputation is quite well deserved.

I've tried different Mg test kits and Salifert seems to be the best. For Mg, that is.

API worked fine for Ca for me, although I use Salifert now.