NanoRox Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 I purchased an API CA test kit and tested the water of my tank...very young (just completed cycling about a week ago). The calcium reading per this test was 580 PPM! I ran it twice and got the same result. My ph is 8.2 and ALK is 10. I am using Fritz salt and have no corals at this point so is this reading realistic? Other than live rock there is nothing in there so maybe. I was going to add purple up to stimulate some coralline algae but I think I will hold off since it adds calcium. BTW...I don't see any precipitate in the tank which I would assume I would see with calcium that high. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment
hooligan_78 Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 Bruh. Purple up is just, no. Don't waste your money. The coralline will come. If the Ca is high, it's due to the fact you have nothing using any. Relax, be patient. Quote Link to comment
NanoRox Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 12 minutes ago, hooligan_78 said: Bruh. Purple up is just, no. Don't waste your money. The coralline will come. If the Ca is high, it's due to the fact you have nothing using any. Relax, be patient. ha...I am. :-) My text/tone may not seem that way...most if not all the CA references I have read indicate a mid 400 range so when I see 580 then I wondered if perhaps my test kit was wacked. as for the purple up...I don't know...had good reviews. I have it now so will use it from time to time but as you say...not overly concerned. Quote Link to comment
hooligan_78 Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 11 minutes ago, Duane Clark said: ha...I am. :-) My text/tone may not seem that way...most if not all the CA references I have read indicate a mid 400 range so when I see 580 then I wondered if perhaps my test kit was wacked. as for the purple up...I don't know...had good reviews. I have it now so will use it from time to time but as you say...not overly concerned. Dude. You don't need Purple Up. Coralline algae uses calcium. Your tank is new, so don't expect much happening yet. If your calcium levels are good, the coralline will grow. Quote Link to comment
NanoRox Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 10 minutes ago, hooligan_78 said: Dude. You don't need Purple Up. Coralline algae uses calcium. Your tank is new, so don't expect much happening yet. If your calcium levels are good, the coralline will grow. Yeah I know...I am not planning on using it now. I'm talking about later...maybe...etc. I understand it is not needed now which is why I didn't add it. Quote Link to comment
hooligan_78 Posted November 8, 2017 Share Posted November 8, 2017 What I'm saying is you don't need it at all. Let's say down the road, you have a nice mixed reef with lots of corals, a good 2 part solution will take care of those needs. Quote Link to comment
NanoRox Posted November 8, 2017 Author Share Posted November 8, 2017 5 minutes ago, hooligan_78 said: What I'm saying is you don't need it at all. Let's say down the road, you have a nice mixed reef with lots of corals, a good 2 part solution will take care of those needs. I understand...I really do and appreciate your help. What I am saying is I have it now so unless it actually causes harm (maybe that is what you are saying), I might as well use it should the need ever arise. Now if it is crap and will crash the tank then out it goes. In all honesty...with this size tank regular water changes will hopefully be all I need (which if I am honest should have realized before I purchased it but...such is life). Quote Link to comment
SaltyBuddha Posted November 9, 2017 Share Posted November 9, 2017 I would personally worry about the salt mix if calcium is that high. I'd test the salt mix before it goes into the tank. Corals will use calcium, but that level is too high to start with. I also enjoy getting coralline naturally. It has been a fun 6 months watching the stuff grow on everything. I currently have 4 types in the tank (deep red, pink, green and a purple) just from frags. Started with clean dry rock. Quote Link to comment
NanoRox Posted November 9, 2017 Author Share Posted November 9, 2017 1 hour ago, SaltyBuddha said: I would personally worry about the salt mix if calcium is that high. I'd test the salt mix before it goes into the tank. Corals will use calcium, but that level is too high to start with. I also enjoy getting coralline naturally. It has been a fun 6 months watching the stuff grow on everything. I currently have 4 types in the tank (deep red, pink, green and a purple) just from frags. Started with clean dry rock. I'll test the refill water next. My live rock is growing out some new critters (looks like some shrooms, macro algae etc) so that's good and I just added my cleaning crew. I guess I will know soon. 1 Quote Link to comment
NanoRox Posted November 10, 2017 Author Share Posted November 10, 2017 Well, something is leeching Ca into my tank. All I have is live rock and live sand. My refill water Ca is 420. My tank has come down a bit to 560. Have no idea what it could be. Quote Link to comment
tk3445 Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 when you say refill water do you mean top off water or water change water? I also tend to agree with the other guys, Skip the purple up all together. Coralline algae will come. To me it has become an annoyance having to scrape it off the front and side panels anyways. Quote Link to comment
NanoRox Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share Posted December 3, 2017 I figured it out. I was NOT toping the tank off so every time I was making a water change I was adding more salt. I have an ATO now and the calcium is sitting around 460. 1 Quote Link to comment
tk3445 Posted December 3, 2017 Share Posted December 3, 2017 Cool glad you figured it out. Good luck with the tank. 1 Quote Link to comment
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