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Cultivated Reef

Harmful Calcium Levels?


Mnesarchus

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I have read that a certain level of calcium will not dissolve without a significant change in alkalinity, so it will prevent itself from getting too high. What level of Calcium (ppm) would you consider harmful in a nano?

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It is hard to say for sure. Most test kits available to use stop reading anything over 500 accurate. Pushing 450-475 is about max (clams, heavy stonies, etc). There should be no reason to go higher.

 

At really high levels you will actually see calcium calcification (sp?) buildup on the tank. This is another indication of too high of a CA level.

 

High CA levels will cause drastic ALK drops since CA is acidic in nature. High calcium levels are not really a direct problem BUT the affects of high CA on your ALK value could be problematic.

 

Anything around 400ppm in any reef is safe.

 

Cameron

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Just a quick add-on to Physh1's comments about high Ca and low Alk. While high Ca will lead to low Alk, I discovered another interesting relationship.... Low Alk will cause some Ca tests to read extremely high.

 

I had Ca that was testing off the end of a Ca test supposedly accurate to 600, at which point my tank should have been a virtual blizzard. Another Ca kit gave me readings of 375. Turns out my Alk was at 1KH. Once I raised it, the Ca tested around 425 with both kits.

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Originally posted by MKramer

Just a quick add-on to Physh1's comments about high Ca and low Alk.  While high Ca will lead to low Alk, I discovered another interesting relationship....  Low Alk will cause some Ca tests to read extremely high.

 

I had Ca that was testing off the end of a Ca test supposedly accurate to 600, at which point my tank should have been a virtual blizzard.  Another Ca kit gave me readings of 375.  Turns out my Alk was at 1KH.  Once I raised it, the Ca tested around 425 with both kits.

 

Very good point...tests kits are funny that way sometimes

 

Cameron

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