Hight ca levels

[Metabolic_7]

My ca level is at 800ppm,but my kh is at 8,ph is at 8.1 and low mg is 1400

so do i need to water change.i head the ph will drop if hight ca.my coral sill doing well HELP

[FuEl]

1) Make sure your test kit is reliable. Double check with another reefer you are close with. Brands like S*R* are very unreliable with regards to their nitrate test kits.

2)If it is really at 800ppm, the best thing you can do is to do water change. Maybe 30% per day until it drops to normal values.

[Metabolic_7]

using red sea. will the coral die of hight ca

[FuEl]

Not sure how accurate Red Sea test kits are. Best to check using a Salifert test kit before doing anything. Not normal to have Ca levels so high, unless you have been dosing alot of Ca supplement.

[Melvyn Tan]

Had this problem b4, but calcium is over 1000ppm !

Did some water changes, buffer, baking soda, boost up magnesium - it helped somewhat, and finally i let nature take its course (whilst running the CR) and after a good 2 months (did a measurement yesterday) all is well and restored.

ca - 420

mg - 1350

[Metabolic_7]

How about your coral did there Survive

[LinkinPark]

My ca level is at 800ppm,but my kh is at 8,ph is at 8.1  and low mg is 1400

I believe the test result may not be accurate as these levels should result in precipitation. Try salifert for comparison

I used to have 500+ ppm Ca and I was using the "swing arm" to measure salinity which read 1.024. When I use the refractometer, the reading was 1.034. That was the reason for high Ca reading

[Melvyn Tan]

How about your coral did there Survive

Dun have much corals, but 1 big hardy acro survived, some of the less "hardy" ones went fast...

About precipitation at high calcium levels, not really true in my case, did a check with reefcentral Farley and experience also shows precipitation may not really occur in high ca... just some experience to share.

[bawater]

Red Sea cal test kit measures in 50ppm jumps.

And you have to follow the instructions very closely and do the correct addition then multiplication of drops to get your rough results.

('rough results' because 50ppm is a big window)

Hi Metabolic,

If your corals are uncomfortable they will already have shown signs and retracted.(this reaction is almost instant in LPS and softies)

Usually 800ppm is the calcium concentration of kalkwasser water at full saturation.

but in saltwater usually calcium precipitation occurs at 600ppm (giving you a in-tank snow storm)

before you do a water change, mix your saltmix, then use your current test kit & measure the water and see what reading you get.

If your newly mix salt water is also 800ppm- its either your test kit or salt, i would guess test kit problem.

If you don't think its test kit error and if you are dosing any additives just list them down, also your salt brand, and very importantly what you recently did e.g water change or dose something.

[Metabolic_7]

my torch,star poly,Leather,zoos,sun & bubble are opening find no change