Calcium High/ ALk low ?

[Anonymous]

I just recieved my Salifert Calcium and Alk test kits.

Calcium is off of the scale.
Alk is 1.71
PH is 8.0
Temp 81
Ammon 0
Nitrate 0

I did the tests 3 times.

I also tried testing the calcium with a red sea kit and that was off the scale as well.

Any ideas to help get the parameters back in line?

I am dripping Kalk at night for top off.

Observation: Coraline is spreading nicely and rapidly.
_________________
Sex Rehab Forum

 

[Mac1]

Hmm... those are weird numbers Rob.
Rather than trying to balance things out by adding buffers and other chemicals, I'd suggest doing a couple of large water changes right in a row. That will help get your tank back to where it's supposed to be. You might also want to test your fresh SW, to see if that's what's out of whack. Once your tank stablizes, and get's back to normal, I'd resume dripping Kalkwasser (might want to make up fresh of that too, just to be safe), and perform regular tests on the system to see where and when it begins drifting. Kalkwasser is very good at maintaining your value's of Calcium and Alkalinity, but if some other micronutrient gets out of whack, it can throw the ionic balance for a loop.

- Mac

 

[Anonymous]

I tested my freshly made saltwater.

CA - 790
Alk 4.1

Is this possible the have that mush Calcium from either the new salt of my R/O tap water?

I use coralife Salt.

I did a 10 gallon water change last night and will do another 10 on monday.
_________________
Lukumi Forum

 

[Mac1]

I tested my freshly made saltwater.

CA - 790
Alk 4.1

Is this possible the have that mush Calcium from either the new salt of my R/O tap water?

Shouldn't be... See how things go after a couple changes like that for your tank, and you should see the numbers come back into line.

- Mac

 

[Anonymous]

Those numbers ar eof the new water before it poored into the tank.
_________________
defeating debt

 

[Anonymous]

Which calcium test kit?

 

[Anonymous]

Salifert Calcium and Alk

I even tried a Red Sea Kit
_________________
30 Rock Forum

 

[wildbill]

its not possible to have numbers like that. Calcium falls out of solution at 500-550ppm. I gave up on cal test kits years ago, I too could never get a normally number. All I use is alk. I keep my tanks at 10-12dkh. As a matter of fact I don't test for anything else. I use controlers for temp and ph. With my tank which is wall to wall sps/stoney, I use my best tool(my eyes) for the rest. Also I've never heard of a salt that had cal above 450ppm. And even that I don't believe.

Bill