Calcium testing question???

[cutefeet]

I have a question that cant wait until morning. I do not have a calcium test. my ph is 8.7. my alkalinity is 15 dkh. I need to do something tonight both of large corals have curled up and look sick. I dont want to add anything until i know what. I do add kent's liquid calcium 3 times a week as recommeded. thanks!

[Reptoreef]

IMO, time for a water change... now!!! NO ADDITIVES!!! Are you dosing kalk??? Do you have abilitn to add co2(ca reactor, etc)? If not, you can add some club soda(carbonated water) slowly while monitoring your ph. Good luck.

Repto

[dakar]

Welcome aboard, sorry to see that your first post is a cry for help. Hope you are able to get things back to normal. Water changes are definately the way to go.

Can you shoot us some more details? Sounds like you overdosed your tank with kalk, it's happened to many of us where a dosing mechanism failed and a whole bunch gets added at one time, in these circumstances things generally straighten up in a day ot two by themselves. But a water change can never hurt.

Also in a pinch, pure white distilled vinegar can be added, by the tesaspoon to bring the PH back down. Just make sure it's the distilled white and not the cider kind, it can be safely added right into any high flow area as it's very diluted to start with.

[davejnz]

I agree,lots of waterchanges to help bring the alk down,Alot of new corals aren't used to being kept at high alkalinity(the ocean is only 8).There has been some anecdotal reports of high alk being linked to tissue recession in stoney corals.Liquid calcium will also help deplete the alk as well as distilled vinegar.Get it back down to 9-11 and things should start looking better.

[jerryc]

If you only have a cupola of corals or just soft coral you may not need to add
anything but water changes, with a light load the water Chang shod add back everything you need

[BUGZME]

If you only have soft corals I see no real need for calcium additives. The weekly water changes will take care of their needs.