calcium off the charts!

[cg5071]

Ok I am doing maint. right now and discovered that my calcium would be about 640 if the chart went that high. How dangerous is this and how much of a change should I do at once? alk is at 9dkh and I am testing ph right now. I have been adding an alk ca builder in the make up water (ro/di) because ca and alk and ph was at the low end last time I tested.

PH is 8

[XSiVE]

before you do anything, verify your test kit is good.

if the kit is good, just stop adding Ca but keep adding alk if you can separate them, and do your normal water changes.

High Ca on its own is not very dangerous.

[jolson10450]

Originally Posted by XSiVE

before you do anything, verify your test kit is good.

if the kit is good, just stop adding Ca but keep adding alk if you can separate them, and do your normal water changes.

High Ca on its own is not very dangerous.

it can stun growth and cause sand to turn into cement i think

[XSiVE]

Originally Posted by jolson10450

it can stun growth and cause sand to turn into cement i think

Perhaps the growth stunting, but the cement sand thing you're thinking of is probably alkalinity.

I honestly wouldn't consider either of those all that dangerous since it doesnt involve livestock death.. plus Ive had my Ca up to around 700 before on accident with no ill effects, It took a few months of not dosing Ca but maintaining Alk along with regular water changes to bring it back to proper levels.

[cg5071]

Thanks. I do have seperate bottles but that wasnt what I was using previously. I should have noticed something when my pocci and birdsnest were'nt looking to well. I am fighting algae too and blamed that.

At least it isnt an immediate danger. I will have to get to the lfs for testing also. Our water here is low ph (for salt water) and then using ro/di. What is the best way to bring that and alk up safetly without constant dosing and tinkering? I know in the end that stability is more important than the numbers usually.

[Manoj's Reef]

High calcium dosen't pose danger to your livestock. However, its not good for your equipments. Depending on how long your calcium was high you might have scale build up in all your pumps and you should give them a vinegar bath.

High alk will cause the substrate to become more like cement. In which case you will have to replace the substrate.