Calcium problem

[Magga Pie]

I have a 20g that my goal is to make into an sps tank but my calcium levels are outta control and I dont know why...My alk is about 10 dkh and my calcium is at 700. I havent dosed calcium forever. Sometimes is drops down to 600 or 650 but never below that.So why is it so high and why doesnt it drop lower? My sps frags dont look to well. Im just curious as to how to lower it. I do water changes once every 2 weeks with reef crystals.

[MrRyanT]

My first guess would be testing error. Either the test itself is bad or you are not testing properly. Have you double checked with another kit or another source?

[Magga Pie]

I have tested with 3 other test kits they are all within the same area.

[MrRyanT]

Wow! Never heard of Reef Crystals being that high. What salinity are you mixing to?

[Magga Pie]

Well when i tested my mix it was 550 maybe i just got a bucket with a high concentration of calcium. Im mixing it to 1.025

[bertoni]

Is anything being dosed into the system? What's in the system? What's the SG?

[Magga Pie]

All im dosing is the 2 part brightwell part b for alk. I dont dose calcium. My salinity is around 1.030 maybe. I read that if your salinity is high it increases your calcium is this true?

[MrRyanT]

Are you using saltwater to top off the evaporated water? Just wondering why you sg is so high.

[sedor]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15552317#post15552317 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Magga Pie
All im dosing is the 2 part brightwell part b for alk. I dont dose calcium. My salinity is around 1.030 maybe. I read that if your salinity is high it increases your calcium is this true?

If you are mixing your WC H2O to 1.025 but you have a sg of 1.030 in the tank it is because your not topping off with fresh water. The elevated sg could be hurting your SPS as well, I would work to lower that a couple points a day until its down at 1.026 and then get an ATO so you can maintain that level or just be extremely diligent and top off every night.

Otherwise, I have no idea why your Ca could be so high. I would get a batch of Instant Ocean and test it, the Ca levels should be lower, then mix it with Reef Crystals to create the desired Ca level. I would suggest 430 or so. Just do 20% wc's weekly until its come down. You don't want to lower it to quick so move slow.

[bertoni]

I would lower the SG to 1.026 over a period of a week or two. That'll lower calcium about 100 ppm or so. Be sure that your SG device is accurate and properly calibrated, though. We can help with that, if you let us know what you're using. A refractometer calibrated with the PinPoint 53 mS is one good approach.