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sfboarders
10/18/2009, 11:06 PM
I checked my calcium with an API test kit and it's off of the charts. It didn't even turn purple after 13 drops. I am using Oceanic salt and found through a Google search that Oceanic salt has higher calcium levels than other salts. My dKH is 9 and pH is 8.3. I do not see any cloudiness or the "snow" effect in my tank. Is the high calcium ok for my FOWLR setup? Only thing I have in my tank right now are some nassarius snails. My tank just finished cycling 2 weeks ago and I did a large water change and I'm slowly adding life.

I guess with the higher calcium levels I can get better coralline growth?

lordofthereef
10/19/2009, 12:01 AM
Shouldn't hurt anything. What ppm is 13+ drops. If I had to guess I would think that the test kit is just off. Shocked you are even testing for those things running a FOWLR. Not a bad thing though :)

Greatwyte
10/19/2009, 12:07 AM
In my API calcium test kit 13 drops = 260 mg/L Calcium. So, 260 is actually low not of the charts (which I assume means high). Does your kit have a different legend?

johnr2604
10/19/2009, 12:15 AM
In my API calcium test kit 13 drops = 260 mg/L Calcium. So, 260 is actually low not of the charts (which I assume means high). Does your kit have a different legend?Yep, it should be more around 20-21 drops. Each drop= 20mg/l

b_s_c1
10/19/2009, 05:38 AM
I also use Oceanic salt. Everytime I do a 15% water change my calcium jumps from 460 to around 540. I have not noticed any ill effect from this increase and the calcium drops back to the 460 mark within a week. I am sure it would drop faster but I dose Kalk in my ATO.

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/19/2009, 05:55 AM
It should not jump that much with a 15% change, but you should expect it to rise some. Maybe 20 ppm using Oceanic and starting at 460 ppm. (0.85 x 460 + 0.15 x 580 ppm = 478 ppm). :)

sfboarders
10/19/2009, 09:46 AM
In my API calcium test kit 13 drops = 260 mg/L Calcium. So, 260 is actually low not of the charts (which I assume means high). Does your kit have a different legend?

I freaking misread the chart. I didn't realize there was a 2nd column. My calcium is at 480 so I guess I am ok. I got the reef kid because my pH was low 2 weeks ago and I wanted to check my calcium and alkalinity to make sure they were ok.