Calcium off the charts

[bwade209]

I keep running into a calcium problem maybe somebody could help with some advice. I use Seachem Reef salt and for awhile (about a year ago) I read the "bulletproof reef" from GARF and started dosing my tank accordingly to their recomendations for my tank size...big mistake. I tested my water and the calcium was off the charts. I couldnt get a reading from my test kit and took it to my buddies house who has some nice testing kits. We stopped around 1200. I did a BUNCH of water changes over the next 6 months with just the Seachem regular salt (less calcium in the mix) and quit dosing the tank altogether and my calcium is STILL well over the 1200 mark. Nothing in my tank seems to be bothered by the high levels but I am worried I'm on the verge of a tank crash. I do not put ANY chemicals in the tank now except once in a GREAT while I underdose a little Seachem Reef Plus...just vitamins and amino acids....

[Fragmented 99]

Something is wrong with the test kit or the way you are using it. I don't believe it's possible to have a calcium level of 1200. Try testing with a quality kit such as salifert.

[bertoni]

I agree that it's likely the test kit is wrong, but what are the alkalinity and magnesium levels?

[broberts]

If your cal level is that high your other levels should be thrown off as well.

[aquaph8]

i could pour a whole bottle of calcium in my tank and not get to 1200.

[epicentyr]

I think tat ar some ratio of Calcium/Alkalinity/Magnesium you get a snowstorm and they all precipitate out. I think with an actual CA over 1200 you probably would have surpassed that mark.

[Billybeau1]

I tend to agree with most that the test kit is either in error or not being used correctly.

Which brand calcium test kit are you using ?

[bwade209]

I tend to agree with most that the test kit is either in error or not being used correctly.

Which brand calcium test kit are you using ?

That is what I thought from my cheapo test kit so I took it to my friends house and he tested it with a Salifert test kit. All parameters were where they should be but he is puzzled why my calcium test was so off the charts. We tested it 3 times at his house and I tend to believe he knows what he's doing as far as a simple Calcium test (considering his 240 mixed reef is jawdropping and has had it going for years now). My test kit was a totally different brand and showed basically the same results.

We are both puzzled at this point.

[Billybeau1]

In order for your friend to read 1200 ppm caclium with a Salifert kit, he would have had to empty two syringes and them some to get the color to change. Is that what you saw ?

[bwade209]

In order for your friend to read 1200 ppm caclium with a Salifert kit, he would have had to empty two syringes and them some to get the color to change. Is that what you saw ?

We stopped at 3.

[Billybeau1]

The only logical explanation I have is that your friends test kit is bad or he is not using it properly.

I really doubt your water has a calcium rating over 1500 ppm. :sad2:

Maybe take some of your water to a local fish store and ask them to test it. A 3rd opinion could not hurt in this case.

[Percula9]

Maybe he is really testing magnesium instead. I have never heard of a calcium level that high. Try an API test kit. Did you measure a fresh batch of salt water?

[Flipper62]

The only logical explanation I have is that your friends test kit is bad or he is not using it properly.

I really doubt your water has a calcium rating over 1500 ppm. :sad2:

Maybe take some of your water to a local fish store and ask them to test it. A 3rd opinion could not hurt in this case.

I'm also going with the test kits are bad. How old are the test kits ? There is a EXP date for them. This will include the shelf life. It is around 1 year. However......if you bought the kit BUT it sat on the LFS shelf for 6 months, it is only good for around another 6 months. NOT 1 year from when you bought it.

This is why, every 4 to 6 weeks. I take some water into my LFS & let him test it. Then I use some of the same water & use my kits. My LFS burns through his kits faster then I do, So I do this to make sure my kits are still good. If my results are way wacked from my LFS ( with the same water sample ).......Out Goes The Kit

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

While I do not know which is the case here (test error or high calcium), and while I think test error is likely, I will point out that with respect to supersaturation of calcium carbonate, the combination of

calcium at 1500 ppm, alkalinity at 6 dKH and pH at 7.8

is far lower (half as much) and so is seemingly less likely to precipitate than is

calcium at 400 ppm, alkalinity at 12 dKH, and pH at 8.5.

Most people accept the latter as a possibility in a reef tank, so we should also accept the former as a possibility. :)


So I do not think one can "rule out" the possibility. :)