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View Full Version : Calcium Spiked to 640 - Now at 540..help?

tripnbili
07/05/2010, 06:10 AM
I set-up my own dosing pump with an aqualifter pump, a gang valve, and a timer. Being so excited about all the hassle it would save me I forgot to double check the settings on the timer (it was supposed to be set at four 1-minute intervals, for a total dose time of 4min per day). The timer ended up being on for 6hrs unnoticed and it dumped 3/4 of a gallon of Ca solution...

It caused my Ca to spike to 640...I was able to get about 20g RO/DI salt-water, so I did about a 25% water change within a few hours of the accident. Ca is now at 540, and I can't get my hands on any more RO/DI water until tomorrow, unless I drive two hours round trip.

I have a 75g fully established reef.

Any suggestions?

pH: 8.3
Temp: 78
sg: 1.024
dKh: 9
Ca: 540
Mg: 1300

Thanks!
HighlandReefer
07/05/2010, 06:20 AM
Several salt mixes have higher calcium levels then you have, for example Oceanic has about a 580 ppm calcium when mixed to 1.0264.

Personally, I would just stop dosing calcium until it drops to where you want it. It will take a while to drop since coral use about 7 dKH of calcium for every 1 dKH of alk.
tripnbili
07/05/2010, 09:18 AM
Several salt mixes have higher calcium levels then you have, for example Oceanic has about a 580 ppm calcium when mixed to 1.0264.

Personally, I would just stop dosing calcium until it drops to where you want it. It will take a while to drop since coral use about 7 dKH of calcium for every 1 dKH of alk.

That's what I was thinking....I didn't want to leave it at 640, but 540 seemed ok. On top of that I put some carbon in (just regular maintenance) and didn't rinse it good enough...I awoke to a black coating on everything and black skimmate in the skimmer cup.

From what I've read, this shouldn't be too much of a problem. Maybe just blow the carbon residue back into the water column to be removed. And use my now well-filtered carbon to help clear the tank up again?
HighlandReefer
07/05/2010, 09:24 AM
Yes, just siphon and blow the GAC or whatever other means to remove it. Perhaps a filter bag will help too.
Percula9
07/05/2010, 09:41 AM
You mean 7ppm of calcium not 7dkh of calcium.
HighlandReefer
07/05/2010, 10:13 AM
Yep. :)