Parameters help

[Anthrax15]

Just tested my water with Sailfert test kits.

Cal - 500+

Mag - 1320

Alk - Between 7.7 and 8

What should I do to balance these out? I have BRS Cal, Alk, and Mag for dosing but havent dosed them yet. I went out of town and while I was gone, stupidly added one of those white cubes that is supposed to raise the parameters to the correct level which I have figured out, has not helped.

[HighlandReefer]

Your water parameters are fine, especially if you are using a high calcium salt mix. Some salt mixes have calcium levels above 500 ppm, which seem to cause no problems. If you want to drop your calcium level, you will have to stop dosing calcium &/or perhaps change to a lower calcium salt mix.

The other two parameters are within the recommended guidlines. ;)

[bertoni]

I agree. I'd just stop dosing calcium for the time being.

[Anthrax15]

I only have a few SPS frags. A brown digit fragged three times into small 1'' or less frags, a green millipora, and a 1''x1'' Monti Cap. They have grown before and show some white tips on the milli and digit but not the monti.

I use Coralife salt mix. I do a 5-10g water change each week or every other week.

I havent dosed anything yet except for that cube.

[HighlandReefer]

CoraLife is quite high in calcium. These are the parameters when mixed to a salinity of 1.0264 found by Billy:

CoraLife
Calcium: 560 ppm
Alk: 9 dKH
Magnesium: 1380 ppm

You will most likely need to change salt mixes if you want to get your calcium level down to between 385-450 ppm usually recommended.

There is research that found high calcium levels accelerate sps coral skeletal growth like when alk levels are increased, except the effect is not as dramatic as increasing alk levels.

[Anthrax15]

What is a good salt mix? Instant Ocean? Not sure what else I can get locally.

[HighlandReefer]

Instant Ocean is a fine salt mix. Why pay more if you don't have too. ;)

This is Randy's comments regarding IO:

"I do not think there is a "best" salt mix. Nearly all of them will work fine as long as you know their pros and cons.

I personally prefer Instant Ocean, and this is why:

I don't want excessive borate, which leaves out Seachem.

I don't want vitamins or anything else organic in my mix, so that tosses out some like Reef Crystals, hW Marinemix Plus BioElements, Kent, Coralife, and Nutri-SeaWater.

I don't want excessive calcium (long term use of limewater as I use drives up calcium, so I do not want it starting high), so that tosses out a bunch, such as Kent, Seachem, Coralife and Oceanic.

There are certain companies that I will not support due to their misleading claims and/or product lines. That tosses out a few which I won't detail here since it is my personal thought as opposed to a specific issue with their salt mix.

I won't use certain lines of natural seawater due to excessive metals in it.

That only leaves a few to choose from, such as Instant Ocean and Tropic Marin Pro. The remaining ones might all be fine for me, but IO is lower in cost, especially if you get it when it goes on sale (which it frequently does)."

[Anthrax15]

Awesome. Thank you for the help.

[HighlandReefer]

Your welcome. ;)

[Percula9]

Do not use those cubes. It is uncontrolled dosing.

[HaroldT]

Your parameters are fine.

Myself I like using Red Sea Coral Pro salt.

[bluebill]

Why do you want to reduce your Ca. levels? Your levels will are good (may want to increase your alk to 9 though) and you will not have to dose calcium. I use Coral life and I have a mixed tank. I have never (knock on wood) had to worry about my Ca, dkh, or mag levels. Their are may opinions on salt brands, and I do agree IO is a great brand but coralife has been very good to me. If you switch let us know how it turns out. I am interested in the results.

[Anthrax15]

My Cal isn't too high? I thought it was suppose to be around 400-420.

If you have a mixed reef using Coralife, then I may just stay with that brand then.

[bertoni]

The usual recommended range is 350-450 ppm, but a higher level doesn't seem to cause problems, not in the low 500+ ppm range.