Calcium at over 500 mg.....can be..

[iapo]

zoa can be survive!
Now I noticed a bleaching and less tentacles estensions......I'm waiting to low the calcium level...

[St.Pete_Reefer]

Mine was over 620ppm and they did fine :-) Trying to lower it as I type. Not using two part and doing weekly water change.

[iapo]

Originally Posted by St.Pete_Reefer

Mine was over 620ppm and they did fine :-) Trying to lower it as I type. Not using two part and doing weekly water change.

over 620 !.....in fact I've stopped to using two part but the level don't decrease .....I have only one sps and some lps....

[St.Pete_Reefer]

Its 600 now and my alk has decreased a good amount since that was way up as well.

[A. Grandis]

Partial water changes will help you. About 10% a week until things get better.
Try to keep between 400/420ppm, when keeping hard coral in the same system of the zoas.
That's why is a good idea to test for the chemistry you're adding to the tank.
Good luck,
Grandis.

[MUCHO REEF]

500, 600 and 620, what? Wow. I hope you guys are monitoring and checking your akalinity at the same time. I have always maintained levels of 450 for optimal assistance with hyper coralline growth, but above 500 and KH can be driven south quickly. At those levels, I would even consider doing greater water changes than 10%. I have a great article to add to this, will go try and dig it up and post it.

I once read an article on a reefer who super saturated his tank by accident with calcium levels so high, his substrate became brick like slabs, true story.

Fingers crossed, but I'd start lowering it slowly ASAP.


Mucho Reef



OK, found it. It was written my Keith M.

"A calcium level of 500 mg/l is higher than most people run their tanks at but as long as your alkalinity level is also running high it may not be an issue. When high levels (or low levels) of calcium occur in the tank and are out of balance with the alkalinity within the tank, that is normally where this becomes an issue.

Have a look at this article about Calcium and Alkalnity for more explanation. Below are a paragraph from the article that is very helpful:

At the same time that calcium is measured, alkalinity levels should be measured as well. There is a strong relationship between calcium levels and alkalinity that should not be neglected. If the calcium levels get high (over 500) there is a tendency for alkalinity to drop. Conversely, if alkalinity levels get too high, calcium levels will tend to fall as calcium precipitates out. Therefore, check for a desired calcium level between 400 and 450 ppm, and alkalinity levels between 2.5-3.5 meq/L (7-10 dKH).

If you are using a calcium reactor, dosing kalkwasser or using some other type of calcium supplement I would suggest dialing them back. See where you alkalinity levels are at as well, hopefully they are on the higher side as well (to be in balance with the calcium levels).

My best solution would be to do some weekly water changes of between 30-40%. Most salt mixes should mix at a calcium level between 360-420. Doing the water changes should help to bring the calcium levels down and hopefully also bring the calcium and alkalinity levels into balance if they aren't already.

If there is anything else we can do for you please let me know.

Keith M."


I know it's overkill, but it's just some good stuff to read for those who are interested.


And another by M. Paletta below.

"As coral husbandry develops, so too does the means for providing adequate calcium for corals and other invertebrates. Since corals consume calcium at a relatively rapid pace, it is necessary to replenish calcium on a regular basis. Initially, the only method available was the use of calcium hydroxide dissolved in water (kalkwasser) to replace water that had evaporated. As technology progressed and stony corals and clams became the dominant animals in these tanks, more sophisticated methods for maintaining calcium levels developed. These include balanced liquid supplements, calcium reactors, and complexed dry additives. It is now relatively easy to maintain the calcium level in the tank above 400ppm, the level of natural seawater. It is very important that calcium levels be kept this high, particularly for stony corals (SPS). If levels are less than 350ppm, coral growth will slow and what little growth does occur will result in thin, spindly branches. If calcium levels drop below 300 ppm, corals will stop growing and may even die. Furthermore, without proper calcium levels and growth levels, the coloration of the coral, particularly at the tips, will not be as vivid as when the coral is growing well.

Calcium level is not as crucial in a soft coral tank, but the corals do much better when the levels are kept at the desired 400ppm. In soft coral tanks that are not overstocked, water changes and the dissolution of the calcium substrate may be enough to keep the levels high so that no additional supplementation is necessary. This is possible since most soft corals do not take up calcium at the same rate or to the same degree as stony corals do. However, over the past ten years, it has been shown that virtually all corals, as well as coralline algae, require calcium in order to thrive.

Along with supplementation, it is also necessary to test the tank's calcium level on a regular basis. The tests available are relatively straightforward and should be done on a weekly basis. The results should be noted in a log so that the trend in calcium levels can be looked at over time. Over time as corals grow, the amount of calcium added may need to be increased to keep up with this growth. Keeping a careful log of the calcium levels can tell you when calcium levels need to be increased.

At the same time that calcium is measured, alkalinity levels should be measured as well. There is a strong relationship between calcium levels and alkalinity that should not be neglected. If the calcium levels get high (over 500) there is a tendency for alkalinity to drop. Conversely, if alkalinity levels get too high, calcium levels will tend to fall as calcium precipitates out. Therefore, check for a desired calcium level between 400 and 450 ppm, and alkalinity levels between 2.5-3.5 meq/L (7-10 dKH).

One of the more elegant means of supplementing calcium, and the one that is now becoming most widely used, is the calcium reactor. These reactors produce useable calcium by dissolving a calcareous media in low pH water. The low pH is achieved by allowing carbon dioxide to bubble into the reaction chamber at a fixed rate. The amount of calcium that is released is controlled by the flow rate of water through the chamber as well as the frequency of the carbon dioxide bubbles. When used properly, this method provides a very precise means of maintaining calcium levels within a system. However, the use of calcium reactors may increase alkalinity levels to excessively high levels if they are not monitored closely. For this reason, it is essential to test both alkalinity and calcium levels when a calcium reactor is used. When set up properly and used correctly, a calcium reactor can maintain or increase calcium levels with minimal maintenance for most tanks. Currently, calcium reactors are available in different sizes so it is possible to find a reactor for even the largest tanks.

There are numerous ways to achieve the desired result with most aspects of reef keeping; this is especially the case with calcium supplementation. As long as regular testing is done, it is relatively easy to keep calcium and alkalinity levels in their desired range regardless of which method for supplementation is chosen.

Mike Paletta is the author of The New Marine Aquarium and Ultimate Marine Aquariums. He has been in the hobby for over 15 years and has written numerous articles for Aquarium Fish Magazine, Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Aquarium Frontiers. "

[A. Grandis]

Yep, the relationship between calcium and alkalinity is always like that, not only when Ca++ is sky high.

Good articles, MUCHO!!!

Grandis.

[St.Pete_Reefer]

Both of mine are high as well and I did a 30% water change along with 10% everyweek it's slowly going down. Alk went down a good bit and I think Cal is next.

[MUCHO REEF]

Question - and I'm only asking. How did everyone achieve such high calcium levels? Was it intensional or by accident?


Mooch

[St.Pete_Reefer]

I think just over dosing 2 part along with other sups like purple up and new salt that already contained cal and alk. Now I just do water changes no sups.

Sent from my SCH-R720 using Tapatalk 2