Calcium level up and rise suddenly

[mehmet]

Hi,

I added coralline supplement to my new aquarium to encourage the growth of coralline algae. Later, I noticed that my calcium levels had risen, so I stopped. Then, I added strontium, not realizing that it also raises calcium levels. My calcium is currently around 570 ppm. After doing a water change, I saw it drop to 460, but it has risen back to 530. Even though I haven’t added any more calcium, why could it have increased so much, and what would you recommend I consider?

I am using tropic marine pro
Rodi water, TDS 0
Nor dosing any minerals.

Tropic marine reef active and phos start that i use.

My wave pump is blowing the sand around, and I'm not sure if this will be a problem,

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

How new or old is your tank? Do you have corals in the tank?

Your tank will grow coraline on its own when the tank conditions are right. This is not something that you can force. Try to avoid adding bottled chemicals, they rarely work the way they are advertised.

To me, calcium is not even that important, alkalinity is the most important of all. But if you have no corals, then alk and calcium doesn't matter.

 

[mehmet]

How new or old is your tank? Do you have corals in the tank?

Your tank will grow coraline on its own when the tank conditions are right. This is not something that you can force. Try to avoid adding bottled chemicals, they rarely work the way they are advertised.

To me, calcium is not even that important, alkalinity is the most important of all. But if you have no corals, then alk and calcium doesn't matter.

İts around 2 mounts old, and last week i added 4 hummer and 1 challice :(, KH is around 7.2 now. Could high calcium level couse serious problem in the tank, and should i add coral to help consume the calcium?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

All of the calcium levels you listed are fine and are not hurting corals.

What supplements were you using for it?

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Hi,

I added coralline supplement to my new aquarium to encourage the growth of coralline algae. Later, I noticed that my calcium levels had risen, so I stopped. Then, I added strontium, not realizing that it also raises calcium levels. My calcium is currently around 570 ppm. After doing a water change, I saw it drop to 460, but it has risen back to 530. Even though I haven’t added any more calcium, why could it have increased so much, and what would you recommend I consider?

I am using tropic marine pro
Rodi water, TDS 0
Nor dosing any minerals.

Tropic marine reef active and phos start that i use.

My wave pump is blowing the sand around, and I'm not sure if this will be a problem,

Were you using purple up by chance? Anyways like the other poster said the coralline will start on its own when conditions are met. When buying snails or hermit crabs look for some that already have that wonderful algae on their shells. They'll run against things while cleaning and the spores will get rubbed off and before you know it the tank will be covered in the algae. Try not to avoid the bottle of snake oils as most have no benefits at all besides adding strontium and iodine along with arragonite (powdered crushed corals) . Keep calcium between 430-450 and dkh around 8-9 but pick an alkalinity and stick to it. Stability is the key I found. For me my coraline was pale looking and with dosing kalk on a doser and adding iodum from AquaForest, along with regular Tropic Marin Pro Reef Reef salt water changes, the algae took right off. It's not pale anymore and is bright pink and purple. Id just do another WC to bring the calcium down a bit more. Also @Randy Holmes-Farley at what level of calcium and or alkalinity start to lock up a sand bed?

 

[mehmet]

All of the calcium levels you listed are fine and are not hurting corals.

What supplements were you using for it?

I am not using any supplement anymore, only food for coral and fish

 

[mehmet]

Were you using purple up by chance? Anyways like the other poster said the coralline will start on its own when conditions are met. When buying snails or hermit crabs look for some that already have that wonderful algae on their shells. They'll run against things while cleaning and the spores will get rubbed off and before you know it the tank will be covered in the algae. Try not to avoid the bottle of snake oils as most have no benefits at all besides adding strontium and iodine along with arragonite (powdered crushed corals) . Keep calcium between 430-450 and dkh around 8-9 but pick an alkalinity and stick to it. Stability is the key I found. For me my coraline was pale looking and with dosing kalk on a doser and adding iodum from AquaForest, along with regular Tropic Marin Pro Reef Reef salt water changes, the algae took right off. It's not pale anymore and is bright pink and purple. Id just do another WC to bring the calcium down a bit more. Also @Randy Holmes-Farley at what level of calcium and or alkalinity start to lock up a sand bed?

Can I add easy sps coral now?

I changed water again but is is still high, its around 547 now :((

 

[mehmet]

I found out that Hanna works incorrectly :(

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any calcium value between 400 and 550 ppm is fine. :)

 

[get-salty]

I wish they stop making "snake oil" in a bottle. But oc its business right ? They have to come up with something to scam the people that are new to the hobby one way or another.

But thats a story for another day.

PATIENCE IS KEY TO SUCCESS - this is easy said than done and often meaningless for those w/out any of it lol.