Calcium Overdose

[saltnewbie101]

I accidentally overdosed my calcium. It's up to 500 right now.. not sure how that happened, at least the Hannah checker says so. Yesterday it was at 416. I added 5ml of liquid calcium. What do I do if anything?

 

[gbroadbridge]

I accidentally overdosed my calcium. It's up to 500 right now.. not sure how that happened, at least the Hannah checker says so. Yesterday it was at 416. I added 5ml of liquid calcium. What do I do if anything?

500 ppm calcium is not a problem.

Just let it fall naturally or with normal water changes

 

[saltnewbie101]

500 ppm calcium is not a problem.

Just let it fall naturally or with normal water changes

Oh sweet! Glad to know that. Thank you!

 

[Pod_01]

How big is your tank? What particular product did you use?

5ml doesn’t sound like a lot to boost calcium from 416 to 500… could be measurement error on the first or last value.
Just a suggestion but maybe try to take one more measurement.
Also the original value of 416 is acceptable, why did you try to increase it?

As mentioned 500 is not a problem but I would refrain from adding more.

 

[saltnewbie101]

How big is your tank? What particular product did you use?

5ml doesn’t sound like a lot to boost calcium from 416 to 500… could be measurement error on the first or last value.
Just a suggestion but maybe try to take one more measurement.
Also the original value of 416 is acceptable, why did you try to increase it?

As mentioned 500 is not a problem but I would refrain from adding more.

I'm going to test it again and see if the value changes.

Corallife liquid calcium - 120G

It's usually around 440, my blue xenia and two Duncan's have been looking funny the last few days and I was starting to get worried. especially about the xenia, it has been slightly shriveled up for a few days. Had it 4 months now. So I checked the calcium and magnesium, nitrates are low and so are phosphates. it seemed lower than it's norm so I added some.

The recommended dose is 1 to 5 ml per 50 gallons so I added what I thought to be a low dosage. I rarely dose the tank these days.

I also had a cleaner shrimp die because it couldn't molt, I was told and have read that's usually an iodine deficiency but it's pretty hard to find an iodine test kit and iodine for reef tanks or much info about iodine at that..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That rise is test error. The actual boost would at most be a few ppm.

 

[Gabbone]

I had my tank at 690ppm CA for a few months for a mistake. Nothing happened and actually everything is super fine

 

[Pod_01]

As Randy mentioned that is test error. Most Mg and Calcium test kits are not the easiest for beginners to use.

From my experience I find measuring salinity once a week is useful. I use the following:

If salinity is out make adjustments.

Next I measure Alk, the kits are easier to use and there is relation between Alk and Calcium consumption. If Alk is consumed so is Calcium and to supplement you can use any of the two part dosing systems. They are dosed at some ratio 1:1 or 4:1 (for 4ml of Alk add 1ml of calcium etc…).

Once you dose a two part you can also add trace element system, for example Tropic Marin Pro-Trace A and Pro-Trace K or Fauna Marin Trace 1, 2 ,3 etc…

Next keep track of your PO4 values (I prefer range of 0.05-0.15ppm) and NO3 (my preference 1-5ppm). If they are low feed your fish more and maybe add more fish. Here are my values :

And enjoy the show:

For Iodine and other trace elements I use ICP test from Fauna Marin and tend to do one every 6 weeks. I also use ICP results to adjust Calcium if required, I do not trust my skills to measure Calcium or Mg.

Good luck,