Calcium won’t fall

[adamsfour]

This is a update to another post

It’s been 10 days since I turned off calcium dosing. Calcium has stabilized around 500 but even with dosing off it’s not dropping Trident number been confirmed with Hanna I assume coral still not processing Any recommendations. Mag is 1225 and Alk is 975.

Had an issue with calcium. Noticed last week that my calcium was over 575. In an attempt to lower I turn off dosing. It now averages about 510 but won’t seem to go lower. I assume my corals are in stress and uptake of calcium has stopped. My Alk is about 10 and mag is 1200. I am planning another water change on Wednesday. Any other way to slowly lower calcium. Thanks

 

[BonnieB]

Have you done a water change yet?

 

[BonnieB]

Have you done a water change yet?

Oh, missed you have one coming up, sorry! That is the safest and fastest way to lower those things we do by mistake or that happen without our help! I wouldn’t wait till Wednesday.

 

[twentyleagues]

What is your alk consumption currently?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If alk is stable without dosing, then so will be calcium.

Even if alk fell by 2.8 dKH, calcium will only decline by about 18-20 ppm. It is far slower to move than is alk.

 

[twentyleagues]

If alk is stable without dosing, then so will be calcium.

Even if alk fell by 2.8 dKH, calcium will only decline by about 18-20 ppm. It is far slower to move than is alk.

This is the point I was making! If no alk consumption, then no calcium will be used and the corals are stagnant. I like the idea of a water change or a few of them with lower levels of calcium obviously.

 

[adamsfour]

Yes I do water changes. Weekly

 

[twentyleagues]

Yes I do water changes. Weekly

What are the parameters of the new water? Lower levels of calcium or close to the same? Not that I have seen a salt that contains 500 calcium. So if you do larger or more frequent water changes with lower calcium levels your tank calcium levels should also get lower with dosing shut off. Of course this is if the test was correct in the first place.

 

[adamsfour]

No sure but most likely similar.

 

[adamsfour]

Yes I did do water changes. Alk is being process as I am dosing Alk and it’s stable.

 

[twentyleagues]

Yes I did do water changes. Alk is being process as I am dosing Alk and it’s stable.

If alk is being used then so is calcium. If you are not dosing something along with your alk supplement to increase calcium then your test is most likely incorrect. Calcium tests are often incorrect they are not that easy to get right. Hannah requires ultra pure water to get a proper reading if you didnt use lab grade pure water there are likely traces of calcium in the water and will throw off the test. Again I have not seen a salt mix that claims or produces 500 calcium so water changes should also deplete calcium levels to whatever is in your salt mix eventually.

 

[adamsfour]

Okay. Not sure I follow. Prior to this issue I was dosing calcium based on trident results without issue. This problem just recently starts. I follow Hanna direction and use RO/DI which has zero calcium ( has measures every 6 weeks by icp ). Most coral look fine except two. Could be totally unrelated

 

[rishma]

I suspect test error/ test accuracy is the reason you cannot measure a change in calcium.

Since you are dosing alkalinity and it’s being consumed, calcium is being consumed too. As Randy noted, 2.8 dKH consumed will correspond with 18-20ppm calcium consumed.

As for your high calcium levels, I have had mine get to 550-600 and had no coral problems.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Most coral look fine except two. Could be totally unrelated

It is, IMO.

The Hanna calcium kit gives folks more problems than necessary due to a bad design, IMO.

But if you want calcium lower, water changes with a low calcium mix will get it there faster than waiting for consumption to use it up.

 

[twentyleagues]

Okay. Not sure I follow. Prior to this issue I was dosing calcium based on trident results without issue. This problem just recently starts. I follow Hanna direction and use RO/DI which has zero calcium ( has measures every 6 weeks by icp ). Most coral look fine except two. Could be totally unrelated

RO/DI can still have traces of calcium in it throwing off your test results.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hannah-calcium-tester-issues.1099650/You can read that it may help. Post 2 is from someone who posted instructions from Hannah.
If you are using an alk supplement that does not have calcium and your tank is using alk your cal levels should drop. Test your fresh made saltwater for calcium to see what you are adding back in with water changes if the new water has a lower calcium content this will also lower the cal in your tank.
What are you using to dose alk?

 

[adamsfour]

Thanks. I use soda bicarbonate from BRS and their calcium supplement. Good idea to test fresh saltwater will do that shortly.