High calcium and red slime help

[oKrazyii]

So im currently accessing 2 problems in my tank, ive had 2 emerald crabs die due to what i can only assume is molting issues from my calcium being too high and a few of my snails have passed too assumably from the same issue. since my emerald crabs died i bought a api reef master kit to monitor my calcium and my phosphate due to an excess in cyanobacteria. my calcium readings are absolutly off the charts to the point of being untestable,i stopped counting after adding 20 drops into the api kit and the liquid still being bright pink, but my potasium level is nearly 0 so im not sure why my cyano is so out of hand. This leads me to my main 2 questions of this post 1. What can i do to quickly reduce my calcium levels, i just added seachem reef buffer (im assuming with such high calcium my alk lelvels cant be amazing and i also am at a ph of roughly between 7 and 8) and i just did a %50 water change about 3 days ago. and 2. what should i do to combat this cyano? im thinking about buying blue life red slime rx and phosphate rx combo pack to hopefully get rid of it and to help lower my phosphate if i ever need to, does that sound like a good choice or should i look into something else? i assume the cyano is due to me overfeeding as im still trying to learn the right amounts to be feeding with my fish and inverts (the general rule of only as much as your fish can eat in 2 mins doesn't make the most sense to me lol especially when my current blows the food all over the tank so it moves around the water columbo for fairly long

 

[oKrazyii]

i should also add im aware these 2 problems arent related just figured id post about both in 1 post since my one on the just the cyano got no answers

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

your zero phosphate reading needs a nitrate reading. It may be dino's with bottomed out nutrients. What salt do you use ? some salts have elevated calcium in it

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

unless you have visible algae, the crabs can starve if not fed by you

 

[ShakeyGizzard]

i should also add im aware these 2 problems arent related just figured id post about both in 1 post since my one on the just the cyano got no answers

I would recommend getting salifert test kits, they are more accurate than API, would suggest getting nitrate, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, PH, and alkalinity. Do you test salinity ? I would suggest a refractometer

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Agree that API test is no good, the API phosphate tester is especially bad. Get salifert or hanna.

You say the calcium is high but you don't give the number? Usually can just let calcium drop slowly on its own. But again, the API test is likely wrong.

When your fish chase the food, it means they are hungry. If they watch the food go past them and do not chase then they are not hungry. But what is the nitrate and phosphate levels??? But again, API test is likely wrong.

I would suggest to get better test kit as the first step, don't make changes to your tank based on API test.

 

[oKrazyii]

your zero phosphate reading needs a nitrate reading. It may be dino's with bottomed out nutrients. What salt do you use ? some salts have elevated calcium in it

I use instant ocean salt, nitrates are current around 20ppm, gotta do another water change today to even those out

 

[oKrazyii]

unless you have visible algae, the crabs can starve if not fed by you

I have algae but I still feed crab pellets for them every now and then