How high is too high for calcium??

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,502
Reaction score
63,899
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just checked my tank . Calcium 486 and Alkalinity 9 . Should i try to raise my Alkalinity to lower my Calcium

No, that calcium is fine. Unless calcium is above about 550 ppm, there's no concern, IMO. :)
 

ClownSchool

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 3, 2021
Messages
603
Reaction score
726
Location
US
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Some salt mixes have calcium in the 500s and that's not a problem. I think it best to keep calcium below 600 ppm, but the only risk I know of is accelerated precipitation of calcium carbonate, and a rise of 0.3 pH units has about the same effect as a calcium rise from 420 to 840 ppm, so the risk from slightly elevated calcium is not generally a big deal.
Thank you for this, Randy!
My Trident’s dosing head slowly jammed open over the course of days while on vacation. When I saw the drop in cal, I notified my tank-sitter to manually dose Calc (assuming the solution dropped below the hose in the bottom of the jug).
Got home. Assessed the problem was mechanical. Tested, and boom! 603!
Doser is now off until the number drops.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,502
Reaction score
63,899
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thank you for this, Randy!
My Trident’s dosing head slowly jammed open over the course of days while on vacation. When I saw the drop in cal, I notified my tank-sitter to manually dose Calc (assuming the solution dropped below the hose in the bottom of the jug).
Got home. Assessed the problem was mechanical. Tested, and boom! 603!
Doser is now off until the number drops.

603 ppm is not likely to cause any observable problems, but letting it decline sounds like a good plan!
 

Keeping it clean: Have you used a filter roller?

  • I currently use a filter roller.

    Votes: 75 35.0%
  • I don’t currently use a filter roller, but I have in the past.

    Votes: 7 3.3%
  • I have never used a filter roller, but I plan to in the future.

    Votes: 58 27.1%
  • I have never used a filter roller and have no plans to in the future.

    Votes: 66 30.8%
  • Other.

    Votes: 8 3.7%
Back
Top