Hmm Calcium is tad high?

[elitesurfer]

I've been testing my water for past few days and my water params are:

Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.2-8.4
Nitrate: 0
Calcium: 520
Alkalinity: 10-11 dKh

I only have few softie corals/ no fish.
I'm using Ocean Pure Salt Mix. Reef Central's guide does indicate:

OceanPure Calcium:510 Alkalinity:10 Mg:1320

Should I switch to another salt mix? I'm thinking of picking up D-D H2Ocean from J&L.

[Aquattro]

What are you using to measure salinity? And Ca? I would make sure your water is really 1.025, and if so, double check the Ca with a different kit..

[Ryan]

I run my calcium that high. Somewhere between 475 and 500 with no ill effects.

[Aquattro]

My Ca was over 500 and I ended up removing the sand bed in one large slab. There's no need to run Ca over 400, and I imagine it would take some work to get it that high.

[elitesurfer]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

What are you using to measure salinity? And Ca? I would make sure your water is really 1.025, and if so, double check the Ca with a different kit..

I'm using refractometer to measure salinity and API test kit for Ca.
I'll recheck them today after I get home. I'd like to know how salinity affects Ca?
Also, I was Kalk dosing for a week but stopped it because I thought it was unecessary on my tank.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by elitesurfer

I'm using refractometer to measure salinity and API test kit for Ca.
I'll recheck them today after I get home. I'd like to know how salinity affects Ca?
Also, I was Kalk dosing for a week but stopped it because I thought it was unecessary on my tank.

higher salinity will indicate a higher concentration of all elements, including Ca.
Since the values are probably correct with the refractometer, and the info about dosing kalk, I think we figured out the high Ca
With a light stock of soft corals, regular water changes are probably enough to maintain calcium, no need for kalk yet.

[elitesurfer]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

higher salinity will indicate a higher concentration of all elements, including Ca.
Since the values are probably correct with the refractometer, and the info about dosing kalk, I think we figured out the high Ca
With a light stock of soft corals, regular water changes are probably enough to maintain calcium, no need for kalk yet.

Ya, it kind of struck me that high alkalinity mixed with high Ca might create precipitation on my tank. I will continue checking my params after water changes. I was battling hair algae for a while which looks like to be under control after every week now.
Once everything is fine, I'm thinking about restocking my tank. Thanks for the answers.

[Myka]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

My Ca was over 500 and I ended up removing the sand bed in one large slab. There's no need to run Ca over 400, and I imagine it would take some work to get it that high.

Agreed. Good way to precipitate the calcium and alkalinity out, especially if the magnesium is low as well.