CAl and alk levels

BC564 · #1 02-21-2008, 11:36 PM

I have been having the same issue for the last month or so.....but I dont know how my CALCIUM got so high......Im sitting at 500....I dont have a reactor.
Sorry....my dKh is 9 also

untamed · #2 02-22-2008, 02:04 AM

Well...generally speaking, you can't bring Ca DOWN...you can only bring both Ca/Alk down, then try to rebalance by adding whichever one ends up low.

So if you think you are too high (which could be debatable), slow your reactor down just a bit and wait. Both Ca and Alk should fall. If the Alk ends up low, you can dose a bit of baking soda to adjust.

Skimmerking · #3 02-22-2008, 02:45 AM

that is what I figured I didn't think you could bring CAl down..

BC564 · #4 02-22-2008, 04:12 AM

and if you dont have a reactor? Just wait it out?

Megalodon · #5 02-22-2008, 04:18 AM

My calcium is off the scale, more than 500ppm as per my Salifert test kit. And that's the case for freshly mixed saltwater too. Something about Tropic Marin.

scumchug · #6 02-22-2008, 04:41 AM

For what its worth, My target for calcium is 500. I don't see a problem?

mseepman · #7 02-22-2008, 05:42 AM

I too have the problem of ALK and CAL being too high. I use AquaCraft Biosea and out of the bucket, I get ALK levels of 7 and CAL levels of 450 very consistantly between bags. Somehow over the last 3 months, my tank has crept up to ALK of 9-10 and CAL of 500. I use both Salifert and Hagen test kits with similar results. I don't have a reactor and I don't dose for Calcium or ALK.

Any suggestions would be great.