SUPER high calcium ... HELP !!

[lReef lKeeper]

well i was going to start moving everything from my frag tank to my 125 tomarrow, but ... i have a seriously high calcium reading on more than one test kit. i have NOT dosed ANYTHING for over 3 months.

i just moved into a house about 5-6 weeks ago, and everything was moved with the tank. sand was removed and replaced with some new sand added (for a deeper sandbed). 80% of the water in the system is from when it was set up before and tested 425 - 450. about 150-200lbs of the 300lbs from previous setup was removed and is in the seperate frag tank. so it now has about 150lbs. of rock in the display. so like i said ... EVERYTHING is from the previous set-up.

MY CALCIUM IS TESTING AT 620 !! alk is at 11 with NO snowing in the tank !! WHAT GIVES ?? i am completely stumped !!

Parameters are

PO4 = .25
NH3 = .1
NO2 = 0
NO3 = <5
KH = 11
Cal = 620

i am using Red Sea Coral Pro salt. alot of guys in my LFC are getting VERY different calcium test results when using the same salt AND the same kits. any ideas ?? could the die off from all of the coraline be the cause of my super high calcium level ??

[Phurst]

What's your pH at? I wouldn't think the dead/dying coarline would redesolve ca back into the water, but it MAY be possible that the really fine particles of sand that had settled into the bed have now been stired up and my be releasing ca into the water. Honestly, I'm very surprised you aren't having a snowstorm.

How long has the tank been set back up, and when was the last time you tested before you noticed the ca spike?

[Russel P]

I think anyone's first reaction would be this -do a water change! But if you are concerned you got a bad batch of salf (almost unheard of these days), get another salt source and be certain to filter your mix water well, and take Calcium, pH, and hardness readings from samples from the tank before, three+ hours after, and the water you used for replacement. This should indicate whether your calcium levels, salt mixture or test kit is off; removing the odd variable that your container or something is a factor.

[Phurst]

Oh, and the obvious, are you running a calcium reactor or driping kalk?

[lReef lKeeper]

Originally Posted by Phurst

What's your pH at? I wouldn't think the dead/dying coarline would redesolve ca back into the water, but it MAY be possible that the really fine particles of sand that had settled into the bed have now been stired up and my be releasing ca into the water. Honestly, I'm very surprised you aren't having a snowstorm.

How long has the tank been set back up, and when was the last time you tested before you noticed the ca spike?

funny you should ask ... i tested the calcium last week, and it was reading over 800 but i think it was the test kit. i was at the end of the #3 bottle and it was probably wrong. 41 drops to turn pink to purple in the hagen master kit.

the tank has been back up and running for about 5-6 weeks. i set it up the day after we moved into the house. i was letting it go through the cycle (because i removed the sandbed when we moved it, so i was not testing calcium during the cycle. i am glad i tested it before i started to add anything to the tank.

[lReef lKeeper]

Originally Posted by Phurst

Oh, and the obvious, are you running a calcium reactor or driping kalk?

none of the above !!

[lReef lKeeper]

Originally Posted by Russy Pelican

I think anyone's first reaction would be this -do a water change! But if you are concerned you got a bad batch of salf (almost unheard of these days), get another salt source and be certain to filter your mix water well, and take Calcium, pH, and hardness readings from samples from the tank before, three+ hours after, and the water you used for replacement. This should indicate whether your calcium levels, salt mixture or test kit is off; removing the odd variable that your container or something is a factor.

mixing as we speak !!

[CarmieJo]

Also, I would test the mixed SW before you add it to your tank. That way you will know right away if you have a bad batch.

[lReef lKeeper]

Originally Posted by CarmieJo

Also, I would test the mixed SW before you add it to your tank. That way you will know right away if you have a bad batch.

gotta pick up a a new kit tomarrow, BEFORE i do the 90 gallon WC. fun fun fun !! we need an additive that neutralizes calcium !! lol

[Phurst]

Originally Posted by lReef lKeeper

we need an additive that neutralizes calcium !! lol

Get more monit cap, that'll do it

[Seahorsedreams]

How old was the test kit you were using?

[lReef lKeeper]

my Hagen is about 11/2 years old and the salifert kits are brand new. one was a LFS and the other was a fellow reefers. i thought about an old kit, but the new one came up the same.

[Phurst]

Did you test the new water?