Help with Tank Chemistry!

[marknash]

hey all we are trying to learn about our tank chemistry.. we are newbies we have a 46g tank tank has been running since aug 2009.
we decided that we should start testing things other than our (realizing now we shoulda tested this stuff in the first place ...) ammonia nitrite and nitrates..as we just finally added our first corals.
we use RO water we have koralia 1 and 2 PH
and these are our results
we currently use coralife salt
ph 7.9
calcium 520
(kh what it says on the test kit) alkalinity 60
reading the results on our test kits.. these numbers are WAY out of whack..and we are not sure what to do about it
we keep our tank at 79 degrees
sg 1.026 by refractometer
ammonia trace amounts
nitrite 0
nitrate 5
anything else we need to test? any other info you need from me?
thanks in advance!!

[Bloodasp]

Magnesium and phosphates would be good to get too.

[marknash]

we dont have a mag test..will get one
just tested phosphate and its between 0 and .25

[marknash]

What is it that we are missing to have our parameters so out of whack?

[marknash]

also the test that we are using for alkalinity is called carbonate hardness kH is this the right one? it is measured in mg/L

[marknash]

no one has any input as to why my calcium is so high with no additives?
my LFS told me my parameters didnt make any sense.. so i went and bought a different test kit, and its so high its not even on the chart. i had to add 31 drops in order for the colour to change.

[mike31154]

What brand of salt mix are you using?

[marknash]

coralife

[marknash]

im at a loss. can anyone help me?

[sitandwatch]

I had really high calcium levels once then I mixed the salt in the bucket

I was told that the calcium or trace minerals in the bucket of salt can rise to the top of the salt bucket during transport and such so it should be mixed or shaken up.

Since I started mixing or really rolling around the bucket I have not had the issue since.

[Madreefer]

I had really high calcium levels once then I mixed the salt in the bucket

I was told that the calcium or trace minerals in the bucket of salt can rise to the top of the salt bucket during transport and such so it should be mixed or shaken up.

Since I started mixing or really rolling around the bucket I have not had the issue since.

I was told the same thing. I now make sure my bucket is mixed good as well.

[mike31154]

coralife

I've never used this brand, what are the advertised levels on the packaging? If you're not dosing any calcium then either the salt you're using is out of whack with regard to calcium levels or your test kit(s) are inaccurate. You're using RO water so logically the extra calcium can only be coming from your salt mix.... unless you've got some exotic substrate or LR that's producing it...

[George]

Coralife salt mix has an exceptionally high Ca according to a test done by people in RC.

CoraLife Ca:560 Alk:9 Mg:1380