Relationship Cal & Alk

[Chad]

Ok, I dose with liquid calcium every morning and it maintaines my tank at about 350ppm in general. I tested my Alk and noticed it was low, so I put some stuff in to raise it. I tested my Cal later that day and it was over 500 ppm. I believe I understand that Alk keeps calcium desolved but did raising my Alk disolve leftover Cal in my tank?

Thanks

[Jack]

If anything, raising your Alk would drop your Ca levels, unless compensated for. What product did you use?

[Chad]

If anything, raising your Alk would drop your Ca levels, unless compensated for. What product did you use?

I am using Seachem Reef Builder

[Delphinus]

Jack is correct, raising the Alk should have lowered the Ca.

A reading of 500 seems quite unusually high. What test kit are you using to measure Ca?

[sleeman]

Chad,
If you go to Ocean Aquatics website there is a link to an article on CA and Alk. it doesn't go into your problem, however it brings the CA/Alk equation together.

Cheers,

Al

[Chad]

I am using

RED SEA SALTWATER CALCIUM PRO MINI LAB

[Jack]

Hrm. Never heard of that test kit. I reccomend Salifert for Ca and Alk kits. They've got a great rep and are consitantly accurate.

Bring by some water next weekend if you're really worried.

I don't know what advice to give you. If you're test kits are wrong it's hard to fix the problem. :neutral:

[Chad]

I am stopping by J&L tonight.. I will try and pick up some new test kits.. I'll let you know the results with the new ones...

The biggest reason why I am concerned is because I bought a red blasto that has no expanded even once since the 2nd day I had it. My Alk was low so I did the buffer.. but then the cal shot up. Last thing I need is for my tank to go boom :confused:

[Jack]

Feel free to stop by my place if you want. I'm close to J&L.

[Namscam]

what is so bad about having your Ca high aside from having low alk

[Jack]

500 is too high. You run the risk of precipitating.

Natural sea water has levels 380 Ca and 8 dkh, or around there, but a Calcium of around 400 and Alkalinity of 12 is optimal and produces the best growth, IMO.

[Jack]

500 is too high. You run the risk of precipitating.

Natural sea water has levels 380 Ca and 8 dkh, or around there, but a Calcium of around 400 and Alkalinity of 12 is optimal and produces the best growth, IMO.

High alkalinity is important in a reef tank.

[Aquattro]

what is so bad about having your Ca high aside from having low alk

If your Ca is too high, it has the possibility of suddenly precipitating out of solution. It's called a snowstorm, 'cause that's what your tank will look like.
Low alk is also a problem, in as much as alk is required to buffer pH shifts due to acids in solution.

[StirCrazy]

500 is too high. You run the risk of precipitating.

.

it would take a lot higher than 500 to perticipate unless your Mg is low. my tank was running at 485 for a while after I got my Mg levels corected.

Steve

[Jack]

You know what I mean Steve. :rolleyes:

[Chad]

I was going to buy the test kits when I got to J&L but I couldn't part with my money.. lol.. I will bring myself up to it next time. I am doing a water change tonight to get things in a better balance. Everything seems to be doing well tho..