[dinor2]

After watching some of my coralline algae go white and my kenya tree coral not it's usual happy self (still opening but, not as much) I did another water test and was amazed at how it has changed! I tested this morning and here are the results:

Temp 76
Salinity 1.024
Ph 8.0 (usually 8.2 or 8.3)
Alk 1.6 (usually 3)
dkh 6 (usually 10)
nitrates 0
ammonia 0
calcium off the scale! at over 520!

My question is, would the overshoot of calcium affect the other parameters? I know calcium is a good thing but not too much! I'm trying to remember what book or site I read this on but I believe too much calcium messes with the other parameters in the water. I did change my salt to Red Sea salt, anyone have this problem with Red Sea? I was using the aqua marine life salt and think that it would be a good idea to stop using the red sea and go back to the AM salt, these problems didn't show when i used AM salt.

Also, I daily take about 3-4 cups of water out to help get some algae off rocks and take a little from the overflow box to keep that water clean, and I replace with salt water that's been mixed days before hand. Everything seems to be OK but, I feel this is a red flag to get this fixed before something VERY bad happens!

Any suggestions, thoughts?...

[dinor2]

Oh, my tank has been running for 8 months.

[Taras1]

When was your last water change? It sounds like your buffering capacity has been overtaxed. You might have a build-up of organic acids which counter the inorganic Ca/BiCarb/Carbonate buffering. Check your skimmer. Also if you have any filtering material, bioballs, etc. make sure they're clean or changed out. Sometimes a brief (a day or so) filtering with carbon can help.

I've used Red Sea and not had problems with it. Personally, I use Reef Crystals right now.

[unclejed]

Hi, seems as if the new salt is problem. If you can take some of the pre made water to lfs and let them test for calc. and compare to your reading, could be the kit you are using has gone off. And yes, the calc does affect the alk and also you should be checking magnesium as this affects the two so have them check your mag levels.

[dinor2]

Ok, I do have a magnesium test kit, I'll post those results as well soon. So, possibly cleaning out the collection cup and neck of the protein skimmer may help with this? Also, in my refugium/overflow box I have some lr rubble and cheato, I do suction out some of that water to keep it clean, should I be doing anything else to that part of the tank?

I honestly think this has to do with the salt though, especially since this happened after I switched brands but, I have been running my skimmer full blast to help with the algae and it does put some bubbles back into the dt, would the bubbles in the dt affect these parameters as well?

Thanks guys for replying and for the help, my dt has been going so well I'm probably paranoid about something happening to it.

[unclejed]

No, the bubbles can add to algae growth not to calcium rising. All the things you said above are not going to raise calc. My guess would be mag. is low, maybe real low, we'll see after your test. Let us know.

[dinor2]

Originally Posted by unclejed

No, the bubbles can add to algae growth not to calcium rising. All the things you said above are not going to raise calc. My guess would be mag. is low, maybe real low, we'll see after your test. Let us know.

Ok, my magnesium test was 1200 and my salinity is at 1.024 so that means it should be at 1220, so it is a little low. Would that much make this huge a difference in ph, alk and calc?

I think my dh is going to get a kalkwasser drip system for me for my bday early, it's something, as I understand it, is almost a must to help keep ph, alk and calcium levels stable. In the mean time, I'm going to grab some magnesium supplement and dose just a few drops today and see if that doesn't help. Doesn't magnesium and calcium bind together in the water and that's what corals use? Not enough mag then there's too much calcium in the water? I may be totally off, I'm going off of the few books I have that talks about the water chemistry... I'm also going to go back to the salt I was using before, my mag and calc, really all my levels were normal and steady with the other salt so I'm guessing there may be less mag in the red sea salt? I guess I could mix some red sea salt in fresh ro/di water and test it! I like to test the water, that's one of the best parts of this hobby, I think!

Let me know what you all think about adding just a few drops of mag to the water until it gets stabalized.

[unclejed]

Magnesium is one of the major minerals found in natural seawater and all sea salt mixes. Maintaining a magnesium concentration between 1300-1400 ppm is essential in a reef aquarium, as it will ensure optimal coral growth by facilitating the maintenance of other necessary parameters at natural seawater levels. However, magnesium is rapidly depleted from the aquarium through a variety of biological processes — it is used up by the organisms in the system. When the magnesium concentration falls below 1300 ppm, problems may arise in maintaining adequate calcium levels (420-430 ppm) and carbonate alkalinity (7 dKH). Some experts will go as high as 1500 on the high end, A more reasonable range will be 1280 to 1380. So, you are low, however I don't think that should have thrown the calc off. Bring your mag up as it benefits all your corals and other denizens of the deep. I still believe it was the salt change. The new one might have something in it that buffered the calc and caused it to hold solution better. This may sound good, but if the calc is not readily available to be used and "holds" then the calc goes up and your corals can't use it adequately.

[dinor2]

Ok, that makes sense to me. Thanks for all the help. I'll let you all know how it goes in a few days after getting the previous salt and adding a tad of magnesium, I will watch the water daily to know when it's stable again.

Thanks again!

[dinor2]

Well, this may need to go into the coral forum but, since it may have something to do with the water params I thought I'd put this question here. My kenya coral is still growing and opening, just not as much as it could. The base of the stalk has had an invisible ring around it, like someones tightening an invisible string around it... but this morning, the stalk under this 'ring' is shrunken and darker in color... is this ok? The coral looks pretty happy still, the heads are still opening and it's expanding but, this is one of my first corals and I've never heard of this happening, is it trying to split? Cause if it is, it's going to split horizonally about an inch above the base... I thought it'd split vertically...?

[dinor2]

My magnesium tested at 1300 this morning so it's getting there. Got the salt I was using before and doing a water change today as well so I'm going to test it again tonight a few hours after the water change. My goal is to get it stabliezed at 1340, does that sound ideal?
Also, I'm using Tech M for the mag supplement.

[dinor2]

Ok, the shrunken part is now inflated and I've found that the top of one of the dark vertical lines inside the stalk ends at the base of a small cluster of heads that looks like it's trying to peel away from the main stalk! I guess my water quality isn't as bad as I feared since my coral is doing so well it's reproducing! I'm looking forward to having another baby kenya tree, it's my favorite coral!

[unclejed]

Yes, your mag is on track now. Calc should be brought to 420 and alk to 10. Those levels are optimal for all your inhabitants. Some will suggest calc at 450-500, I wouldn't go there, you risk the calc "falling out" of solution and precipitating, not a good outcome.

[dinor2]

So if mag and calc stablalize at those levels but the ph and alk are a little low, a kalk drip system would help correct those and stabalize them, right? I figure since I'll be getting $ for my bday here soon I may as well invest in the kalk drip before adding more corals!

Speaking of corals, I think my kenya tree is fine, not as happy as it could be but it still grows and, I found two tiny branches that are 'peeling' away from the main stalk so, it can't be doing so bad, right!?

Anyways, thank you for all your help guys, will test everything in the am again and see where it all is at after the water change with other salt.

[unclejed]

What are your PH and alk now?

[dinor2]

Ok, here are the latest parameters as of this morning:

Temp 75
salinity 1.024
ph 8.0 (a little low but consistent for the last few days)
alk 1.6 (also too low but again, consistent, maybe these two things staying constant is why my corals are doing ok?...)
calc 1300 (was this yesterday as well after adding a half dose of tech m and also did 6 gal water change yesterday with original salt)
mag 1300 (would like to get this to 1340 but, is this ok at this level?)

I would LOVE to add more corals and a fish or two in May for my birthday but, thinking I should have a drip system of kalk set up first to raise and stabalize the ph and alk... does this sound like a good plan? I also plan on adding one more koralia #2 powerhead for some more flow, which could also be what is contributing to some of the algae. I also plan on getting two or three astreas and 2 or 3 more ceriths (just added two of those the other day, have 7 different types of snails now).

Thoughts?.... Suggestions?.... I appreciate both very much! Thanks guys!