What should I be doing?

[sailfin tang]

The Aquarium has been up and running for about 6-8 months.
The parameters are...
PH 8.2
Nitrate 0
Alk 3
DKH 8.4
Phosphates 0
SG 1.024
Temp 80
Calcium over 600
I have been adding salt each day to try and raise to 1.026.
Could this be why my calcium is so high?
I add nothing else to the tank.

 

[joe la]

It could possibly be due to you DKH being a little low. KH and Calcium have an inverse relationship. If your calcium is too high, that will push your KH down. I think if you add some buffer, and try to get your KH to about 11 you may notice that it will push you calcium down a bit. I don't know if it will get you to 400, but I think this can be a start.

 

[snakeblitz33]

lol, don't listen to Joe. Your parameters are fine except for your calcium. What kind of test kit are you using? Are you using it accurately? Calcium can not go over 520-540 range or else it starts a calcium precipitation. If you add calcium to your water and then take a test, it will also through your reading off.
Are you adding salt directly to your water? You know you are supposed to mix it in pure fresh water then add the saltwater as top off water. NEVER MIX SALT IN YOUR AQUARIUM WITH ANIMALS IN THERE. Just a word of warning.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Oh, and by the way, your salinity if absolutely fine where it is. 1.024 is great for most fish, soft corals and large polyp stony corals. Most invertebrates are fine at this salinity level as well. I don't suggest going too much higher.
If you were keeping SPS corals, then yeah, go ahead and increase your salinity level, but I don't think you are doing sps corals quite yet.
Good luck!

 

[perfectdark]

If not done so already my first suggestion would be to test your Calc with 2 different test kits. Along with that make sure your testing your salinity with a refractometer and NOT a hydrometer. Especially when trying to pin point an issue that could be directly related to a false salinity reading. Just my 2 cents.

 

[sailfin tang]

I have been adding salt straight to the sump a cup (drinking cup) a day.
I use the "reef master" test kit from instant ocean.
I have to add like 40 drops for it to turn "blue".
I use aqua medic reef salt.
I use a hydrometer (I need a refractometer)
There are very smalll white particals floating throughout the aquarium. Could this be the calcium precipitation?

 

[tizzo]

Originally Posted by Sailfin Tang
http:///forum/post/2512693
There are very smalll white particals floating throughout the aquarium. Could this be the calcium precipitation?
calcium precip looks like that, except if your has hit that stage then your test readings would be very low since the calcium is no longer dissolved in the water column.
I agree with whoever said to get different test kits.

 

[sk8shorty01]

The small white particles that are floating in the water is most likely your salt that is still not dissolved. Make sure you do not add salt that way anymore, as it can be quite harmful to the system. Just scoop a bucket of water out of your tank and add salt to that and let it mix for about 24 hours, then put it back in. This should fix you up. Also, you can take out some water, and start with fresh water again, but I don't know that its completely necessary to do it that way.

 

[chuckcac]

Originally Posted by Sailfin Tang
http:///forum/post/2512097
The Aquarium has been up and running for about 6-8 months.
The parameters are...
PH 8.2
Nitrate 0
Alk 3
DKH 8.4
Phosphates 0
SG 1.024
Temp 80
Calcium over 600
I have been adding salt each day to try and raise to 1.026.
Could this be why my calcium is so high?
I add nothing else to the tank.

Yes - i agree with diffrent test kits... Bang Guy Recently gave me the same advice....
However,
I believe your Alk is way too low...
3 is too low
dKH should be 7-12
Calcium has an inverse relationship with Carbonate Hardness (dKH)
(go to the archives and read the thread on Alkalinity & Calcium)
it should help

 

[joe la]

Thanks Chuck. I think that was the point I was trying to make. Like I said in my post, it should only be viewed as a starting point towards a solution.

 

[dennis210]

What salt brand are you using? A friend - Scopus Tang, on here has the same problem and we cannot lower calcium. Mg and alk levels are both ok - so we start to mix his Oceanic salt mix with IO and calcium is now dropping.

 

[sailfin tang]

I use Aqua Medic reef salt.
Do I need a different salt?
I will get a different calcium test.

 

[chuckcac]

Originally Posted by Joe La
http:///forum/post/2513278
Thanks Chuck. I think that was the point I was trying to make. Like I said in my post, it should only be viewed as a starting point towards a solution.