cardsfan12 Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 My calcium levels are off the charts and they always have been, even before I started using purple up. I guess from my water changes the calcium levels are always replenished. I now have several SPS and LPS coral frags and assume that as they grow they will consume more and more calcium. My question is: Is there any major drawbacks to having high levels of calcium? I haven't had an explosion of purples and pink coraline algaes. I do have some coaline algae growth along with all sorts of round green algae growth in my refugium and on my overflow. It looks just like the pink and purple stuff, but just green in color. I'm not sure if this would be considered coraline algae or not. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddybluewater Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Yes there is green coraline. I would check mag and kh. If your mag gets too low your balance in Kh and Ca gets off. I personally think Purple up is a crock. You can get everything coraline needs from water changes. What kind of salt mix are you using? I know Oceanic is very high in Ca. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brooks Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 High Ca can cause a large decrease in Mg and KH. They sort of balance each other out. When one is high, the other is low. It is best to keep your Ca at 400-440 ppm. Also, high Ca can cause "snow" in your tank. This "snow" is caused by Calcium being precipitated in the water column. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrispar Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Nice Brooks, Id never heard of the snow effect. Learn something new everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardsfan12 Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 My Kh levels are normal, but I don't have a test kit for magnesium. I use instant ocean salt mix. I was always under the impression that it was one of the best available, but about a week ago in the forums someone pointed out that IO is the manufacturer of reef crystals if I recall correctly. I guess this is their premium salt mix. Is there really that much of a benefit to reef crystals? I have read several reviews of purple up where people seem to hate the stuff, unfortunatly I stocked up on it prior to reading these reviews. So I have to burn through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishypets Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Try another test kit. Unless you are dosing some sort of CA it should be inline. What makes me think this is your KH is normal. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I keep wondering at what point I'll have to start dosing something. It seems there's a sense of inevitability that at some point water changes won't replenish enough of the basics we test for. I have primarily softies and a few lps and sps corals. So far with water changes every 2 weeks (I've been using IO too) my kh stays stable at 9 dkh and my calcium at 440 dipping slightly just before water change time. I don't have a magnesium or iodine test yet. Is it safe to assume that if calcium and kh are good that magnesium is too? My pH is also very steady at 8.3 and doesn't really seem to fluctuate much with the photoperiod. I'm really hoping the tank will remain so stable over time. I thought a high kh would cause the calcium to precipitate out making a snow storm. Isn't there something of an inverse relationship there? I'm still trying to get a firm grasp on the relationship between alkalinity/kh, calcium and ph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GKarshens Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I had it explained to me like this. Calcium and KH are like marbles and Magnesium is the jar. The more calcium you have the lower your KH and vice versa. The bigger the jar the higher you can keep those numbers. There are also 2 types of calcium and I can't remember the names, but one is bonded with something else which makes it unusable by your corals. This type of calcium can lead to abnormally high calcium readings and yet your corals are not getting what they need. I think it is Calcium Carbonate, but I am not 100% on that. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesL Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I had it explained to me like this. Calcium and KH are like marbles and Magnesium is the jar. The more calcium you have the lower your KH and vice versa. The bigger the jar the higher you can keep those numbers. This is a great explanation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddybluewater Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 If you are using purple up with out adding sodium bicarbonate (Kh) you are going to get out of balance. Purple up contains calcium. I have had several API test kits that were not accurate. Try salifert or elos tests, if you are using API. What are your numbers on the tests? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KeeperOfTheZoo Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Good explanation Gabriel, I like analogies. I'm going to get a magnesium test eventually here, but I guess it probably is safe to assume it's ok in my tank since kh & calcium are right where they should be. I remember reading somewhere that magnesium dropping is a good first sign that your calcium and KH are about to be in trouble. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardsfan12 Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 I had it explained to me like this. Calcium and KH are like marbles and Magnesium is the jar. The more calcium you have the lower your KH and vice versa. The bigger the jar the higher you can keep those numbers. There are also 2 types of calcium and I can't remember the names, but one is bonded with something else which makes it unusable by your corals. This type of calcium can lead to abnormally high calcium readings and yet your corals are not getting what they need. I think it is Calcium Carbonate, but I am not 100% on that. Great explaination. That's put in language I can understand, without referencing my old chemistry books. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardsfan12 Posted March 4, 2010 Author Share Posted March 4, 2010 If you are using purple up with out adding sodium bicarbonate (Kh) you are going to get out of balance. Purple up contains calcium. I have had several API test kits that were not accurate. Try salifert or elos tests, if you are using API. What are your numbers on the tests? Yeah I'm definatly not adding bicarbonate, just the purple up. I'm using an API test kit as well, so maybe after awhile I'll have to get a better calcium test kit along with a magnesium test. I wonder if they sell a good combo test kit with everything you would need for an sps tank. I'll have to look into it. I'm sure it will cost a pretty penny. I have a few things I have to do first, such as an ATO and I've been considering a Calc reacter if I could find an inexpensive yet effective one(probably an oxi-moron, right). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddybluewater Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 The only place that I have seen kits for salifert is from ReefGeek, I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekreefer Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 The only place that I have seen kits for salifert is from ReefGeek, I think Aqua Dome has salifert test kits. I think the Mg alone was 44 or 50 bucks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derekreefer Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 I am currently using ESV Bi-ionic for KH, PH and Calcium. I use Seachem for Iodide. What do you recommend for MG? Should I be using any other supplements? I have softies, LPS and few monti's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddybluewater Posted March 4, 2010 Share Posted March 4, 2010 Aqua Dome has salifert test kits. I think the Mg alone was 44 or 50 bucks Many places sell indivual kits. I was refering to multiple tests packaged together. As for mag I buy mine from BRS but Epsom salt works fine and you can buy it at the dollar store. I have used ESV but Bulk Reef Supply is much cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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