dKH, pH & Calcium problems

[Reef4Fun]

I am having serious problems maintaining my dKH & pH.

If I dose daily with dKH buffer I can keep my dKH up at about 8 and my pH about 8.1.

If I don't dose for a couple of days (2 days away through work) my dKH drops to 4.6 and my pH to 7.8.

Whatever my pH or dKH levels read, my Calcium levels appear to be off the scale on my test kit. > 600ppm

Can someone tell me what is gpoing on & how do I fix it??

All my other water parameters seem OK. SG 1.024, Ammonia 0,Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0,Phosphate 0,Temp 78F

All help greatly appreciated

 

[t gallo]

let your calcium levels drop to about 400 and your alk/dkh should climb.
whats in the tank, reef or fish only with live rock.
how big is the tank, how long has it been setup for.

 

[Reef4Fun]

The tank is 65 gal and has been set up for about 3 years.

It was (& will be again) a reef tank. I had a serious problem with hair algae about 6 months ago (sunlight on the tank & high phosphates) and took all of my fish & most of my corals out. I currently only have a couple of leathers & some polyps in the tank. (I left them in so the wife couldn't say it was empty & we could get rid of it!!)

 

[Reef4Fun]

Just an added thought......

How do I get my Calcium DOWN ????

I guess this is a question NOT asked often on here.

 

[Fastmarc]

What do you dose for your calcium?
Just stop adding this and it will come down.

 

[Reef4Fun]

I don't dose anything for my Calcium!

I can't figure how it got that high!!!

 

[Fastmarc]

Sounds like a bad kit.

 

[t gallo]

The tank is 65 gal and has been set up for about 3 years.
is the test kit that old to.

 

[Reef4Fun]

The test kits are all new. I bought them in about August this year.
The kits I am using are all Salifert Profi Test kits.

 

[Anonymous]

Water changes may lower it
_________________
Mercedes Benz Ponton

 

[NewMan]

I previously some how have the same problem. I had high calcium(700ppm) + normal dKH 8O . Although yours is high calcium & low dKH. :roll: I don't see any harm in trying the following way to reduce ypur calcium.

I was told that calcium percipated in my tank water. Possible symtoms include sandbed caking, cloudy water. However, I do not experience any of the above. I was told to provide lots of water movement in between my LR structure for a couple of weeks. Increase your water turnover in your tank to at least 10x. Change 10%-20% water every week. Get more calcium hungry corals (I don't know if this is true but I ignore this part of the advice). Was told to get this done for a period of 2weeks.

I followed almost all advice except for getting more corals & two weeks later, my Ca level was back to normal