[GoinSalt]

My calcium reading are still high -- around 600. I haven't found an alk test at my LFS, so I can't test for it. I'm guessing that if my cal is high, my alk is low?

How do I raise alk and lower cal? Also, what affects would it have on my tank? I don't currently have any corals -- I had a rock of ricordea with five or six heads that melted away. I want to get some mushrooms and zoos but afraid they'll suffer the same fate as the ricordea. I want to get my "chemicals" in the right place before I add anything new.

Nate

[GoinSalt]

Anyone?

[jiggly75]

Originally Posted by GoinSalt

My calcium reading are still high -- around 600. I haven't found an alk test at my LFS, so I can't test for it. I'm guessing that if my cal is high, my alk is low?

How do I raise alk and lower cal? Also, what affects would it have on my tank? I don't currently have any corals -- I had a rock of ricordea with five or six heads that melted away. I want to get some mushrooms and zoos but afraid they'll suffer the same fate as the ricordea. I want to get my "chemicals" in the right place before I add anything new.

Nate

Your probably right about your alk. being low if your calcium is high. I have found that when you raise one the other lowers. Before trying to add anything you need a good alk. and calcium test kit. I like salifert.

Before i got my calcium reactor i would drip lime water every night as my evaporation replenishment. My alk. would stay around 9.6-10.5 and calcium 400-450.

[gqsmoothster]

I just got my water tested a the LFS for some of the paramters I don't have a tester.

• My pH is in the 8.2-8.4 area by my kit
• Calcium was 675 by LFS kit.
• The LFS forgot to write down my alk (duh?) and I've since forgotten what it was. It was "in range" though.

My question is how is my Ca so high? I have never added any calcium, but I have lots of LR (about 15 pounds is 'dead' LR I used as base). Is the argonite dissolving calcium into my water? I only use RO water to fill/refill. Is this high Ca going to be a problem?

I've been reading as much as I can tolerate of water chemistry whenever I can... human body chemistry is so much simpler

[prow]

Originally Posted by GoinSalt

My calcium reading are still high -- around 600. I haven't found an alk test at my LFS, so I can't test for it. I'm guessing that if my cal is high, my alk is low?

well it might not be. depends on what type of Ca+ you used.

How do I raise alk and lower cal? Also, what affects would it have on my tank? I don't currently have any corals -- I had a rock of ricordea with five or six heads that melted away. I want to get some mushrooms and zoos but afraid they'll suffer the same fate as the ricordea. I want to get my "chemicals" in the right place before I add anything new.

well you need a alk test to balance them. i would so a 20% water change for the next couple days, one each day. tell you Ca+ gets closer to 450. here is a link to help you fix the Ca+ and alk balance. it will tell you a bucnch of ways and easy to follow hope it helps.http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm