Coralline Stimulator and Calcium...

[damigs]

I have a friend whos been using Coralline Stimulator for a few months now. His calcium levels checked out high a few weeks back when he got it tested at LFS. They recommended he stop adding calcium for a week so that calcium levels will deplete and come back down. During that time he still added Coralline Stimulator twice a week. Just yesterday he lost 4 chromies, 1 cleaner shrimp and 2 fire fish all in one day. He got another water test and his calcium level were even higher than last time at a dangerous level even thou he hasn't added any calcium. His corals are doing fine so far but its strange how fish one day to the next died.

My question is does Coralline Stimulator raise Calcium? If so is this the cause of the problem he is having?

All other parameters are normal and safe. Just his Calcium....

[Bruce]

hmm this is interesting...i didnt even think that hi level of Ca would kill fish...so before he was adding Ca and Coraline Stim? then he stoped the Ca and only did the Stim? and then it went really high ...well from what i can guess because i dont know what the Stimulator is , its prolly just more Ca...imo i would just add the recommended dose of Ca...coraline will grow very fast when its ready....i didnt have alot then when i hit the 1 year mark it went crazy... good luck

[damigs]

For now he is going to stop adding Coralline Stimulator and a water change sometime this week when the temps get a bit warmer. Just dont see how his calcium levels are going thru the roof like they have....

[Scoffer]

I haven't added Ca in several MONTHS now...and my Ca level stays just above 500 !!! My ALK is usually always a little low...but not much... not sure where my calcium is coming from...the rock..food...wish I knew....

He didn't have a cold snap and drop the temp of the tank quickly? thats probably a more dangerous event tha Ca....


good luck!

Scoffer

[inwall75]

If you add too much Calcium, then you can end up with a carbonate snowstorm. I.e. alkalinity. If your alk drops too much, then that will have a depressing affect on pH. Low pH can really stress out your fish and if it drops too low, possibly kill your fish.

[rickzter]

It's not high levels of Ca that kills fish, it's the flunctuation of the pH and Alk that does that. When dosing stimulators and the such, it might throw off the pH and Alk, so be careful and monitor.

[suckafishtankcleaning]

if the ph got low enought to kill the fish wouldnt take the corals out too?