Calcium level

I was testing my calcium level and it was high around 800ppm so I retested and same reading. My peramaters are ph 8.3, nitrite 0mg, nitrate 15mg, and ammonia .25mg and calcium 800ppm. The tank is a 40 gal. and question is if I am ready for corals? Lighting I have 2x 250watt metal hed. I have 5 powerheads at 250 plus gal per hour. and a refugium. Tanks been set up for 5 months with only coral beauty, yellow tang and scooter blenny.

 

thats really high. where is the water that you are using coming from? are you dosing with cal? have you tested the water source to see where it is coming from? what about other levels? how old is the tank? why do you have ammonia?

 

If your calcium level is that high, chances are you alkalinity level is low along with magnesium. Did you check those levels. Yeah, why do you have ammonia!
With ammonia you don't want to add anything!

 

Need to also know your Magnesium and ALK. Mag is probably really low for you to have the Ca that high.

 

wouldn't there be precip with that high of a cal? Is your water cloudy by chance?

 

what test are you using for the calcium... I read my test wrong once and thought my cal was up to 750... but i was just confused.

 

800pm of Cal......WOW Im sorry to say, but your in no shape to have any livestock in that tank. I think that your tank is way too small for a Y-Tang. Your lighting is also an overkill.....imo (2) 250w MH in a 40g tank???? Sounds like your trying to cook your tank, not light it. Luna

 

I am using RO water from wal-mart. I am not useing any cal addive. ammonia might be from dead things coming from new live rock???? tank was new set up about 5 months now. unfortunity i dont have alk and mag test kits i can not find any around where i live. water is clear. i know i need to wait and i dont buy to buy. test kit is API i am about to do a water change. and i do one every week on sunday

 

I don't think 250watt MH is too much, just watch your temp and evaporation very closely.

You need to start ordering stuff online, with a saltwater tank unless you live close to an AWESOME fish store you will never find everything you need locally. Check out www.premiumaquatics.com they are great people there and have most anything you would need. I also don't know how much I would trust API test kits but that is my opinion... I personally only trust Salifert and Elos. Do some daily water changes to bring that CA down then get your parameters rock solid for at least a month before you do anything else.

 

thank you everyone for the help. yeah i have 2 types of temp gauges digital and glass kind. temp is 76 i have 2 mini fans on the lights. i also have the test kits on order as of now and im off to do a 5 gal water change as normal