its been a week

If the 4 reading is inmeq/L then you have perfect ALK.

To get DKH you need to TIMES the 4 meq/L by 2.8

4 x 2.8 = 11.2 DKH which is just right.

 

What is your pH at right now?

What brand name of Calcium test kit are you using? Have you tried a different brand?

 

This came directly from Randy Holmes Farley.
"Once the calcium is high, it can take a long time for it to come down if the calcification demand is on the low side."

You need something in there to use the calcium.

 

what do i put in to use the calcium? every coral i put in tank dies. I use the LaMotte test and have not tried another, but have tested other water sources with an accruate reading.

i am attempting raise alk a bit to speed up the precipitation of the cacium.

i know my alk is fine now, but the calc is way off so that is why i am increasing a bit to help lower it my PH in tank right now is 8.2 and i am watching it carefully.

 

I think you should take some water to the LFS or a buddy with a different test kit and see what results you get.

You can raise, the alk a little bit I guess, but I agree with Naut that 4 meq/L is pretty darn good. TD's suggestion of a water change might help bring the calcium down. Have you done one?

 

You can reduce your calcium by doing small weekly water changes, 10% or less, if your testing indeed supports your readings.

Your crushed coral may be producing nitrates in amounts that corals do not like. What is your lighting nd what corals have you lost?

 

[quote author=new2salt2 link=board=General;num=1079115741;start=0#0 date=03/12/04 at 10:22:20]well after one week i have not even touched my water.

my nitrates/amonia and nitrites are all 0
my ph is 8.2
alk 4
and my calc is still 576PPM

what would make a tank that is a year old produce such high calc levels?  [/quote]

so your alk is 11.2 DKH so your are good there, as Nautilus said

so i think that you have a diff problem, your calcium is high but i dont think that would kill polyps, so i think its something else
also, i forgot to mention a single polyp is a bit more difficult to keep then 10 polyps, they like company/competion

since your parameters are good (other than the calc), IMO, i would do a few water changes (as mentioned) and test again, if levels are still good, then get another coral, maybe try something diff, like xenia, if you lived near me i would give you a frag of them

another thing, the tank they are coming from, what type of lights do they have, could be another problem/issue, but might not be a big issue

when alcimating the corals, how exactly do you do this, do you drip for 40min or do you add a cup of water every so often, also do you add the water from the bag to the tank??

sorry to nit pic just trying to rule out some possibilites

td

 

yea i have done water changes, but calc stays the same becasue the mixed water is at 100PPM anyway.. ill just leave alone and hope that it precipitates a bit and the coaline starts to grow.

 

[quote author=Craig_Manoukian link=board=General;num=1079115741;start=15#15 date=03/13/04 at 11:23:50]You can reduce your calcium by doing small weekly water changes, 10% or less, if your testing indeed supports your readings.

Your crushed coral may be producing nitrates in amounts that corals do not like.  What is your lighting nd what corals have you lost?[/quote]

I agree will all who said do water changes (RO/DI water) and it seems that is what most people have said to do. Your Alk is perfect so don't mess with it. Once you have the correct readings then start using your C-Balance and not before then.
Try some mushrooms or Xenia

 

This is what the king said to do. (Dr. Randy holmes-Farley) Based on the values that your showed, I wouldn't recommend anything except only using an alkalinity supplement until the calcium came down. So only the alkalinity part of the C-Balance, or use baking or washing soda. Once the calcium drop to 450 ppm (which it will eventually do, if only from coralline alone), then restart both parts of the C-Balance. I don't think there is any real problem caused by that calcium level as is.