Kalkwasser

Just added this to my 210 reef. I never had much luck with corals in the past, and was told this would really help.
My parameters were checked today, and i think i was told my calcium level was around 500(super high), and my Ph was low, around 7.4.
I was told that the reason for my Brain Coral peeling from its skeleton was the high Calcium. True?

Do you guys use Kalkwassers in your tanks, and do you think this will help with my corals?

 

I use Kalk (or actually pickling lime) but it will raise your calcium and ph. If your calicum is really high you won't want to add it.

I use seachem reef trace and reef plus and when I stopped for a 6 month period (due to finances) and started it up again, I really noticed a big difference in the corals.

The brain can also be fed brine shrimp when it's feeding tennys are out at night.

 

I dont think the Calc is causing your coral to peel.
The more likely bad guy is your alk. SPS and LPS are very sensitive to alk swings and not so much to calc swings. Your PH even though on the low side is ok as long as it is steady. I would probably gradually raise it to around 8 or sothough. Do this over a several day period. Many reef tanks are kept at various ranges of PH from in the 7s all the way to 12. Just keep it steady in waterever range you want it at.

 

I'm so confused at this point. My LF guy is usually dead on with his info, so i'm not sure why, after checking my calcium and seeing it was over 500, he would recomend the Kalkwasser?
He said my PH was low, and calcium high, so i needed to balance things out. I also added Seacham Reef Buffer. Man i'm freakin out, now!
Now i'm paranoid i'm gonna start killing my fish!!!

 

ph of 12? I would have to disagree on running your ph that high. most corals need a ph of about 8.0 to 8.4. although a lower ph they can still live.
What is your dkh at?

 

So what do i do about the alkalinity? Of course i should test it first, but then what?
What is DKH?

 

Reef buffer is a good product but rapid changes can cause terrible losses. You still have not said anything about Alkalinity have you tested that. Reef buffer will change your alk.

If you are worried, rather than adding a ton of stuff without knowing where your alk is at I would recommend doing a larger water change to correct your parameters. The prepackaged salt is balanced when you add it.

Calc and alk have to be balanced usually if one is very high the other is low. Calcium is not very risky in my opinion at 500. Half of the test kits will give you 50 point change between them. 450 is the average desired calc so 500 although high is not serious.

 

I miss spoke when I said 12 for a high. Brain cramp I guess, it is late on the east coast. I run my ph at 8.2 and you should never go much higher than 8.6 or so. I think I was thinking of alk numbers. I do apologize for the mistake.

 

I found this link to be vary useful when trying to figure out alk,ph, cal and the balance between them. you may also want to test your magnesium because that governs the two, alk and calcuim.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

also another good link on low ph problems:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

another way of measuring alk. but you definitely need to know where that is before trying to make any changes.

 

np happens to us all. when I read it I was like wow. but that makes more sense.