Calcium and Alkalinity is very high

[Albert Lazo]

Hello,
I have a 55 gallon reef (sps). I have a homemade cal-reactor and also
dose kalkwasser.Just took a calcium test (Salifert) and is 650ppm.
Alkalinity was tested (Salifert) at 15.5. I have no reason to think
that the kits are bad due to that I have taken some test on it
previously and results seem believable. Calcium and Alk , last time I
checked (about 2 months ago) were 450 and 13.5 respectively. PH is
approx 8.4 (recently calibrated Pinpoint probe).
I installed the calc-reactor about 3.5 months ago and again it's been
a while since testing. I have just gone by looking at the ph meter.
Is there any reason to be concerned?. The SPS are growing very well
except I notice that on some when they grow a bit the tips will become
pinched. I know this sounds weird but think of a pvc pipe that has
been flattened by pliers, this is the look of some of the tips. Again
everything seems ok and though I am not too concerned I wanted to get
you folk's opinions.
I do not see any cacking of the substrate and though I haven't taken
the pumps out for cleaning, they have not shown any signs of
cal-buildup.

Here is a little bit more info on the tank:
2x400 watt bulbs (currently 1 Iwasaki and 1 Radium)
1x175 watt 10k german
2x110 Actinic
20gallon sump
10 gallon refugium (drains to tank)
4 inches sand in main tank
90% sps

The tank has been up for approx 9 months. It is really amazing how I
have never experienced any kind of algea outbreak with all the
lighting in such a small tank (we'll see if I can say this in a year).
The refugium gets all kinds of macroalgea and hair algea but has not
started growing in the main tank. If I put one of the rocks from the
refugium in the main tank the microalgea dies within a few days.

thanks in advance for your input !!
Albert Lazo

[Dragon Slayer]

sounds like you have way to much CO2 going into the Ca reactor. the bubble
count needs to be adjusted to your system by testing it daily untile its set
right, then weekly testing is best there after.

turn off the CO2 and let the system depelat down the levels on its own over
a few weeks. then start the CO2 back up and adjust it correctly.

hth
kc

"Albert Lazo" > wrote in message
om...
> Hello,
> I have a 55 gallon reef (sps). I have a homemade cal-reactor and also
> dose kalkwasser.Just took a calcium test (Salifert) and is 650ppm.
> Alkalinity was tested (Salifert) at 15.5. I have no reason to think
> that the kits are bad due to that I have taken some test on it
> previously and results seem believable. Calcium and Alk , last time I
> checked (about 2 months ago) were 450 and 13.5 respectively. PH is
> approx 8.4 (recently calibrated Pinpoint probe).
> I installed the calc-reactor about 3.5 months ago and again it's been
> a while since testing. I have just gone by looking at the ph meter.
> Is there any reason to be concerned?. The SPS are growing very well
> except I notice that on some when they grow a bit the tips will become
> pinched. I know this sounds weird but think of a pvc pipe that has
> been flattened by pliers, this is the look of some of the tips. Again
> everything seems ok and though I am not too concerned I wanted to get
> you folk's opinions.
> I do not see any cacking of the substrate and though I haven't taken
> the pumps out for cleaning, they have not shown any signs of
> cal-buildup.
>
> Here is a little bit more info on the tank:
> 2x400 watt bulbs (currently 1 Iwasaki and 1 Radium)
> 1x175 watt 10k german
> 2x110 Actinic
> 20gallon sump
> 10 gallon refugium (drains to tank)
> 4 inches sand in main tank
> 90% sps
>
> The tank has been up for approx 9 months. It is really amazing how I
> have never experienced any kind of algea outbreak with all the
> lighting in such a small tank (we'll see if I can say this in a year).
> The refugium gets all kinds of macroalgea and hair algea but has not
> started growing in the main tank. If I put one of the rocks from the
> refugium in the main tank the microalgea dies within a few days.
>
> thanks in advance for your input !!
> Albert Lazo