We have a well established 180gal reef tank. My father inadvertently added
WAY too much calcium chloride on Sunday. Tuesday I noticed a dead fish.
Yesterday I scooped out 5 more and today I don't see the last couple. The
2.5' long waving hands looks almost dead, the 1.5' leather coral looks BAD.
All the mushrooms are now closed up. Could this all be from the calcium??
Its around 580 ppm and water is now turning a bit milky... We have changed
about 25 gal in last 2 days but the problem is I tested the Tropic Marine
salt we've been using and even though there is no calcium listed in the 75
nutrients shown to be in the salt the level is HIGH. I mixed up r/o water
and salt to a high concentration of about 1.029 or so thinking that it would
take a high concentration to get a reading and to my amazement it tested at
700-800!!!!

What can I do?!?!? I can't just dump in 25-30 gal fresh water to drop the
calcium because that would screw the salt level, ph, etc....

Has anyone tested instant ocean to see what the calcium level is??

Haven't tested tank today but Tuesday's levels
PH ~8.15 ish (hard to tell)
Ammonia 0 - 0.1
Nitrite .05
Nitrate 6 - 7
Alkalinity 4
Calcium 540-560

Yesterday's levels
PH ~8.0-8.05 (again hard to tell)
Alkalinity 3.75
Calcium 580

Could the Alkalinity be more of a problem than the calcium??
I think the water is turning milky because the salinity is dropping trying
to mix it weak and even some fresh to drop the calcium.


If I don't get this thing headed in the right direction TODAY I'm afraid
Everything will die :-( !!!
Most everything in the tank has been doing great for over 2 years or more
and has multiplied in size several times... man I hate to see anything die!