A couple questions

[ryanrichter]

Here are my questions
1. Is there a way someone can bring down the level of calcium in their tank? I have tested it and it seems to be around 800ppm!

2. There is this thick algae type material when I get home everyday from work. It is not on the sand or the rock, but is on the glass. Anyone know how to get rid of it? or what it may be?

[Instar]

You will need more details for us to help you. Complete water chemistry tests, type of salt mix used, age of tank, size of tank, inhabitants (fish, softies and hard corals) and their relative sizes, lighting, and the color of the algae on the glass. What have you added in the last couple months and from where? Do you use RO to mix your water changes, etc?

Have your calcium tested by someone else's kit and let them test it for you. If that result is in the same ball park as the 800 you got, then we can talk about this furthur.

[Bigreefer]

I don't think 800 is possible without precipitation. Precipitation starts around 550. Does it look like it's snowing in your tank?

Jason

[StephenA]

It's got to be a bad test kit!

[Bigreefer]

Here are some really good articles about Calcium, Alkalinity, and PH.... and a few others from the chemistry form at reef central.


Solving Common Problems

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

Solutions to pH Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ne2002/chem.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Phosphate Issues
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...pt2002/chem.htm

Nitrate Issues
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...st2003/chem.htm



Calcium and Alkalinity

Solving Calcium and Alkalinity Problems
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Calcium and Alkalinity Balance Issues
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-...ature/index.htm

Calcium Carbonate as a Supplement (Aragamight; Liquid Reactor)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ly2002/chem.htm

The Relationship Between Alkalinity and pH.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2002/chem.htm

The Chemical & Biochemical Mechanisms of Calcification in Corals
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/apr2002/chem.htm

Calcium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2002/chem.htm

Alkalinity
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...2/chemistry.htm


Iron

First Iron Article: Macroalgae and Dosing Recommendations
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm

Second Iron Article: Iron: A Look at Organisms Other than Macroalgae
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/chem.htm

Iodine

Iodine in Marine Aquaria: Part I
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/chem.htm

Iodine in Reef Tanks 2: Effects on Macroalgae Growth
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...il2003/chem.htm


Magnesium and Strontium

Strontium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2003/chem.htm

Magnesium
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2003/chem.htm

Magnesium and Strontium in Limewater
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2003/chem.htm


Limewater (kalkwasser)

The Self Purification of Limewater (Kalkwasser)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/may2003/chem.htm

The Degradation of Limewater (Kalkwasser) in Air
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-...ature/index.htm

How to Select a Calcium and Alkalinity Supplementation Scheme
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Metals in Aquaria

Aluminum and aluminum-based phosphate binders
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ly2003/chem.htm

Reef Aquaria with Low Soluble Metals
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-...ature/index.htm

Tap Water in Reef Aquaria
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm
First Iron Article: Macroalgae and Dosing Recommendations
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/aug2002/chem.htm

Second Iron Article: Iron: A Look at Organisms Other than Macroalgae
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/oct2002/chem.htm


Test Kit Reviews

The Seachem Borate Alkalinity Test Kit
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ne2003/chem.htm

The Salifert Boron Test Kit
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...pt2003/chem.htm

Boron and Borate (and pH buffering)

Boron in a Reef Tank (and its effect on pH buffering)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/dec2002/chem.htm

The Seachem Borate Alkalinity Test Kit
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...ne2003/chem.htm

The Salifert Boron Test Kit
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...pt2003/chem.htm



Others

Tap Water in Reef Aquaria
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2004/chem.htm

ORP
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-...ature/index.htm

Chloramine
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-...ature/index.htm

Silica in a Reef Tank
http://advancedaquarist.com/issues/jan2003/feature.htm

Specific Gravity (and temperature correction of hydrometers)
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/iss...2/chemistry.htm

[ryanrichter]

Yeah I was thinking it was a bad test kit as well. My tank has got a haze look to it, but I dont believe it is precipitating out.

I have a 115g tank. A few fish ( clarkii clown, yellow tang, mandarin goby, lawnmower bleeny, royal gramma) corals include( leathers, couple sps, shrooms, zoos) Havent added much lately except a couple small pieces of live rock. Use IO and RO water to mix it with. Water changes every week. Add Liquid reactor for Ca levels and Tech M. Had this problem before I added the live rock.

[Instar]

I am sure that your shrooms would all be bleached out if you could even achieve a calcium of 800. To be sure, in a buffered solution, with things in the right concentration, you could have an other than normal, beyond precipitation level calcium or any other situation. But, I doubt it would last long because all you need is one seed crystal and it can all come down.

Its interesting that you mention a haze. I seem to see a slight haze to my water over the past week myself and it just doesn't figure. I tried cleaning the glass, and I don't believe thats it. I use a live phyto but it just doesn't look like an algae bloom. The reason I mention it is this: Things are seasonal and occur at the same time of the year, every year. Perhaps we have the same event in our tanks causing the slight haze? Its entirely possible. I haven't tested my calcium because its been right where I want it for so long that its given me no new information. If/when I test it and get something strange, I'll let you know.
Normally my water is so crystal clear in the morning I can't even see that there is water in there. The past week has been an exception. Strange coincidence?