Calcium and Alkalinity

[Chef Steve]

I just recently checked my Alkalinity and Calcium in my tank. My reading are as follows Calcium= 480-490 ppm and Alkalinity is 5.48-5.49 meq/L. When I was in the store I was told that these should both be around 5.? When I tested the water and read the results tho I noticed that they are in different readings? I am just wondering if these are ok results or should I add some more Bionic? I added some calcium buffer last night before I checked the water today. Someone please help!!!!

[Chef Steve]

from what I have read today on the internet my calcium levels could be fine. I just did a water change last night and the alkalinity is still super high. I am guessing that the next step will be to do another water change, correct?

[bluwtr]

Just leave it be and stop dosing. Even though your Alk is high it will come down. Doing a water change will not lower it--you are just replacing what's already there. Why are you dosing in the first place? Do you have corals and/or did a parameter test show that things were low. Test first THEN dose if needed. Never dose just because "others do it" or think you need to. Dosing without testing can get you in a lot of trouble.

[Chef Steve]

ve corals in my tank. Just recently added a rock with like 4 different hard corals. I was instructed to monitor my levels of calcium and alkalinity. I checked my calcium last night and was at around 300 to 350 ppm. I added a dose and it is at the calcium level stated above. I did a water change last night and checked everything today. pH is good as well as the ammonia. When i checked my nitrites though they were at .8 mg/l. I am surprised that the levels are that high after a water change. I have also noticed that my two danzels are breathing kinda heavy and are not moving as much. Should I just go ahead and do a small water change to lower these levels? In addition I was planning on washing my filter medium today. I figured this spike could possibly have something to do with my crab messing with my cucumber and causing it to throw up all over my tank. All of my fish (tomato clown, madarin gobie, citron gobie) ,in addition to the damsels, seem to be doing fine. I was just worried that some fish, mainly my birds nest and duncan corals might die from these levels. And don't worry I am so cautious with my tank that I wouldn't just add before testing. I mean when I do water changes I have my water running through a filter and bring it up to temp before I even start messing with my tank. (all RO water as well)

[goalk33p3r]

I remember I had the same problem as you do your nitrites being high I asked gerwin if there was any thing I can do or buy to make this correct he told me that just let it go and monitor it I brought a water sample to gerwin pretty much every 3 days lol it was slowly going down each time. I do believe that the nitrites deals with the biological filtration ( correct me if I am wrong) you really just got to play the wait game

[Gerwin]

the wait game on a new set up is one thing, if its a established tank and you have money to lose, then water changes as need to keep in a tolerable level. A cucumber puking could be the issue. Back off on feeding anything to anything for a few days along with water changes and let the system catch up

[bluwtr]

Sorry for mis understanding your OP. Didn't realize you had corals. You shouldn't have any NH4 unless the tank is still cycling or something died. Obviously that is where the NO2 is coming from.

+1 on Ger's advice--the man knows his stuff.

[Chef Steve]

Thanks guys. My levels are stable currently but some fish didn't make it.