Cal/Ph problem

Test results
Ok everyone This is a newly cycled tank. The cycle completed last wk Thursday I did my water change on Saturday I tested Sunday for Amonnia nitrite nitrate and got zero acros the board. I did not test cal alk or mag then. Today I got home and did the tests for cal, alk and mg. my ph has been consistant through out the cycle. No ph swing as I am running an HOB refugium wit opposite ought cycle and crazy me I just checked at 12:30 am to see how the tank was doing.

Ph 7.5
Temp 78.8
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 0ppm
Cal 520+
Alk 169 ppm
Mg 1400
Sg 1.024

Cal is off the chart my Hanna cal checker wouldn't even give me a reading it just flashed 600 so I used the API test and got over 520 as 520 is the max on their chart. For the alk test I used the Hanna digital checker for mg I used the red sea kit

Granted I'm new at this so I need help. I know that cal should be at 480 for reef, right? So how do I fix this? Alk not sure and mg I believe the target is 1450 so 1400 is not too bad. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong? I am using Red Sea Pro Salt


Need help I'm literally losng sleep over this

Thanks
Ed

 

Your not dosing anything right?

 

Please check your make up water Ca values, before adding the salt mix. Also check the batch of made up SW prior to adding to the tank.

Your ALK looks good, I would not loose sleep yet over the pH value.

You have significant surface agitation?

 

Nana no I'm not dosing anything

 

Corailine I'll check the make up water for cal values but I am use a 75 gpd RO/DI with dual TDS meters. Would the Cal still be an issue with an RO/DI system?

Also I will make a fresh batch of SW for a water change and check there as well. I think I have plenty of surface agitation. I have 4 JBJ 1600 gph powerheads of which to are below by 4 inches and point directly at the surface and the other two are about 6 -7 inches below the water line moving water at mid level and then I have 4 more smaller JBJ 500 gph heads throughout the tank making sure I don't have dead spots.

Should I have all 4 1600 point at the top surface. Oh almost forgot I have 6 120mm fans in the canopy that are set to turn on when the temp goes above 79.1 and those during the day do go on.

I'm not losing sleep over the ph what I'm worried about is that I believe I've done everything right, have read up for months on how to put this system together spent thousand of dollars so that I get this project up and running the right way (at least for me) and I'm having these clitches and it's driving me crazy. Forgive me I'm a little anal when it comes to certain things and for me know that I've done everything by the book is what keeps my mind thinking what have I done wrong? Did I forget to do something? etc. That's what making me lose sleep. Is trying to figure out what went wrong.

Thanks for your help, its soothing to have friends who share the same passion to turn to on this site which by the way is the best one on the net. Hands down

 

Ok I checked the make up water with the Hanna and it read 200 ppm. I don't know if that is the equivalent to zero but according to the manufacturer 200 ppm is the lowest it will read. Tested the Alk and it went up a bit to 183 ppm or dkh 10.2. I'll test a fresh batch of saltwater mix this weekend and test it before my water change and I'll post again.

 

New water reads 200 and tank is at 550? Something's amiss with your checker maybe?

 

Nana I'll check it with the API kit today and post. It didn't sound right to me either.

 

i had that same issus when i was doing water changes, my hanna would reads 600+ on the cal. but i knew its the red sea reef salt i was using, which equal a bad batch of salt in my book

 

Ok I am going to make two batches of SW in a 5 gallon bucket each. I have the red sea and I have a friend that can give me some of his coralife mix. I check them both.