Calcium level too high!!

My API calcium test kit always read high and I've heard of at least a couple other people who have had that same situation as well. The test kit could be inaccurate or your salinity is too high like was suggested before. Have you doublechecked your salinity with a recently calibrated refractometer (they're pretty cheap if you don't have one!)?

 

I haven’t calibrated my refractometer since few weeks, but I am pretty sure it is still ok. I am doing a 20 gls WC tonight with salinity level of 1.022, I want to bring down the salinity level of my DT at 1.024 slowly.

 

When I personally "am pretty sure" that something is OK that just means I'm being lazy.

No offense meant, I've just had a number of problems in my own tank due to assuming that things were OK when they turned out to not actually be. There are lots of things that can throw the calibration off on a refractometer, even just sitting in one place and not moving over time can throw it off, a sudden bump or jarring can throw it off etc etc.

 

Here are my params as of this morning:

Salinity 1.025 (after calibration)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 15
calcium 500
KH 7
Mg 1500

Are my CA/KH/MG in line?

Thanks

 

I think everyone here is off course on this. I belive your carbonate to calcium ratio is to low
. test just the carbonate not the Alk.
Raise the carbonate which will also raised your pH abit, it also lowers calcium.
Wait 24-48 hours and retest the water.
If on the retest your pH is still 8.0 and the calcium is still 480 it is indeed carbonate and you should raise it until your pH is 8.2-8.4 and calcium should then be 420-390.