Ca Salifert Test Problem

[cookiemn]

I just got a new Ca test kit from Salifert today and decided to test my 12 week old tank. I followed the instructions and could not get the water in the vial to turn blue as the instructions stated. I performed a full test via the instructions twice and could not get the water to turn blue. What could I be doing wrong or is my Ca level in my tank too high?

Erwin

 

[mattseattle]

did you try the other test? the 1/2 test or whatever it's called. I think it's the 2nd step on the instruction set. I've never had any problems getting mine to turn blue even when I've had calcium up over 500.

Woops - meant to say this is for the full resolution - this was off memory in case his full resolution instructions were different or something. Thanks Nikki for catching my oops.

2 ml of water, one scoop of the power, 8 drops of the solution - mix for 30 seconds.

 

[NaH2O]

Matt - on my kit for the lower resolution, the instructions are 1.5 mls of water, 3 drops of solution Ca-1 - swirl 10 seconds, 1/2 scoop Ca-2 - swirl for 5 seconds.

Another option is fill the syringe again (after you've gone through one full syringe) with 1 ml of Ca-3 reagent and continue to add drops. When it finally turns blue, add the number you get to 500. For example: you've added one full syringe of Ca-3, then you added drops until the plunger is at 0.90 which corresponds to 50ppm. What you end up with is 500 + 50 = 550. That's if you don't want to do the lower resolution test.

Hope that helps!

 

[mattseattle]

ok, those are the instructions for the old test kit.

new one for lower resolution is:
1 ml water
1/2 spoon powder - CA-1
4 drops of liquid - CA-2

Take the reading and multiply it by 2 and that should give you the Calcium according to the table.

 

[Katchupoy]

you can do the diluted-1/2 or the normal way...

If you cannot make it blue that means that your calcium is way up and beyond the test kit.

Are you dosing KALK?

 

[cwcross]

Nikki is right on. Keep adding until it turns blue, even if you need more than one syringe. There should be math formula using the total mls of titrant solution. This will work if you need more than your charts read...Collin

 

[cookiemn]

I am not adding kalk. I wanted to verify with the test that I need to. It looks like I don't have to. But one thig that I am curious about is the possibility that my Ca is that high. The tank is only 12 weeks old and I have not put in any chmicals other than garlic at first to get the fish to feed. But I haven't used garlic in a few weeks. I am not running a DSB only enough sand to cover the bottom of the tank. I have about 130 lbs. of LR and softies with a few hard corals.

I will try the 1/2 test tonight and see what happens.

Erwin

 

[kevinpo]

Hi Erwin,
On the new test kit do not swirl the soulution after you add the scoop of purple powder only after the drops. Your calcium level will vary depending on the salt mix you use (350ppm-550ppm).

HTH,
Kevin

 

[NaH2O]

Erwin, Kevin's right. The salt you use makes a difference. My freshly mixed Oceanic salt is reading at 550ppm. Read your test kit's instructions and follow for the lower resolution.

 

[cookiemn]

Kev/Nikki,
I followed the instructions exactly. I even swirled the solution after adding each drop for a second ot two as stated in the instructions. Does testing at the lower resolution make that much of a difference? I went to Salifert's web site and that was pretty much full of marketing material.

Erwin

 

[Beckmola24]

I am tagging along on this thread, because I have the same exact problem with my salifert kit.

 

[mattseattle]

Reef Central has a dedicated forum for Salifert where Habib (owner) answers questions directly.

Their website is useless....the FAQ area has been the same for a year or two....

I'd pop in on that forum if you want answers quickly.

 

[NaH2O]

Try continuing to add more of the final solution. Draw up another syringe and keep dropping until you see the end result. It will come. I use Oceanic salt and had to do this when testing my make up water. The lower resolution test will give you an answer that you have to mulitply by two....so if your calcium was 600, for example, then the result you would get using the lower resolution test is 300. Then you mulitply the 300 by 2, which gives you the correct calculated result of 600 ppm.

Do the lower resolution and see what results you get.