calcium test kit help

[tava716]

Hey gang!

Dumb question.....

I was wondering if you could recomend a good calcium test kit. I was looking at the red sea one, but it requires you to count the drops of the test liquid you put into the test water until it turns a certain color (there is a starting color and an edning color on the istruction card), THEN multiply the # of drops by another #, THEN divide by another # to get the result.


There has to be an easier way......right??? I am not familiar with the calcium kits because I am just now starting to use calcium. Is this how they all are?

I like the idea of adding a pre determaned # of drops, wiating 5 minutes and then matching the color of the liquid to the color chart to get the result. Is calcuim testing not like this?

Thanks for the help all!!

Happy New Year!!

James

 

[CarlaW]

Try a Salifert test kit. They seem to be the most used Ca test kit around here anyways.

 

[wrightme43]

Yep another fan of Salifert kits here. It uses a measured syringe and then you take the number on the syringe and look at a refference chart to get the answer. Its easy. I am sure you know this, but Ca isnt very useful with out a good Alk kit as well. It is best understood as a relation between salinity, ca, and alk.

 

[tava716]

So what you are saying is, test for ca (400-450), test PH (8.2-8.4) and test for Alk as well? I have an alk test kit that I bought yesturday with my bottle of Ca. I also bought Kent Marine Superbuffer-dkh to use when the Alk registers low. I have not started to dose the Ca or the supperbuffer yet because I did not get a Ca test kit. I will get one today.

So, what can I expect to see happen? I will dose the Ca and test every day until peramiters are at 400-450, right? Once I hit this mark, I MAY see the Alk and/or PH go down. Then I will use the supperbuffer to bring the PH/Alk back up to proper peramiters???? Is this the correct process?

THanks for the help.

 

[steve-s]

So what you are saying is, test for ca (400-450), test PH (8.2-8.4) and test for Alk as well?

420 max on the Ca, alk should be somewhere between 8-10 DKH (8 for balanced chem)

So, what can I expect to see happen? I will dose the Ca and test every day until peramiters are at 400-450, right? Once I hit this mark, I MAY see the Alk and/or PH go down. Then I will use the supperbuffer to bring the PH/Alk back up to proper peramiters???? Is this the correct process?

What Ca additive did you get? If a pure CaCl, it will not impact pH or alk at all. It depends on what it is and what's mixed with it.

Before you start adding anything, test your water parameters after doing a good sized water change. Make no further water changes or use the additives for a week. Test both alk and Ca every second day. This will help you determine the rate of depletion over that period and better understand how much (or little) of these additives you may need. It will also help avoid overdosing. Once you know the rate of depletion you can figure out what amount is needed to correct the level back to the goal point and then divide that number towards small daily additions. The ideal situation being maintaining the levels consistantly rather than correcting them at each turn.

As far as what to add and when, you are better of adding any buffering products as early in the AM as possible. You'll end up with a much smaller daily swing in pH and less spikes. Never use the buffer for anything other than alk correction, not pH adjustment. The Ca can then be added later in the day. I don't prefer using CaCl or bry buffers for anything than correcting very low levels but if you choose it as a maintenance scheme, be sure you re doing at least 2x monthly water changes to help with chloride/trace imbalances. Two part liquid or kalk is a better choice depending on the demand.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Cheers
Steve

 

[tava716]

Steve,

I have this one.

 

[steve-s]

That's plain 'ole CaCl in a liquid form, which is fine. Let's see what your rate of depletion is but I'm fairly sure that won't last you long at all. It's pretty week stuff, considering. If you plan to continue this line of supplimentation (which I don't think is best long term), switch to Turbo Ca. Works just as well if not better (more control) but a heck of alot cheaper.

http://kentmarine.com/saltwater/tc.html

Cheers
Steve

 

[Vicki]

Chart or Formula

Is there a simple chart or formula to determine what the Calcium and Alkalinity should be?

ie:

If Ca = 'X', then Alk should be 'Y' dKH

or:

Ca=350 dKH=???
Ca=360 dKH=???
Ca=370 dKH=???

Simple is best!

Thanks,
Vicki

 

[steve-s]

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

Cheers
Steve

 

[Vicki]

Here's what I've come up with. Am I anywhere near close?

If Calcium = 1st number, dKH should = 2nd number

360/2.8
390/4.2
400/5.6
410/7.0
420/8.4
430/9.8
440/11.2
450/12.6
460/14

Thanks,
Vicki

 

[wrightme43]

Go to great threads section of reef frontiers. Then go to reef Calculators. Go to the CA/Alk calculator. Input your params now, and what you them to be, and what supplement you intend to use. It will tell you how much, what effect on ph if any, and what balanced Alk/CA will be. Hee Hee I love to cheat.

 

[Vicki]

Thanks! That does the trick!

Vicki

 

[tava716]

you all rock!!!

Steve, you said, QUOTE: If you plan to continue this line of supplimentation (which I don't think is best long term),

Then what should I use for calcium suppliment in my tank? How do you all do it?

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html ROCKS!!! THANKS STEVE!

 

[Krish]

Yeah Steve...That link is pretty handy.

 

[My2heartboys]

Hey gang!

Dumb question.....

I was wondering if you could recomend a good calcium test kit. I was looking at the red sea one, but it requires you to count the drops of the test liquid you put into the test water until it turns a certain color (there is a starting color and an edning color on the istruction card), THEN multiply the # of drops by another #, THEN divide by another # to get the result.


There has to be an easier way......right??? I am not familiar with the calcium kits because I am just now starting to use calcium. Is this how they all are?

I like the idea of adding a pre determaned # of drops, wiating 5 minutes and then matching the color of the liquid to the color chart to get the result. Is calcuim testing not like this?

Thanks for the help all!!

Happy New Year!!

James

Personally I use an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Ca test as well as their ALK test. Yes, you do have to count drops--but no multiplication involved. They have a chart in their instructions that tells you the number of drops and then what the level is for that number of drops. Easy test to use.

Anne

 

[steve-s]

you all rock!!!

Steve, you said, QUOTE: If you plan to continue this line of supplimentation (which I don't think is best long term),

Then what should I use for calcium suppliment in my tank? How do you all do it?

http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html ROCKS!!! THANKS STEVE!

A two part liquid additive like ESV, C-Balance (similar types) or kalk. These are pretty much the best types of balanced additives you can use. The same calculator I posted will help you with how much to add. Same idea applies, add smaller daily doses to maintain the levels as apposed to large weekly or sporadic additions to correct levels.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/feb2003/chem.htm

Cheers
Steve

 

[lj_smith]

I use the Red Sea Reef Success test kit, you don't count the drops, you use a syringe, then you add the test solution to the test vial until you reach a certain colour indicated on a card, you then get the total calcium by looking on a chart ,so if you added say 0.9 ml of solution you have calcium concentration of 450ppm, easy, the kit also comes with an alkalinity test, calk,trace elements and calcium liquid + plus several different syringes, vials & other things, quite good little kit, assuming you can get this kit in the states though, worth a look

 

[tava716]

I have been adding calcium for the last 3 days without any change in levels. level is at 300 right now. I hope to see it go up soon.

 

[My2heartboys]

I have been adding calcium for the last 3 days without any change in levels. level is at 300 right now. I hope to see it go up soon.

You will also want to check your Magnesium levels as a low mag level will make it very difficult to get calcium levels up.

What salt mix are you using?

 

[My2heartboys]

I use the Red Sea Reef Success test kit, you don't count the drops, you use a syringe, then you add the test solution to the test vial until you reach a certain colour indicated on a card, you then get the total calcium by looking on a chart ,so if you added say 0.9 ml of solution you have calcium concentration of 450ppm, easy, the kit also comes with an alkalinity test, calk,trace elements and calcium liquid + plus several different syringes, vials & other things, quite good little kit, assuming you can get this kit in the states though, worth a look

OK, this may be a really dumb question---but could you supply a link to the same exact kit that you have???

Anne