Calcium Test Kit Woes.

[Mandarin333]

I am unable to get a reading with either a Red Sea calcium test kit or a Tropic
Marin. The samples simply -will not- change color. In the case of the red sea
test, the sample simply gets darker and darker pink rather than changing to
orange as it should. In the case of the tropic marin, the sample should go
from light blue to clear and it won't. Anyone have any ideas why? This is a
90g with moderate pre-established coraline growth and only 1 hard coral (lg
bubble) and six sinularia. The substrate is a 1 inch thick layer of Southdown
sand and I have a plenum with a 5 inch layer of aragonite gravel and some
crushed coral. The tank has been up since memorial day and I have not been
able to get a read on it in six or more tries. I also dose with Kent
Turbocalcium at a rate of 1/8 tsp 3 times a week. I have some new coraline
growth but it is small and slow. At this point I suspect that the Southdown
sand is somehow throwing the test kits off. It is the only thing that is
different about this tank compared to previous reefs I've run. Also KH is 9
and Ph is 8.2. TIA -M333

[Mort]

I had some similar problems in the past. It sounds like your calcium may be
too high.

What brand of salt mix are you using and at what SG? How are you measuring
it?

Can you get your hands on the salifert test kit?

~Mort

"Mandarin333" > wrote in message
...
> I am unable to get a reading with either a Red Sea calcium test kit or a
Tropic
> Marin. The samples simply -will not- change color. In the case of the
red sea
> test, the sample simply gets darker and darker pink rather than changing
to
> orange as it should. In the case of the tropic marin, the sample should
go
> from light blue to clear and it won't. Anyone have any ideas why? This
is a
> 90g with moderate pre-established coraline growth and only 1 hard coral
(lg
> bubble) and six sinularia. The substrate is a 1 inch thick layer of
Southdown
> sand and I have a plenum with a 5 inch layer of aragonite gravel and some
> crushed coral. The tank has been up since memorial day and I have not
been
> able to get a read on it in six or more tries. I also dose with Kent
> Turbocalcium at a rate of 1/8 tsp 3 times a week. I have some new
coraline
> growth but it is small and slow. At this point I suspect that the
Southdown
> sand is somehow throwing the test kits off. It is the only thing that is
> different about this tank compared to previous reefs I've run. Also KH is
9
> and Ph is 8.2. TIA -M333

[Marc Levenson]

Take a fresh sample of your water to the LFS and have them
test it for you. Bring along your kits if you like, so they
can show you how to get a reading.

Marc


Mandarin333 wrote:

> I am unable to get a reading with either a Red Sea calcium test kit or a Tropic
> Marin. The samples simply -will not- change color. In the case of the red sea
> test, the sample simply gets darker and darker pink rather than changing to
> orange as it should. In the case of the tropic marin, the sample should go
> from light blue to clear and it won't. Anyone have any ideas why? This is a
> 90g with moderate pre-established coraline growth and only 1 hard coral (lg
> bubble) and six sinularia. The substrate is a 1 inch thick layer of Southdown
> sand and I have a plenum with a 5 inch layer of aragonite gravel and some
> crushed coral. The tank has been up since memorial day and I have not been
> able to get a read on it in six or more tries. I also dose with Kent
> Turbocalcium at a rate of 1/8 tsp 3 times a week. I have some new coraline
> growth but it is small and slow. At this point I suspect that the Southdown
> sand is somehow throwing the test kits off. It is the only thing that is
> different about this tank compared to previous reefs I've run. Also KH is 9
> and Ph is 8.2. TIA -M333

--
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[Soji John]

I also have a similar problem. I think it is the Oceanic salt that I am
using. It has a very high calcium level. I am reading around 700 with
a salifert kit (using the low resolution mode). If I used the high
resolution, it wouldn't ever change color. I don't think it's the kit.
My dKH is also low so I am thinking that the calcium level is actually
high.

You may be having a similar issue. My solution was to increase the
buffering slowly by adding baking soda. I'm doing it over a couple of
weeks time. I'm doing it slowly so I don't get calcium precipitation.
I am also monitoring and not adding additional caclium.

regards,

-soji

Mort wrote:

>I had some similar problems in the past. It sounds like your calcium may be
>too high.
>
>What brand of salt mix are you using and at what SG? How are you measuring
>it?
>
>Can you get your hands on the salifert test kit?
>
>~Mort
>
>"Mandarin333" > wrote in message
...
>
>
>>I am unable to get a reading with either a Red Sea calcium test kit or a
>>
>>
>Tropic
>
>
>>Marin. The samples simply -will not- change color. In the case of the
>>
>>
>red sea
>
>
>>test, the sample simply gets darker and darker pink rather than changing
>>
>>
>to
>
>
>>orange as it should. In the case of the tropic marin, the sample should
>>
>>
>go
>
>
>>from light blue to clear and it won't. Anyone have any ideas why? This
>>
>>
>is a
>
>
>>90g with moderate pre-established coraline growth and only 1 hard coral
>>
>>
>(lg
>
>
>>bubble) and six sinularia. The substrate is a 1 inch thick layer of
>>
>>
>Southdown
>
>
>>sand and I have a plenum with a 5 inch layer of aragonite gravel and some
>>crushed coral. The tank has been up since memorial day and I have not
>>
>>
>been
>
>
>>able to get a read on it in six or more tries. I also dose with Kent
>>Turbocalcium at a rate of 1/8 tsp 3 times a week. I have some new
>>
>>
>coraline
>
>
>>growth but it is small and slow. At this point I suspect that the
>>
>>
>Southdown
>
>
>>sand is somehow throwing the test kits off. It is the only thing that is
>>different about this tank compared to previous reefs I've run. Also KH is
>>
>>
>9
>
>
>>and Ph is 8.2. TIA -M333
>>
>>
>
>
>
>

[Mandarin333]

>Subject: Re: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
>From: "Mort"
>Date: 9/30/04 10:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>I had some similar problems in the past. It sounds like your calcium may be
>too high.
>
>What brand of salt mix are you using and at what SG? How are you measuring
>it?

I am using IO at an s.g. of 1.025 at 75 degrees measured with a small seatest
s.g. meter (acrylic box and needle style).

>Can you get your hands on the salifert test kit?

Yes but money is tight. I am going to try cutting the sample with 50%
distilled and then double the results. I'll report on how this goes.
-M333

[Mandarin333]

>Subject: Re: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
>From: Marc Levenson
>Date: 10/1/04 1:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>Take a fresh sample of your water to the LFS and have them
>test it for you. Bring along your kits if you like, so they
>can show you how to get a reading.
>
>Marc

Thanks Marc but these people are so incompetent that they should be bringing
their water to me to test. I have never had this problem before I started
using Southdown sand. I used to test regularly and had no problems with
RedSea's kit. I'm thinking of cutting the sample with 50% distilled water and
then just doubling my results.

-M333

[Soji John]

Mandarin333 wrote:

>>Subject: Re: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
>>From: Marc Levenson
>>Date: 10/1/04 1:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time
>>Message-id: >
>>
>>Take a fresh sample of your water to the LFS and have them
>>test it for you. Bring along your kits if you like, so they
>>can show you how to get a reading.
>>
>>Marc
>>
>>
>
>Thanks Marc but these people are so incompetent that they should be bringing
>their water to me to test. I have never had this problem before I started
>using Southdown sand. I used to test regularly and had no problems with
>RedSea's kit. I'm thinking of cutting the sample with 50% distilled water and
>then just doubling my results.
>
>-M333
>
>
You know, I am using Southdown also (just started a new tank). This
may be the reason I am getting high values as well. I've spoken with
others who use Oceanic salt and they don't have as high calcium as I
do. It may be the aragonite dissolving in the water to give high Ca?

[CapFusion]

"Soji John" > wrote in message
...
> Mandarin333 wrote:
>
> >>Subject: Re: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
> >>From: Marc Levenson
> >>Date: 10/1/04 1:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time
> >>Message-id: >
> >>
> >>Take a fresh sample of your water to the LFS and have them
> >>test it for you. Bring along your kits if you like, so they
> >>can show you how to get a reading.
> >>
> >>Marc
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Thanks Marc but these people are so incompetent that they should be
bringing
> >their water to me to test. I have never had this problem before I
started
> >using Southdown sand. I used to test regularly and had no problems with
> >RedSea's kit. I'm thinking of cutting the sample with 50% distilled
water and
> >then just doubling my results.
> >
> >-M333
> >
> >
> You know, I am using Southdown also (just started a new tank). This
> may be the reason I am getting high values as well. I've spoken with
> others who use Oceanic salt and they don't have as high calcium as I
> do. It may be the aragonite dissolving in the water to give high Ca?
>

Maybe you may need to wait abit and see if anything settle. Keep on regular
water changes with RO/DI or any purified water. After three week or so, test
the water spec. and see what show.

CapFusion,...

[Billy]

"CapFusion" <CapeFussion...@hotmail.., com> wrote in message
...
|
|
| Maybe you may need to wait abit and see if anything settle. Keep on
regular
| water changes with RO/DI or any purified water. After three week or
so, test
| the water spec. and see what show.
|
| CapFusion,...
|
|

I have the same issue. I just added a couple mushrooms to what was
prev a FOWLR, so I wanted to monitor Ca. I also use Oceanic, but I
have crushed arag for a sub. I got up to 12 drops!!!! (Red Sea kit)
and stopped in frustration. I have some halmeda in the sump and heavy
coraline, I'd have thought my Ca would be much lower...


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Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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[Mandarin333]

>Subject: Re: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
>From: Soji John
>Date: 10/1/04 4:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: >
>
>Mandarin333 wrote:
>
>>>Subject: Re: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
>>>From: Marc Levenson
>>>Date: 10/1/04 1:52 AM Eastern Daylight Time
>>>Message-id: >
>>>
>>>Take a fresh sample of your water to the LFS and have them
>>>test it for you. Bring along your kits if you like, so they
>>>can show you how to get a reading.
>>>
>>>Marc
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Thanks Marc but these people are so incompetent that they should be bringing
>>their water to me to test. I have never had this problem before I started
>>using Southdown sand. I used to test regularly and had no problems with
>>RedSea's kit. I'm thinking of cutting the sample with 50% distilled water
>and
>>then just doubling my results.
>>
>>-M333
>>
>>
>You know, I am using Southdown also (just started a new tank). This
>may be the reason I am getting high values as well. I've spoken with
>others who use Oceanic salt and they don't have as high calcium as I
>do. It may be the aragonite dissolving in the water to give high Ca?

That's what I've been thinking since this is the only element in this tank that
is different from others I've done in the past.

-M333

[Mandarin333]

>Subject: Re: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
>From: "CapFusion" CapeFussion...@hotmail..,com
>Date: 10/1/04 6:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id:
et>

>Maybe you may need to wait abit and see if anything settle. Keep on regular
>water changes with RO/DI or any purified water. After three week or so, test
>the water spec. and see what show.

That is what I thought too Cap but my tank has had several water changes in the
past five months and still I can't get a reading.

-M333

[erik]

On 02 Oct 2004 04:20:15 GMT, (Mandarin333) wrote:

>
>That's what I've been thinking since this is the only element in this tank that
>is different from others I've done in the past.
>
>-M333


Except that myself and hundreds of others are using Southdown sand
without problems.
It's simply aragonite sand and it's not likely to dissolve any faster
than Carrib-Sea or another brand. If you really were dissolving the
sand at an exeptionally high rate, you'd see problems with your pH and
probably also alkalinity.


Erik

[CapFusion]

"Mandarin333" > wrote in message
...
> >Subject: Re: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
> >From: "CapFusion" CapeFussion...@hotmail..,com
> >Date: 10/1/04 6:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time
> >Message-id:
> et>
>
> >Maybe you may need to wait abit and see if anything settle. Keep on
regular
> >water changes with RO/DI or any purified water. After three week or so,
test
> >the water spec. and see what show.
>
> That is what I thought too Cap but my tank has had several water changes
in the
> past five months and still I can't get a reading.
>
> -M333
>

Can you test the product water before putting into your tank? What the
reading say. Is that water from RO/DI or from some place like Tab / Facet
.... etc. Also check your water mix and see if your salt mix maybe an issue.
Your product water should be non-detectable of anything. Double check with
your LFS for your product water and your tank water and see what reading
they come up with.

CapFusion,...