Calcium Test Kit Woes.

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

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

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

--
Personal Page:
http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

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

Subject: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
From: "Mort"
Date: 9/30/04 10:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id: m

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

Subject: 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

Mandarin333 wrote:

Subject: 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?

"Soji John" wrote in message
...
Mandarin333 wrote:

Subject: 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,...

"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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Subject: Calcium Test Kit Woes.
From: Soji John
Date: 10/1/04 4:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Message-id:

Mandarin333 wrote:

Subject: 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