I don't know what level my calcium is!!!!!

I don't know what level my calcium is.

I had a salifert test kit for calcium.

I followed the instructions which is:

put the water in the test tube, put in the powder, put in the liquid, the second liquid you put in with the syringe, drip by drip till it turns color.

Now I put in an ENTIRE syringe and it didn't change color. A couple posters told me I should put in a second syringe, because it MUST change color at some point. Which I did, the logic behind that, as I was told was that my calcium is probably so low that it's not registering on the scale.

Fine! I've been, over, must be, about three months, slowly, trying not to overdose.

I've gone from the point of having to use about 3 syringes of the color changing regent (forgive my chemistry ignorance) to about 1.25mL.

During my testing I've used my entire salifert kit, so today I went got a new kit. Decided to get an API, just for change. I also want to see if it'll show different results.

...

NO!

According to the chart which goes in increments of 20 ppm per drop of the color changing regent in the API test kit. I think I lost count somewhere around 34 drops and I estimate it took about 43 drops for the color to change to blue.

Now the highest the API's kit chart shows is 26 drops which is 520 ppm. now if i continue on that up to 43 drops, that would be 860 ppm! ::-X:-/

I'm not sure if the original logic I was told holds true, and the fact that I have to go so high with the drops because the calcium is so low.

OR

My calcium may actually be this high @ 860 ppm.


So, can anyone tell me what they think is the real issue?

 

is even the new test kit out of date? and what is your dkh? it works in relation to calcium.

 

Well the below works with my tests for PO4 and also Nitrate so I assume it may work for Calcium

do you have any RODI water?
do another test using 50% RODI water and 50% tank water
then multiply the result you get x 2

if you cant get a reading one time using 50/50 dillution
do 25% tank water and 75% Rodi and multiply x 4 the result

this stops you running out of test kit if your levels are really high

Steve

 

salifert is what i use, make sure you follow the directions correctly and the test kit is up to date

2 ml of tank water
1 level flat scoop of ca1
8 drops of ca2
fill the syringe with 1 ml of ca3 the bottom of the black o-ring should be at 1 ml
for the first test empty the entire syringe and swirl for about 30-40 seconds to see if your over 500
if you are refill the syringe again and go drop by drop until the color changes then see where the black o-ring is and refer to the chart

if not redue the test from the beginning after cleaning and drying the container to find out and look where the black rubber o-ring is and refer to the chart

 

Check your Mag and your ALK. Very important parameters in relation to calcium. Make sure you are swirling the test vial after every drop, common sense but some people may not know.

 

what is your mag and kh?
I imagine that your calcium could not be that high as it would percipitate out and cause a snow storm. If it is that high your kH and mag would almost have to be zero I think?

You might want to take a sample to the LFS and have them test it for you

Are you dosing calcium...if so stop until you find out for sure ;D I would not dose anything else till you find out what the problem is

also how much water are you putting in the test tube

 

you are mixing or swirling the test tube when adding the syringe reagent every few drops . . . right?

~Will.

 

Yes, I've followed the instructions to a "T".

That includes, using the right amounts, swirling after every drop.

I'm about to break out the alkaline test kit now and give that a shot to see where it's at.

 

Just check the alkalinity, it took about 1.75 syringes to get it to change color. :-\

what does that mean

 

did you use 1 ml or 2 ml of tank water? if you used 1 ml of tank water than you should have used 1/2 scoop of ca2 and 4 drops of ca3 and double the number on the chart. if you used 2 ml of tank water than you should have used 1 scoop of ca2 and 8 drops of ca3 and match the number on the chart. what did you do on each step? is the test kit out of date?

if you did it correctly and its not out of date then yes your ca is 860, what is your Mg, dKH?