Calcium question

Vadafallon · 04/21/2011, 07:39 AM

I recently setup a new 60 gallon tank and i have been adding two part calc and alk to it every other day. I did a calc test yesterday and nothing was registering. So i can only assume that its very low and maybe i should start adding it daily and testing daily?

tmccaffery · 04/21/2011, 07:40 AM

What kind of kit you using? I would believe there has to be some calcium in tank

Sugar Magnolia · 04/21/2011, 07:50 AM

What brand test kit are you using? I'd suspect something went wrong with the test.

thegrun · 04/21/2011, 07:52 AM

Either the test kit is bad or you are not performing the test correctly. I don't think it would be possible for corals to pull all the calcium out of salt water. If you do not have stony corals, normal water changes should keep your calcium levels within range. I would not continue dosing the tank until you know what you need to add.

Vadafallon · 04/21/2011, 07:54 AM

Well i just bought the Kit. I am not home so i can't tell you the exact name. I have used it twice now and both times it didn't show that i had any calc really. Maybe i should dose the tank and then test?

bluebill · 04/21/2011, 08:05 AM

If your kit is saying zero cal. then the test is most likely bad. Calcuim expecially if you have been doseing should registar something. Remember to do not add anything to your system that you are not testing. You need to take the water to your LFS and compare the test results. If theirs is vastly different you know you have a bad test kit. Once you have figured that out then dose appropriatly.

Vadafallon · 04/21/2011, 09:19 AM

Thanks Blue. Good idea.

stingythingy45 · 04/21/2011, 09:26 AM

So what's your alk?
Do you have a test kit for that as well?
Dosing blindly will kill a tank in no time.

Vadafallon · 04/21/2011, 09:47 AM

Yeah i have a kit that has 4 different things to test for. Alk, calc, phosphate and one other thing which i can't remember. I will go to my neighbors and test his and then compare to mine. I know i am not doing it wrong, but i just think maybe my calc is really low.

DLANDINO · 04/21/2011, 10:16 AM

Hi, as others have said, there HAS to be SOME Ca in your tank. The test kit may have been sitting around for a while on a shelf in the store and it is just not up to snuff. Take a sample down to your local LFS and ask that they test the water for you. Most do this as a service for free. If their test matches yours, meaning 0 ca then we will have to dig further. Good luck.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 04/21/2011, 11:46 AM

No, calcium does not get so low that you do not get a number. Never drops below 200 ppm. Ever.

Many people read such tests backward. If you added a lot of titrant and see no color change yet, calcium is high, not low.

Can you explain what you did?

Vadafallon · 04/21/2011, 01:39 PM

Sure. I got the water and added 10 drops of the calc 1 solution. Shook it up for 10 seconds. It turns a pink color. Then it says to add one drop and shake until it turns blue. Depending on how many drops depends on how much calc you have. I added drops and shook it up till i was at about 10 drops. It was a mild purple color but never got to blue.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 04/21/2011, 01:45 PM

OK, so that is not low, but high. Keep going until you get blue. The more you need to add, the higher the calcium is.

Vadafallon · 04/22/2011, 06:06 AM

Ahhh so that means i shouldn't even be needing to add calc. Duh.

bnumair · 04/22/2011, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vadafallon

Sure. I got the water and added 10 drops of the calc 1 solution. Shook it up for 10 seconds. It turns a pink color. Then it says to add one drop and shake until it turns blue. Depending on how many drops depends on how much calc you have. I added drops and shook it up till i was at about 10 drops. It was a mild purple color but never got to blue.

thats not right... if i a not mistaken u should have 2 bottles. 1st u add 10 drops of bottle 1 and then shake. then add drops from 2nd bottle till pink changes to blue.

greech · 04/22/2011, 06:50 AM

If you just started the tank there is a good chance you don't need to be dosing anything at this point. But yes, it sounds like you have not added enough of bottle #2. If I'm not mistaken 10 drops is only 200ppm on the API kits. Guessing yours will turn blue somwhere around 18 to 20 drops.

Sport507 · 04/22/2011, 09:31 AM

If it's a API test kit the color will turn from pink to purple and within 2 more drops should turn blue. 21 drops = 420 ppm, ideal. To controll cal do yourself a favor and get a mag test kit. Mag needs to be right before adjusting cal. Sk8r has the prams in her sig.

I have since move to Salifert test for mag. cal. and nitrates. Harder to learn to use at first but much easier once you do. Keep a really good logbook and you will learn to speed test.

04/21/2011, 07:39 AM	#1
Vadafallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 974	Calcium question I recently setup a new 60 gallon tank and i have been adding two part calc and alk to it every other day. I did a calc test yesterday and nothing was registering. So i can only assume that its very low and maybe i should start adding it daily and testing daily?

04/21/2011, 07:50 AM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	What brand test kit are you using? I'd suspect something went wrong with the test. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

04/21/2011, 09:26 AM	#8
stingythingy45 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: MA Posts: 3,296	So what's your alk? Do you have a test kit for that as well? Dosing blindly will kill a tank in no time. __________________ Bob Current Tank Info: 90 gallon,mixed Reef,2-250 watt Optix 3 pendants(Phoenix 14K)2-54 watt T5 Super actnics ,ASM G-2 Gate/recirc mods,70 gal. basement sump,20L ref

04/21/2011, 10:16 AM	#10
DLANDINO D.L. Heritage Rings Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Clinton, CT USA Posts: 5,610	Hi, as others have said, there HAS to be SOME Ca in your tank. The test kit may have been sitting around for a while on a shelf in the store and it is just not up to snuff. Take a sample down to your local LFS and ask that they test the water for you. Most do this as a service for free. If their test matches yours, meaning 0 ca then we will have to dig further. Good luck. __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: JBJ 8 Nano mixed

04/21/2011, 11:46 AM	#11
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	No, calcium does not get so low that you do not get a number. Never drops below 200 ppm. Ever. Many people read such tests backward. If you added a lot of titrant and see no color change yet, calcium is high, not low. Can you explain what you did? __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

04/21/2011, 07:40 AM	#2
tmccaffery Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 170	What kind of kit you using? I would believe there has to be some calcium in tank

04/21/2011, 07:52 AM	#4
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	Either the test kit is bad or you are not performing the test correctly. I don't think it would be possible for corals to pull all the calcium out of salt water. If you do not have stony corals, normal water changes should keep your calcium levels within range. I would not continue dosing the tank until you know what you need to add.

04/21/2011, 07:54 AM	#5
Vadafallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 974	Well i just bought the Kit. I am not home so i can't tell you the exact name. I have used it twice now and both times it didn't show that i had any calc really. Maybe i should dose the tank and then test?

04/21/2011, 08:05 AM	#6
bluebill Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 66	If your kit is saying zero cal. then the test is most likely bad. Calcuim expecially if you have been doseing should registar something. Remember to do not add anything to your system that you are not testing. You need to take the water to your LFS and compare the test results. If theirs is vastly different you know you have a bad test kit. Once you have figured that out then dose appropriatly.

04/21/2011, 09:19 AM	#7
Vadafallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 974	Thanks Blue. Good idea.

04/21/2011, 09:47 AM	#9
Vadafallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 974	Yeah i have a kit that has 4 different things to test for. Alk, calc, phosphate and one other thing which i can't remember. I will go to my neighbors and test his and then compare to mine. I know i am not doing it wrong, but i just think maybe my calc is really low.

04/21/2011, 01:39 PM	#12
Vadafallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 974	Sure. I got the water and added 10 drops of the calc 1 solution. Shook it up for 10 seconds. It turns a pink color. Then it says to add one drop and shake until it turns blue. Depending on how many drops depends on how much calc you have. I added drops and shook it up till i was at about 10 drops. It was a mild purple color but never got to blue.

04/21/2011, 01:45 PM	#13
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	OK, so that is not low, but high. Keep going until you get blue. The more you need to add, the higher the calcium is. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

04/22/2011, 06:06 AM	#14
Vadafallon Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 974	Ahhh so that means i shouldn't even be needing to add calc. Duh.

04/22/2011, 06:50 AM	#16
greech Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 3,133	If you just started the tank there is a good chance you don't need to be dosing anything at this point. But yes, it sounds like you have not added enough of bottle #2. If I'm not mistaken 10 drops is only 200ppm on the API kits. Guessing yours will turn blue somwhere around 18 to 20 drops. __________________ ~Graham Current Tank Info: Tank: 40 breeder; 20H sump w/SWC 120; Sicce 3.0 return; Vortech MP-10; Sundial T5, DIY Actinic LED (3W Cree). Livestock: Pair of Black & Whites; Midas Blenny; Firefish; Yasha/pistol; Black Leopard Wrasse; LPS and SPS

04/22/2011, 09:31 AM	#17
Sport507 ~Just a Farm Boy~ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 1,651	If it's a API test kit the color will turn from pink to purple and within 2 more drops should turn blue. 21 drops = 420 ppm, ideal. To controll cal do yourself a favor and get a mag test kit. Mag needs to be right before adjusting cal. Sk8r has the prams in her sig. I have since move to Salifert test for mag. cal. and nitrates. Harder to learn to use at first but much easier once you do. Keep a really good logbook and you will learn to speed test. __________________ Sport If you do not test for it, DON'T dose it. Indiana INDMAS Member

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