API calcium test kit question

Jritter02 · 08/09/2014, 12:57 PM

Got a test kit today for calcium. Anyone have experience with this one? It says add a drop to the tube until it turns from purple to blue. But do you shake it in between drops? I think I'm doing it wrong cause its only reading like 160ppm. I'm not shaking it between drops. I use reef crystals salt and I just did a 20% water change. Even after the water change its only reading 160ppm(without shaking the tube between drops)

Jritter02 · 08/09/2014, 01:58 PM

Nm. Found it on YouTube

Mcgeezer · 08/09/2014, 02:22 PM

Add 10 drops of solution 1, cap the tube and shake both the tube and solution 2 vigorously for 10 seconds.

Add 10 drops of solution 2, cap the tube and shake. The water will be pink. Then add one drop at a time and shake each time. It will first turn purple, and the test is final once it turns blue.

atrox · 08/09/2014, 05:55 PM

I used it once, and the level of user error and uncontrollable drops makes this test a far cry from a salifert test kit. Save yourself the aggravation and get a salifert.

Jritter02 · 08/10/2014, 11:22 AM

Is there such thing as too much calcium? Reason I'm asking is because if I'm testing correctly its showing I have about 500ppm. Maybe a little more

reepher315 · 08/10/2014, 12:40 PM

Thats not the worst ive heard of. If you want to do a small water change to lower it you can. Or wait it out and your coral will take care of it.

fishchef · 08/10/2014, 03:01 PM

I use the API and we switched from Salifert. It works well and is inexpensive. If it didn't work We wouldn't use it. Just follow the directions and shaking lightly as you add drops.

Jritter02 · 08/10/2014, 03:01 PM

I did a water change last night. In use reef crystals. Ill just let the corals absorb it if its not an issue

thegrun · 08/10/2014, 03:13 PM

The biggest problem with too much calcium is that you are going to need to clean your pump shafts off more frequently due to excessive calcium deposits. The warm temperatures from friction at the shafts is where the calcium will precipitate first.

smoothie7 · 08/11/2014, 01:49 PM

I started with API and then both a couple Red Sea Test Kits and like them

08/09/2014, 12:57 PM	#1
Jritter02 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 332	API calcium test kit question Got a test kit today for calcium. Anyone have experience with this one? It says add a drop to the tube until it turns from purple to blue. But do you shake it in between drops? I think I'm doing it wrong cause its only reading like 160ppm. I'm not shaking it between drops. I use reef crystals salt and I just did a 20% water change. Even after the water change its only reading 160ppm(without shaking the tube between drops)

08/09/2014, 01:58 PM	#2
Jritter02 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 332	Nm. Found it on YouTube

08/09/2014, 02:22 PM	#3
Mcgeezer Reef gardener Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: DeLand, Florida Posts: 1,205	Add 10 drops of solution 1, cap the tube and shake both the tube and solution 2 vigorously for 10 seconds. Add 10 drops of solution 2, cap the tube and shake. The water will be pink. Then add one drop at a time and shake each time. It will first turn purple, and the test is final once it turns blue.

08/09/2014, 05:55 PM	#4
atrox Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Angelo, Texas Posts: 574	I used it once, and the level of user error and uncontrollable drops makes this test a far cry from a salifert test kit. Save yourself the aggravation and get a salifert.

08/10/2014, 11:22 AM	#5
Jritter02 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 332	Is there such thing as too much calcium? Reason I'm asking is because if I'm testing correctly its showing I have about 500ppm. Maybe a little more

08/10/2014, 12:40 PM	#6
reepher315 Humble Student Join Date: May 2014 Location: Geneva, NY Posts: 816	Thats not the worst ive heard of. If you want to do a small water change to lower it you can. Or wait it out and your coral will take care of it.

08/10/2014, 03:01 PM	#7
fishchef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 1,222	I use the API and we switched from Salifert. It works well and is inexpensive. If it didn't work We wouldn't use it. Just follow the directions and shaking lightly as you add drops.

08/10/2014, 03:13 PM	#9
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	The biggest problem with too much calcium is that you are going to need to clean your pump shafts off more frequently due to excessive calcium deposits. The warm temperatures from friction at the shafts is where the calcium will precipitate first.

08/11/2014, 01:49 PM	#10
smoothie7 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 104	I started with API and then both a couple Red Sea Test Kits and like them