What is up with my calcium level??

[Duff485]

Ok so a little background:

My 29g tank is 3 days into cycling and I have about 30 lbs of marco rock (was dry) and 30 lbs of marco sand too (also was dry). I seeded it with a small 1lb piece of LR and about 1/2 cup of LS from a LFS. Right now, the skimmer is NOT on, I just have the power filter running. I am using Instant Ocean salt and RO/DI water.

Yesterday, I checked my calcium levels with a new API reef test kit. It was manufactured in Jan 2010, so nothing should be wrong. The reading was 320ppm. So I then added about 1/2 tsp of Kent Marine Liquid Calcium. The directions on the bottle say to add 1/4 - 1 tsp for 50 gallons. So I waited the recommended hour before testing calcium again...and it came up at 320 ppm again?? Confused, I added a little more calcium and waited about 3 hours to test. I should note the calcium doesnt expire until 2013, so it should be fine. Anyways, the second testing once again yielded 320 ppm.

Now annoyed, I figured maybe the carbon in my power filter is messing with the calcium supplement...so i remove the carbon all together and dose again. A few hours later, the test comes up with...you guess it! 320 ppm.

Am i missing something here? Is there something else that could be instantly neutralizing/absorbing the calcium? Is the brand new test kit screwed up? I literally only have 2 powerheads and my heater running with nothing in the tank but saltwater, some rocks and sand. I would find it hard to believe the test kit is broken because the calcium test is one of those "add drops till the color changes" type ones and it takes 15 drops to hit 320 ppm... Anyone seen anything like this before?

 

[afboundguy]

My only suggestion is to check magnesium. Having that in range will help keep the calcium stay where it's supposed to be...

 

[Duff485]

Hmm ok I guess I'll have to pick up a Magnesium test kit then. I should also note that all other water parameters are pretty good right now. PH is 8.1, alk is at 9, and I'm getting about 0.5 ppm Ammonia (due to the cycling tank). No phosphates, no nitrate and no nitrite.

 

[JohnK]

Ok so a little background:

My 29g tank is 3 days into cycling and I have about 30 lbs of marco rock (was dry) and 30 lbs of marco sand too (also was dry). I seeded it with a small 1lb piece of LR and about 1/2 cup of LS from a LFS. Right now, the skimmer is NOT on, I just have the power filter running. I am using Instant Ocean salt and RO/DI water.

Yesterday, I checked my calcium levels with a new API reef test kit. It was manufactured in Jan 2010, so nothing should be wrong. The reading was 320ppm. So I then added about 1/2 tsp of Kent Marine Liquid Calcium. The directions on the bottle say to add 1/4 - 1 tsp for 50 gallons. So I waited the recommended hour before testing calcium again...and it came up at 320 ppm again?? Confused, I added a little more calcium and waited about 3 hours to test. I should note the calcium doesnt expire until 2013, so it should be fine. Anyways, the second testing once again yielded 320 ppm.

Now annoyed, I figured maybe the carbon in my power filter is messing with the calcium supplement...so i remove the carbon all together and dose again. A few hours later, the test comes up with...you guess it! 320 ppm.

Am i missing something here? Is there something else that could be instantly neutralizing/absorbing the calcium? Is the brand new test kit screwed up? I literally only have 2 powerheads and my heater running with nothing in the tank but saltwater, some rocks and sand. I would find it hard to believe the test kit is broken because the calcium test is one of those "add drops till the color changes" type ones and it takes 15 drops to hit 320 ppm... Anyone seen anything like this before?

You barely added any Ca. Those directions on the bottle are for a blind "daily dose" which means absolutely nothing in this case.

Use the "reef chemistry calculator" to figure out the dose you need, then you'll be in buisness
http://reef.diesyst.com/chemcalc/chemcalc.html

 

[JayM]

Right, and you'll need to add a bunch to get that 320 to go up.....

 

[DoctaQ]

also API ca test is junk, thier alk test is great and cheap but i never trust thier CA test.

 

[Bobbofin]

So I then added about 1/2 tsp of Kent Marine Liquid Calcium. The directions on the bottle say to add 1/4 - 1 tsp for 50 gallons.

IMO opinion I'd never use pre-made liquid calcium. It is over priced by 50x. I use SeaChem Advantage Calcium powder. It has strontium and magnesium in it. I mix 1/2 cup to a liter of RODI water. I dose 30ml a day in my 60 gallon cube. Levels have been spot on for months. I do the mix and dose the same with SeaChem Reef Builder powder (alk). I perfer SeaChem over Bulk Reef Supply because of the included strontium and magnesium in it. I still add mag once in a while. You will have a hard time measuring calcium if your magnesium is below 800ppm. You add a ton of calcium to no change. When you finally adjust the magnesium and test the calcium you may find it may be 500+ppm :: because of pouring it in the raise it.

 

[Bobbofin]

also API ca test is junk, thier alk test is great and cheap but i never trust thier CA test.

I use API for alk and Ph, that's it. It hard to screw those tests up, they've been around so long there's an industry standard.

 

[JohnK]

You need about 21 tbsp of that Kent liquid stuff.

I agree, WAY overpriced. Check out www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Duff485]

I knew you guys would come through for me! I checked it out and I'm getting about 21 tsp needed as well. That suddenly made the liquid calcium a ripoff I'll dose the 21 tsp in 1/3's over the next few days as recommended and then I'll check out the powder stuff because this bottle of liquid stuff will be out by then

What do you guys recommend for testing Ca and Mag?

And thanks for the link to that calculator...pretty sweet tool.

 

[afboundguy]

Elos makes a really good Mag test... I can't remember what I used to use for calcium it's been so long since I've tested

 

[snowmaker]

Tropic Marin makes a test for Ca AND Mg all in one and supposedly very accurate.

 

[mchartier]

You need about 21 tbsp of that Kent liquid stuff.

I agree, WAY overpriced. Check out www.bulkreefsupply.com

I was using the Bulk Reef 2 part and have switched over to ESV B-Ionic. I got the big 4 or 5 gallon bucks ($80 something for both parts) and I have cut down on my dosing because of it. I was dosing almost 200ml of each per day and I am now at 110ml with the ESV.

 

[Duff485]

So I finally got around to trying a control test on my API ammonia kit after you guys put the fear of god in me that API is garbage. Well, it looks like you guys are right!

My tank has been cycling for 1 week. When I did the ammonia test (on day 2) I got a reading of 0.5 ppm. So I figured that was reasonable as I have all dry stuff in there with just a little piece of LR to seed. So I tested every day and got the same thing over and over. Now paranoid, I decided to try fresh saltwater to see what results I would get. It turned the same color green....

So I ended up testing a fresh batch of saltwater JUST mixed with RO water, saltwater JUST mixed with tap water, and then my tank water....every single test came up as the same greenish hue that indicated 0.5ppm. The mfg date on the kit is Sept '09. How bad is their quality control that it's THAT inaccurate?!? Has anyone tried to return defective products to API? or Petsmart where I bought it?

 

[The Ng Thing]

If it's 30 days w/ a receipt you can prob return it to Petsmart. You may even get store credit if you have neither. Ultimately it depends on how forgiving the manager is feeling lol.