Salifert Calcium and Alk Test Kits

[JBourne2]

What does everyone think of these test kits?
I recently purchased these test kits to see what my Clcium and Alk levels were. My Calcium registered off the scale. (I dripped the entire amount into solution, then added more to the syringe and dripped another 0.2, before it changed color.) Dripping the whole syringe = 500 for Calcium. Is it possible I have this much Calcium? (over 500??) Is this a problem?

The Alk worked the way it should and registered a KH of 10.6 and Alk of 3.77. This is high right? How do I get it down?

BTW, I have a 90 gal. with a very light load on it. 4 Perc's, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, Torch Coral, Hairy Mushroom, Green Stripe Mushroom, and a couple of Gorgonians.

Any help would be appreciated
Thanks

JBourne2

 

[Anonymous]

You can get that high, especially on a lightly loaded system. What are you adding to the tank?

If you haven't added Ca, then I'd suspect the test is wrong.

 

[jdeets]

Salifert makes some of the best biomineral test kits out there.

If you dripped an extra 0.2, that translates into a Ca level of 600 ppm. Not impossible. You really should keep it below 500 ppm.

I'd suggest a water change or two to get it down a little, or you can just stop supplementing until it comes down some on its own. If you stop supplementing to get the Ca level down, the through the process you'll need to supplement alk because a reduction in Ca of 100 ppm by natural calcification would mean that your alk would need to drop 5 meq/L (the chemical ratio, per Bingman, is 20 ppm Ca to 1 meq/L of alkalinity). So you'll need to supplement your alk as your Ca drops, if you go this route.

When you're done, you should shoot for Ca between 400 and 500 ppm and alk of 2.5-3.5 meq/L. My system stays at about 3.2 meq/L alk and 460 ppm Ca, and I'm very happy with that.

What are you doing to raise your Ca?

Also, before you do anything I suggested, get your water tested for Ca at the LFS just to validate the test, although with Salifert, I'd be really surprised if the test kit was bad.

 

[BReefCase]

I doubt there is anything wrong with the test kits.

If you have routinely been dripping Kalk into a lightly-loaded tank without testing Calcium, your levels could easily be well over 500. No big emergency. (Some reefers would envy you.)

Just lay off the Kalk for a while and let the Calcium level fall slowly back to 500 or so. After that, drip less or use a more dilute solution and keep testing weekly.

By the way, it might well be a good idea to use a Salifert Magnesium test kit too -- Ca and Mg levels are inter-related.

 

[JBourne2]

Thanks for all the quick replies.
Yes I have been dripping Kalk. So I'll have to stop that for now. I have been adding about a gallon a night for a while now. Ok thanks again.

JBourne2