Test kit,need some help

[RAYS REEF]

Hello fellow reefers,i have aquestion reguarding a api calcium test kit.i realy dont understand how to properly test my calcium using this sort of kit.can anyone with experience or some knowledge for this kit give me a hand.thanks.

 

[smoq]

I used to test my calcium with api test. What you need to do is fill the test tube with 5ml of water. Then you add 10 drops of test solution #1 and shake for 10 seconds. Then you add solution #2 drop by drop, counting the number of drops. When the solution changes color from pink to dark blue, you check the number of drops with a test chart. Do you have the test chart? If no, here's the test chart from another post I found online:

1 20 14 280
2 40 15 300
3 60 16 320
4 80 17 340
5 100 18 360
6 120 19 380
7 140 20 400
8 160 21 420
9 180 22 440
10 200 23 460
11 220 24 480
12 240 25 500
13 260 26 520

The right is the number of drops and the left is calcium levels in mg/L. So for example 23 drops gives you 460 mg/L of calcium. Hope that helps

 

[RAYS REEF]

i do have the chart,where i get confused at is when adding bottle number 2.now mines turns from pink to purple ok heres where i get messed up at,once purple do i keep adding bottle number 2 until the whole test tube turns blue?because i only really see it blue when the drops touch the water,only really on the top or should the whole thing be blue.thanks

 

[smoq]

you have to swirl the content every one or two drops to mix it. The whole solution will change from dark pink to dark blue with that one crucial drop

 

[RAYS REEF]

Ok so i preformed a test last night,the reading came up 500-480 i believe.this morning a guy from mars fish care gave me a call,he explained how to run the test and also mentioned that the colored box they show as the endpoint in the chart should not be there.the drops being drop in the test tube it should turn dark purple not blue..he said once the bottle number 2 is being added it will turn from pink to dark purple and there is your result.....so it reads 500 now is THAT A GOOD CALCIUM LEVEL,BECAUSE THE CHART SAYS 400-500 BUT INTERNET SAYS OTHERWISE

 

[createdlight]

Api test kit say's to count drops and then the color changes to endpoint (purple) it should only take one or two more drops to change to blue.
So say you counted 19 drops and it changed to purple, you add one or two more drop and it changes to blue, this is your total drop count (20) or (21)which would give you 400 ppm/420 ppm