API Calcium Test Problem

[AlucardXP]

Has anyone had any problems with the API Cal test kit? I picked up mine today so I can start dosing kalk. I never tested my cal before but never had any coral problems while doing weekly to bi-weekly water changes and using a A+B solution. I decided to start to drip kalk today since I ran out of A+B last week. I picked up my test and tested my water before I ran a water change. Following the instructions, I added 10 drops of bottle 1 to 5mg of water, shook, added 15, shook, then kept adding 1 drop and shaking. I didnt get a color change from pink to purple untill 35 or 36! Then it didnt goto blue untill about 50. I deff dont think my Cal levels are THAT high. Anyone have any input? Im prob going to bring some water to my LFS to have them test it. I just didnt want to spend a ton of a Cal test at the store when I can get it much cheaper from the internet.

 

[Jzhou]

API test kits are very inaccurate for salt water applications. I would suggest a salifert calcium test kit, those have been the most accurate back ups to the monitors I use in my 220. Personally, I don't think kalk raise calcium levels but it helps maintain levels. You also want to be careful when using kalk, it so easy to destroy a tanks ph with that stuff.

 

[AlucardXP]

My other API tests are good tho. I want to grab a salifret kit. Just didn't want to spend what my lfs wanted for it. I'm using the kalk to maintain my levels without having to dose the tank anymore. Just trying to take a little bit off my daily routine lol. I'm currently dripping half dose at 1 drip per 2 seconds. I'll goto 1 drip a sec in a few days when things settle. I'm just being careful and starting it slow. My tank is over 3 year old now but I neglected it this summer and just trying to get it back in shape

 

[Bry17nyc]

i test my calcium with API
and i think its pretty decent .. i mean it hasn't given me any problems YET

 

[AlucardXP]

Yeah I'm gonna test my tank again later tonight or tomorrow and see if there's any change in the tank. May also just mix a little bit of fresh mixed saltwater to see what I get. Would love to not have to order a new test kit tho. Haven't had any problems with API kits yet

 

[Jzhou]

I noticed you're from LI, which pet store have you been buying your kits from. A lot of the LI stores over charge like their life depended on it. If you are close enough to Riverhead, you should check out Aqua Hut. Pricing wise, they're probably one of the cheaper stores.

 

[AlucardXP]

I've been going to pets warehouse. They have pretty good prices. Live rock and frags are a little much tho. But their fish prices are really good.


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[Jzhou]

I've never been to Pet Warehouse so I can't really say, most of the things I've heard were from other people. Lol can't offer you much advice there, try bigalsonline.com, they use to have really good prices on saliferts, i believe they were in the 25-35 range.

 

[masterswimmer]

API test kits IMO are only good for testing your tank while it is cycling. I wouldn't use anything other than their ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH test kits. I wouldn't even use those tests once you've added animals to your tank. Like I said, I'd rate them ok for use during a cycle.

Notice I didn't list Ca, Alk, Mg, in the above API kits as just being ok. Those specific tests aren't even acceptable for a cycling tank (since there's no need to test for those elements during a cycle).

I would use either Salifert or ELOS kits for a reef. Even the new line of Red Sea Tests are a huge step up from the API line of kits. I am not recommending the old style of Red Sea tests. There is a big difference between the old and the new.

If you're dosing kalkwasser, and your calcium test kit is giving you questionable results, you should be stepping up to a reputable, reliable, quality test kit IMMEDIATELY. Kalkwasser can easily wipe out your system if dosed incorrectly or in quantities greater than needed. You need to measure your pH, alkalinity and calcium regularly if you dose kalk.

Russ

 

[AlucardXP]

Lol yeah that's how alot of these local places go. When I first got into things, I did my shopping around and pricing and found pets warehouse to be the best in my area. I bought my original biocube from them. They matched ever price I was able to find at other stores. None of the fish I bought from them died (except a fire fish but he was bullied to death). They used to have really good prices on frags but theyve added alot more to what they offer and prices went up local frag trading and buying is deff the best tho.


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[AlucardXP]

Thanks master. I saw the red sea kits/parts but I think they were the older kits. Like I said tho, it's not like I'm new to reef tanks at all. I've been using API kits for 3 years now and never had an issue. Just thought that the cal kit alone was way off. I'm gonna be pricing out a new kit tomorrow tho. I just know I can get them for a better price online.

Ad for kalk, I've done my research on it before deciding to jump into trying it out. All my levels are good and im starting it off very slow to be safe.


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[irvp13]

+1 you should have a good test and test very frecuently at the begining. when I first jumped into Kalk I tested daily for two or three weeks while I got the correct mixture for my tank

API test kits IMO are only good for testing your tank while it is cycling. I wouldn't use anything other than their ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH test kits. I wouldn't even use those tests once you've added animals to your tank. Like I said, I'd rate them ok for use during a cycle.

Notice I didn't list Ca, Alk, Mg, in the above API kits as just being ok. Those specific tests aren't even acceptable for a cycling tank (since there's no need to test for those elements during a cycle).

I would use either Salifert or ELOS kits for a reef. Even the new line of Red Sea Tests are a huge step up from the API line of kits. I am not recommending the old style of Red Sea tests. There is a big difference between the old and the new.

If you're dosing kalkwasser, and your calcium test kit is giving you questionable results, you should be stepping up to a reputable, reliable, quality test kit IMMEDIATELY. Kalkwasser can easily wipe out your system if dosed incorrectly or in quantities greater than needed. You need to measure your pH, alkalinity and calcium regularly if you dose kalk.

Russ

 

[AlucardXP]

Ok just to update this, I took some water to my lfs and had them test it. Everything came up good and matched my API test kits but of course they couldnt find the calcium card for the salifert test but said it was over 500. I ended up buying the new Red Sea kit and wow! The kit is great and was told that people are saying its better then salifert kits. Red Sea deff put some time into it. I tested and my calcium is indeed high. Its at 700 so im halting dosing and gonna wait a few more days to do my weekly waterchange and see what happens then.

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

i test my calcium with API
and i think its pretty decent .. i mean it hasn't given me any problems YET

1+ me either

 

[OceanBlue2]

Good to know your API test kit is accurate. I use API too.

 

[LatinP]

API is fine for a ballpark number, even Salifert test kits have been known to be inaccurate sometimes. You don't need lab grade test results as long as your parameters aren't way off which they shouldn't be if you're testing everything will be fine, no need to spend a fortune in test kits.

 

[Donewiththisplace]

Fosters and Smith has pretty low prices...and shipping is reasonable. If you dont need things today..then it maybe be worth ordering online and waiting the few days for them.

You can easliy save $15 per salifert test kit.

 

[AlucardXP]

I was going to order the salifert kits from F&S but when I was at my LFS, they had the new red sea kits there for a pretty good price (25 which is 5 lower then F&S).

 

[Frank@Wall]

Get a hanna checker. Take out the guesswork. I love it.

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