API Calcium test results??

[mitsu_matt]

I have been monitoring my Calcium since my tank start a couple months ago, it was right in the house at about 420. The past two weeks i go to test it and when I put in the drops from my API bottle #1 it barley turns a very very very light pink. Before it turned bright pink on the first drop. Since i am not getting and pink color i can not finish the test.

The thing i am confused about is am i low or high? What should I do? I have done two 15% water changes with Reef Crystals and still same results. My test kit is not even close to expired.

 

[MedicBMC]

API bottle #1 isn't supposed to make it pink, #2 is the one that you get your test readings from.

 

[mitsu_matt]

Are you sure? Because I remember it turning pink then it turns purple when its done... if thats true maybe I just have too low of Calcium to detect. Because I gave up on trying to turn it purple with bottle #2 after 25 drops.

 

[evoi19]

i just tested mine last night and #1 doesn't turn it pink. One you start adding #2 is when it turns pink then purple/blue.

How pink is it at 25 drops? Light pink or hot pink?

 

[mitsu_matt]

Well I just re-tested and its working great and showed 420! Geeze, i wonder if I inverted bottle 1 and 2. I could see that happening once but three times! [deleted] Thanks, all set now.

 

[allsps40]

I use API for ca testing not the best but close enough. Make sure you shake the bottles before testing.

 

[nmcgrawj]

Old thread....

Similar problem tho.


Using the API test kit. Add 10 drops of #1. Shake. Then shake #2. Add drops. Turns pink.


By the time I hit 25, I'm hot pink. Not even close to blue or purple. I said screw it and went to 50 drops....turned solid blue.

Obviously something is screwy but what? I tried this twice and both times I'm off the charts....

 

[bertoni]

Hard to say. What calcium level corresponds to 50 drops with your kit?

You might want to try giving the chemicals more time to react. When I was using one brand of calcium kit, I had to wait a minute (a real minute) to get the color change to happen at a reasonable level.

 

[nmcgrawj]

Pretty sure the table stops at around 26. 20 is 400ppm.

I'll have to double check tomorrow. That would mean mine is at 800ppm...given that 10 is 200ppm and the ratio is the same for each drop.


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[Lynnmw1208]

I didn't care for the API calcium test and like the red sea better. 5 drops of A, a scoop of B shake for 20 sec, put the titrator on and squeeze in the titration until it turns blue. API's is just so messy with having to shake it and uncap and shake it again.

 

[prior20]

I had problems when I bought this test kit. I figured it sat on the shelf for awhile at the fish store so I shook the bottles for about a minute and it worked just fine afterwards.

 

[d0ughb0y]

I didn't care for the API calcium test and like the red sea better. 5 drops of A, a scoop of B shake for 20 sec, put the titrator on and squeeze in the titration until it turns blue. API's is just so messy with having to shake it and uncap and shake it again.

you don't have to use API test tubes, just use a wider vial from other test kits and you can just swirl it a couple times after each drop.

 

[nmcgrawj]

I had problems when I bought this test kit. I figured it sat on the shelf for awhile at the fish store so I shook the bottles for about a minute and it worked just fine afterwards.

I'll try that. Date on them is 5/2011. And they are good for 3 years I read.





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[outssider]

i have checked real sea water of the coast of California with api and got 420. 21 drops. I believe api is close enough for our use.

 

[nmcgrawj]

Shook both bottles for 2 minutes...as hard as possible.

Tried it again...

30 drops. The best I get is hot pink.

Chart only goes up to 26...which is 520 I think.


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[bertoni]

Do the instructions say that shaking is required? For how long?

 

[nmcgrawj]

They say to shake bottle #2 10 seconds. they go like this:

1.) 5ml tank water into vial
2.) 10 drops of #1 into vial
3.) cap and shake 10 seconds
4.) shake #2 10 seconds
5.) add drops of #2 until blue while counting the drops.


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[bertoni]

I don't know what's happening. I would add about 16 drops of reagent 2, and then let the test vial sit for a minute, and see what happens. The test kit might be bad, though. I haven't used that brand, so I'm not sure what's happening.

 

[Bryan]

I found the API calcium test kit to be completely useless. It constantly returned very high readings compared to the ELOS and Salifert.

p.s. The API alkalinity test kit is very good and consistently accurate.

 

[billybloo]

keep in mind the API calcium test is not accurate. Try a higher end test like the new red sea line or salifert.