Calcium test with Salifert

tycham · 03/16/2006, 12:31 PM

I recently got a new Salifert Test Kit for calcium. I had not tested for two months and my revious kit was old.

When I tested, the test showed not calcium. I immediately started adding Tech A and B. Several days later no change.

Today I did the Strontium test and the calcium part said I had 525 mg/l. I then noticed that the calciuem kit test both fresh and marine water. So I whipped out my spa test kit and the test strip shows around 400-500.

Since I had water made up, I did an immediate partial water change. I saved a cup of the new mixture an or what. I tested it. It tested zero.

Don't know if I have a bad lot or what. I am on my way to get another test kit (different brand) and ore salt for another water change this weekend.

An ideas out there? Anyone got a contact point for Salifert? Their website doesn't help.

Randy Holmes-Farley · 03/16/2006, 12:47 PM

Calcium is never ever 0 ppm in seawater.

That said, I'll move this thread to the Salifert forum here at RC where the owner of Salifert (Habib) will, I assume, be happy to assist you in using his kit.

tycham · 03/16/2006, 02:14 PM

I did not know there was a Salifert forum. Now I know about the 1/29 post. I will run a couple of more test, with multiple 1 mm and see what I get

Habib · 03/16/2006, 03:08 PM

With the calcium kit to be zero it would requite absolutely no Ca-3 reagent.

Could it be that you had to use the full amount of the 1 ml syringe with the Ca-3 reagent wthout the color changing to blue, so stayed red/pink?

If so then the calcium value is above 500 ppm.

tycham · 03/16/2006, 03:47 PM

You are correct. My calcium is 700 with this kit and 563 with the Strontium kit.

I realize my mistake but still question the huge difference.

BTW the CA kit tested my virgin Oceanic water at 650 ppm

Habib · 03/16/2006, 03:52 PM

BTW the CA kit tested my virgin Oceanic water at 650 ppm

That is a typical value for Oceanic as quoted by many others. It will be higher or lower than that proportionally to the salinty (amount of salt dissolved).

The difference between the calcium part of the Sr kit and the calcium kit is large.

Two full 1 ml syringes of Sr-3 corresponds to 569 ppm calcium. Did you have to add in total close to two full 1 ml syringes with Sr-3?

tycham · 03/16/2006, 04:09 PM

Yes. I was down to .15 ml so it was about 555 if I remember correctly

Habib · 03/16/2006, 05:19 PM

Do you have the Sr kit quite a while and used it before?

tycham · 03/16/2006, 06:32 PM

Just opened it today

Habib · 03/20/2006, 02:58 PM

As I mentioned previously, that difference is too large.

Something with the kit or something in following the procedure.

If you can give the batch numbers of the reagents then we can take a look at it ASAP.

tycham · 03/20/2006, 07:48 PM

SR1 AD1702
SR2 1726
SR3 PC0500

CA 0505A
CA 0505B

03/16/2006, 12:31 PM	#1
tycham Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sultan, WA Posts: 215	Calcium test with Salifert I recently got a new Salifert Test Kit for calcium. I had not tested for two months and my revious kit was old. When I tested, the test showed not calcium. I immediately started adding Tech A and B. Several days later no change. Today I did the Strontium test and the calcium part said I had 525 mg/l. I then noticed that the calciuem kit test both fresh and marine water. So I whipped out my spa test kit and the test strip shows around 400-500. Since I had water made up, I did an immediate partial water change. I saved a cup of the new mixture an or what. I tested it. It tested zero. Don't know if I have a bad lot or what. I am on my way to get another test kit (different brand) and ore salt for another water change this weekend. An ideas out there? Anyone got a contact point for Salifert? Their website doesn't help.

03/16/2006, 12:47 PM	#2
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 67,277	Calcium is never ever 0 ppm in seawater. That said, I'll move this thread to the Salifert forum here at RC where the owner of Salifert (Habib) will, I assume, be happy to assist you in using his kit. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Club 65535 Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef

03/16/2006, 03:08 PM	#4
Habib Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Holland (Europe) Posts: 22,747	With the calcium kit to be zero it would requite absolutely no Ca-3 reagent. Could it be that you had to use the full amount of the 1 ml syringe with the Ca-3 reagent wthout the color changing to blue, so stayed red/pink? If so then the calcium value is above 500 ppm. __________________ "I'm a big dumb stupid head." - Beerbutt Proud owner of the very rare YET (Yellow Elephantis Tang) from the Lord Bibah Islands. "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi)

03/16/2006, 03:52 PM	#6
Habib Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Holland (Europe) Posts: 22,747	BTW the CA kit tested my virgin Oceanic water at 650 ppm That is a typical value for Oceanic as quoted by many others. It will be higher or lower than that proportionally to the salinty (amount of salt dissolved). The difference between the calcium part of the Sr kit and the calcium kit is large. Two full 1 ml syringes of Sr-3 corresponds to 569 ppm calcium. Did you have to add in total close to two full 1 ml syringes with Sr-3? __________________ "I'm a big dumb stupid head." - Beerbutt Proud owner of the very rare YET (Yellow Elephantis Tang) from the Lord Bibah Islands. "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi)

03/16/2006, 05:19 PM	#8
Habib Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Holland (Europe) Posts: 22,747	Do you have the Sr kit quite a while and used it before? __________________ "I'm a big dumb stupid head." - Beerbutt Proud owner of the very rare YET (Yellow Elephantis Tang) from the Lord Bibah Islands. "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi)

03/16/2006, 02:14 PM	#3
tycham Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sultan, WA Posts: 215	I did not know there was a Salifert forum. Now I know about the 1/29 post. I will run a couple of more test, with multiple 1 mm and see what I get

03/16/2006, 03:47 PM	#5
tycham Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sultan, WA Posts: 215	You are correct. My calcium is 700 with this kit and 563 with the Strontium kit. I realize my mistake but still question the huge difference. BTW the CA kit tested my virgin Oceanic water at 650 ppm

03/16/2006, 04:09 PM	#7
tycham Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sultan, WA Posts: 215	Yes. I was down to .15 ml so it was about 555 if I remember correctly

03/16/2006, 06:32 PM	#9
tycham Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sultan, WA Posts: 215	Just opened it today

03/20/2006, 02:58 PM	#10
Habib Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Holland (Europe) Posts: 22,747	As I mentioned previously, that difference is too large. Something with the kit or something in following the procedure. If you can give the batch numbers of the reagents then we can take a look at it ASAP. __________________ "I'm a big dumb stupid head." - Beerbutt Proud owner of the very rare YET (Yellow Elephantis Tang) from the Lord Bibah Islands. "LOL, well I have no brain apparently. " - dc (Debi)

03/20/2006, 07:48 PM	#11
tycham Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Sultan, WA Posts: 215	SR1 AD1702 SR2 1726 SR3 PC0500 CA 0505A CA 0505B