Elos Calcium Test Kit ???

[Civicdemon]

So i just got the elos calcium test kit because i have ben using API and i tought it was testing high at about 520 ppm because the LFS who use salifert test kit said i was low at about 380 ppm.

So i just tested using the elos test kit and it shows im at about 520 ppm also. Now i have ben doesing Kalwaiser for about 3 weeks now so that might be why its up.

But anyways I need to go to the LFS now that i have ben doesing and compare.

I Have ben reading around and alot of reviews state that saliferts ca test test low.

Anyone els use elos test kit ????

What do you guys think on these products.

 

[poksal]

Have you tested for KH (alkalinity)?

hummm.. Could you please post all your test results?
Include salinity and temp.

Do you have lots of corals?

 

[d2mini]

Yeah, test for Alk too. Most likely this is also too high.
How much kalkwasser are you adding?

Elos makes good kits.

 

[fc_uk]

Well, I run a confirmatory lab test after all my kits to see where they stand. I realize not everyone can do this.

How about testing in duplicate. One with the old and one with the new. It would give you a good basis and correction of error.

If one tests 380 and the other 520 ppm of calcium, you will know one is in error. That way, knoing a true value confirmed by two kits you would continue to use a ba kit because you will know how much it is off by.

This does not help you now, but may in the future.

A for your specific kit, I've had no experience with it.

 

[poksal]

Agreed
I know I run an API Ca test but I purchased a RedSea kit and did a duplicate because I wasn't sure. They were mighty close.. so I just use the API now.. if it is questionable I do a duplicate.


but back to the problem Civic is having....

 

[Civicdemon]

Ok Just tested everything again and here are the results .

temps is 78.6 f.

Salinity 1.024
Nitrates 5ppm
Nitrite 0
ammonia 0
PH 8.1
Phosfates .025
KH 8 or 9

Tested the CA again with elos kit and got 500 this time.

Im thinking it might have tested higher earlyer since i had just added top off water with Kalk in it. And i pulled the test water right from the top of the tank where the return is. So most likely the water i tested was straight flow from the sump with the kalk mixture. So i think i might test again tommorow after light have ben on for a couple hours.

Or should i wait till after my water change ????

 

[Civicdemon]

Yeah, test for Alk too. Most likely this is also too high.
How much kalkwasser are you adding?

Elos makes good kits.

I add 2 teaspons to my 5 gallon top off water. Ben doing this for 3 weeks now since i was told by my LFS that my CA was low as was my KH on my test.

Anyway to bring KH up and not ca ???

 

[poksal]

If you test after the water change you how would you know the condition before the change?

Ca and KH are a team...

I have a tank full of corals, it is a 95 gal.. with a sump and refuge.. I dose Reef Fusion parts 1 & 2 every other day at 4 ml each on opposite days. Part 1 is Ca and part 2 is KH. .. if that helps in some sanity way..

I also dose Brightwell's Replenish & Liquid Reef on opposite days per 1.5 ml and 8 ml respectively. I too dose Kent iodine, this is a diluted fail safe way to dose iodine at 1.5 ml per every day.

With these I feed frozen mixed foods for my fish and who ever can get the left overs at about 1/4 cube per day in the AM. I feed my refugium Phyto Feast about twice a week at about 3 ml. I slice off about 1/4 frozen cube of HQ Life's Coral Food Mix and thaw it into a glass of tank water and add to my display tank while the main pump is off about once a week.

I do a 25% water change every four weeks. (well last month I did 5 in a roll every 2 days to remove the effects of some bad rock).

Since I have be doing this and having solved some other problems with the great help of many on this forum my coral are making strides every day in noticeable amounts, and many of my corals were in very poor condition due to the bad rocks. It is now clear that my coral love what I am doing!

I went through all this because I think it may bring some clarity to your situation. I do not recommend you do what I am doing. Each tank is different.

 

[Civicdemon]

Yeah i really dont have many corals. Maybe 10 and some coc worms and 2 clams. And that aint really alot in my 125 gl. It might be if i had. 10gl or something like that. But anyways. Im going to spot the kalkwiser and wait for calcium to drop to normal range . Then if it keep going to low ill ajust my dosage to 1 teaspoon for 5 gl of top off and then keep an eye on it from there.

On other news i think my heater just ran a muck. Its 3 am now and i woke up to get some water. I look at my tank and my temp said 80.1. I was like wth it never gets that high especially at night. So i went to touch the heater slowly at first and it was pretty tham hot . Luckly i only have one. So i turned it down andit shut off. Im going to get a replacement tommorow.

 

[d2mini]

I add 2 teaspons to my 5 gallon top off water. Ben doing this for 3 weeks now since i was told by my LFS that my CA was low as was my KH on my test.

Anyway to bring KH up and not ca ???

Hmmm, that sounds like a good start. Alk and PH looks good. I would check magnesium. Low mag can throw off the balance of CA and Alk.

 

[chichimom79]

I was pouring kalk in my tank for a few weeks mixed up similar to how you are doing it and my tank was unhappy. After I started to drip it in slowly the tank, the corals have never been happier. I know you didn't mention your corals, but adding the kalk mix straight to the tank can make your levels do weird things, and the waste that forms at the bottom of the container can have nasty things in it that you do not want in your water like metals. That's why when you drip kalk you have to let it set for several hours and start your drip line above where all of that settles in the container. Just a lesson learned for me and thought I would share with you.

 

[chichimom79]

This also helped me a lot...
Calcium and Alkalinity by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Civicdemon]

No i dont mix mine in the top off water i mix 2 teaspoons in a clear 1 gallon jug then i wait a day and take the good portion ( center ) out and por it into a 5 gl jug with 4 gl of ro\di water. That way i dont get the nasty crust or bottom film in my top off jug just the good portion.

 

[Civicdemon]

On another note just got a mg test. And my mg is at 1350 acording to salifert mg test.

I think thats good right ?

 

[chichimom79]

Yep :D