REEF CRYSTALS are Good! Seachem Calcium Test is NOT!

[Japsican]

EDIT: Reef Crystals are Great...Seachem Test kit is an inaccurate POS.

 

Well, I went to purchase my second bucket of Reef Crystals, got home...mixed up a fresh 5 gallon batch of water to 1.026sg...let it aerate for a while, got it up to temp, went to test for calcium...I'm glad Reef Crystals has EXTRA calcium because if it didnt, it would probably have ZERO...I was at 250PPM!!!! WTF!!!!...I mixed 2 smaller 1 gallon batches and triple tested to make sure I wasnt screwing something up...Tests were reading accurately. 250PPM was the number for a new batch of Reef Crystals salt mix...Lets just say, I am not buying Reef Crystals ever again...I know they were having some issues at the beginning of this year with low Ca and Magnesium, but I thought they had cleared all that up...Figured it would be fine, but I was wrong. Switching over to D-D H2Ocean! Make sure you all check your water BEFORE you add it!!!

 

EDIT!!!!!:

 

Okay, MAYBE...I jumped the gun on this one since I know RC was having some Ca issues...Know I'm thinking the RC salt wasnt so bad after all????

 

Here's the story...So I exchanged the RC for the H2Ocean...I get home after work...Mix up 5 Gallons of it at 1.026 sg and let it sit overnight (approx 13hrs.) I wake up and go to test the water before I got to work...My SG with the H2Ocean is at 1.026...Ph is at 8.3...Temp at 78F...Calcium at 300PPM...Okay...WTF. Can someone please tell me WTF I'm doing wrong? I'm using RO water, I also tried it with Distilled water and I get the same readings...Seachem Calcium test kit is reading accurately with the calibrated sample solution. Refractometer is reading 0 with distilled water, 1.026 with the mixture, and my hydrometer is reading at 1.028. Salt was mixed prior to mixing with water, had time to mix for about 13 hours...Can anyone help me out? Tell me wtf is going on?

 

CONCLUSION: Seachem Test kit was bad all along...Testing 440PPM with H2Ocean using an API test kit.

 

Thanks,

 

Marc

[Piro]

Could the bucket you got have been in the store's backstock from earlier that year when they were having the trouble? The manufacturer's quality control dept. would have a record of the lot of bad product and would be able to tell you if you got a bad lot or not.

[Japsican]

Yeah, it could be that, or it could just be an isolated incident. The place i bought it from asked if I wanted another bucket of it in exchange, I opted out and went with H2Ocean...I dont have time to run back and forth hoping the batch I get will be what its suppose to be.

[HankB]

Did you try mixing it? Components can settle out in shipping.

 

That said, if it is the big bucket (like 5 gallon size) mixing it could be pretty tough.

 

That's good practice regardless of which salt you use.

 

-hank

[SeeDemTails]

Before you take the lid of put it in its side and roll it.

[Japsican]

The bucket was already mixed...Once on my way home when it tipped over in my truck and rolled around a few times, and also when I got home. lol. Even if it wasnt mixed...I mean 250PPM? Either way, I hear pretty good things about H2Ocean...Just saying test your water people!

[Laura6686]

Well, I went to purchase my second bucket of Reef Crystals, got home...mixed up a fresh 5 gallon batch of water to 1.026sg...let it aerate for a while, got it up to temp, went to test for calcium...I'm glad Reef Crystals has EXTRA calcium because if it didnt, it would probably have ZERO...I was at 250PPM!!!! WTF!!!!...I mixed 2 smaller 1 gallon batches and triple tested to make sure I wasnt screwing something up...Tests were reading accurately. 250PPM was the number for a new batch of Reef Crystals salt mix...Lets just say, I am not buying Reef Crystals ever again...I know they were having some issues at the beginning of this year with low Ca and Magnesium, but I thought they had cleared all that up...Figured it would be fine, but I was wrong. Switching over to D-D H2Ocean! Make sure you all check your water BEFORE you add it!!!

 

I love Reef Crystals but with everything else you can have a bad batch. What water source are you using? I used tap for a while until I switched to Distilled. There was a major difference. The tap water ph stayed too low but as soon as I switched to Distilled I have had perfect readings.

 

 

Did you let it aerate for 24 hours? The recommendation time frame.

 

My coraline algae is growing daily :-) without dosing. Though I will tell you I have had people tell me that the salt will settle and that you should once in a while mix the bad or bucket. The bucket was easy to mix, I made sure it was sealed and tipped it upside down.

 

Plus another thing to think of is the test kit you are using. Some are horrible.

[Seiryoku]

I've never thought of needing to mix the actual salt before mixing it in water o_o Luckily the 5g bucket (reef crystals) of it I have was shipped FedEx...probably got mixed plenty during shipping :-p

 

Don't think I've ever tested for calcium...probably do have the test for it laying around. ~450 is where it should be right?

[Laura6686]

I've never thought of needing to mix the actual salt before mixing it in water o_o Luckily the 5g bucket (reef crystals) of it I have was shipped FedEx...probably got mixed plenty during shipping :-p

 

Don't think I've ever tested for calcium...probably do have the test for it laying around. ~450 is where it should be right?

 

about 440 is where it should be.

[Japsican]

I love Reef Crystals but with everything else you can have a bad batch. What water source are you using? I used tap for a while until I switched to Distilled. There was a major difference. The tap water ph stayed too low but as soon as I switched to Distilled I have had perfect readings.

 

 

Did you let it aerate for 24 hours? The recommendation time frame.

 

My coraline algae is growing daily :-) without dosing. Though I will tell you I have had people tell me that the salt will settle and that you should once in a while mix the bad or bucket. The bucket was easy to mix, I made sure it was sealed and tipped it upside down.

 

Plus another thing to think of is the test kit you are using. Some are horrible.

 

It didnt aerate for 24 hrs. It did for a few, but not 24. I'm using RO water with new filters and the test kit i'm using for calcium is Seachem. It tests perfectly with the calibrated sample at 425, so I dont think its the test kit.

[johnmaloney]

check this out, it is the salt analysis report:

 

http://aquariumwatertesting.com/AWT_Salt_Analysis_0208.pdf

 

i think coral life's salt came out the best overall.

[Smurf]

Could the bucket you got have been in the store's backstock from earlier that year when they were having the trouble? The manufacturer's quality control dept. would have a record of the lot of bad product and would be able to tell you if you got a bad lot or not.

 

I think they would throw you some compensation?

 

Before you take the lid of put it in its side and roll it.

 

Let the little brother have some fun. Haha

[babyjess210]

I had the same issue. First 20 gallons i mix the CA was really low like 280. But i mix another 75 gallons to fill my new tank and CA was 400. After this bucket i will switch to another salt.

[bdare]

I say there is something wrong with your refractometer. Even with the bad batches of RC when mixed to 1.026 the ca was at 360. I'd make sure you've got it calibrated with calibration fluid and check it again.

 

Ben

[Japsican]

EDIT!!!!!:

 

Okay, MAYBE...I jumped the gun on this one since I know RC was having some Ca issues...Know I'm thinking the RC salt wasnt so bad after all????

 

Here's the story...So I exchanged the RC for the H2Ocean...I get home after work...Mix up 5 Gallons of it at 1.026 sg and let it sit overnight (approx 13hrs.) I wake up and go to test the water before I got to work...My SG with the H2Ocean is at 1.026...Ph is at 8.3...Temp at 78F...Calcium at 300PPM...Okay...WTF. Can someone please tell me WTF I'm doing wrong? I'm using RO water, I also tried it with Distilled water and I get the same readings...Seachem Calcium test kit is reading accurately with the calibrated sample solution. Refractometer is reading 0 with distilled water, 1.026 with the mixture, and my hydrometer is reading at 1.028. Salt was mixed prior to mixing with water, had time to mix for about 13 hours...Can anyone help me out? Tell me wtf is going on?

 

Thanks,

 

Marc

[bdare]

EDIT!!!!!:

 

Okay, MAYBE...I jumped the gun on this one since I know RC was having some Ca issues...Know I'm thinking the RC salt wasnt so bad after all????

 

Here's the story...So I exchanged the RC for the H2Ocean...I get home after work...Mix up 5 Gallons of it at 1.026 sg and let it sit overnight (approx 13hrs.) I wake up and go to test the water before I got to work...My SG with the H2Ocean is at 1.026...Ph is at 8.3...Temp at 78F...Calcium at 300PPM...Okay...WTF. Can someone please tell me WTF I'm doing wrong? I'm using RO water, I also tried it with Distilled water and I get the same readings...Seachem Calcium test kit is reading accurately with the calibrated sample solution. Refractometer is reading 0 with distilled water, 1.026 with the mixture, and my hydrometer is reading at 1.028. Salt was mixed prior to mixing with water, had time to mix for about 13 hours...Can anyone help me out? Tell me wtf is going on?

 

Thanks,

 

Marc

You need to calibrate your refractometer with calibration fluid. Also, Seachem tests aren't the best. Try API, Elos or Salifert.

[Smurf]

+1 to API. I've never had a mis-read.

[Japsican]

You need to calibrate your refractometer with calibration fluid. Also, Seachem tests aren't the best. Try API, Elos or Salifert.

 

My refractometer reads 0sg with distilled water. It reads 1.026sg with the salt mixture. Compared to my hydrometer which is reading 1.028sg...If its not exact, I'd think my refractometer is at least a little close, no?

 

The Seachem test kit reads exact with the calibrated sample solution...is that still not good enough?

[fierceseaman]

I don't know what problem you are having but I love RC and mine mixes up perfectly at 1.026. I've never had a problem with them. I'd look at your test kits since you are getting 2 anomalous readings from 2 different salts.

[Break]

Reef Crystals and Instant Ocean (same company) are pretty much fall-back staples of the hobby. I've never had nor heard of major problems with either. I think there might be something going wrong on your end.

[bdare]

There acutally is a differene in calibration your refractometer with RO/DI and with the calibration fluid. You always wan't to calibrate your equipment with a solution which is close as possible to what you'll be measuring.

 

Thus, the fact you say you measure 1.026 with the salt mixture doesn't mean much. Your assuming your 1.026 is really 1.026. I'm guessing it's not.

 

Also... as I and others have stated Seachem tests aren't that great. Even if it measures it's own solution doesn't mean it will work right with sea water. For example... When Salifert was having issues with thier alk tests they also came with a reference solution. My kit measured the soluiton as it should, but was off on alk by 2-3 dkh.

 

I would seriously try to find someone in your local club to come over and test your water. I don't dare say take your water to the LFS cause I don't trust any of them SOBs.

[nanoty]

There acutally is a differene in calibration your refractometer with RO/DI and with the calibration fluid. You always wan't to calibrate your equipment with a solution which is close as possible to what you'll be measuring.

 

Thus, the fact you say you measure 1.026 with the salt mixture doesn't mean much. Your assuming your 1.026 is really 1.026. I'm guessing it's not.

 

Also... as I and others have stated Seachem tests aren't that great. Even if it measures it's own solution doesn't mean it will work right with sea water. For example... When Salifert was having issues with thier alk tests they also came with a reference solution. My kit measured the soluiton as it should, but was off on alk by 2-3 dkh.

 

I would seriously try to find someone in your local club to come over and test your water. I don't dare say take your water to the LFS cause I don't trust any of them SOBs.

Are you off today or something? I don't think I have ever seen you post this much in one day, lo.

[bdare]

Are you off today or something? I don't think I have ever seen you post this much in one day, lo.

 

Nice hijack you douche!

 

 

 

No.. I'm at work.. there is just good threads to respond to today.

[Japsican]

There acutally is a differene in calibration your refractometer with RO/DI and with the calibration fluid. You always wan't to calibrate your equipment with a solution which is close as possible to what you'll be measuring.

 

Thus, the fact you say you measure 1.026 with the salt mixture doesn't mean much. Your assuming your 1.026 is really 1.026. I'm guessing it's not.

 

Also... as I and others have stated Seachem tests aren't that great. Even if it measures it's own solution doesn't mean it will work right with sea water. For example... When Salifert was having issues with thier alk tests they also came with a reference solution. My kit measured the soluiton as it should, but was off on alk by 2-3 dkh.

 

I would seriously try to find someone in your local club to come over and test your water. I don't dare say take your water to the LFS cause I don't trust any of them SOBs.

 

Thanks for everyones help...

 

I'm going to try and take some samples to my LFS...pretty trust worthy...I'll prob order a new test kit and try to make sure everything is working as it should. Hopefully my test kit is just fubar...This is getting on my nerves. It's just weird that my refractometer and hydrometer are reading pretty close...I know the salt cant be bad 2 times in a row...I know my luck isnt the best, but it cant possibly be that bad...

[Japsican]

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

 

Well, I went to the LFS a few minutes ago and asked if they could test some of my water for calcium...They couldnt do it..They only do the basic tests (SG, Ph. Alk., Etc.). I did however have them test my SG which is at 1.026, we both got the same exact reading so my refractometer is spot on! Anyway, instead of wasting a trip I bought an API Calcium test kit...Just got back to work, performed the test on the sample I took to the LFS...and...(Drumroll...)...The test kit is reading at 440PPM Calcium!!!!! It was my P.O.S. Seachem test kit all along...What a relief...

 

So the original Reef Crystals were probably good...It was the Seachem Test kit that was the culprit!

 

Thanks for Everyones help!!!