fw2sw-wannabe Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 So, I recently finished a Salifert calcium test kit and bought a new one. On my old one, my calcium was around 380-400, so I was dosing to try to keep it up. My alk was staying really low (2.0 meq/L, also Salifert), despite much dosing of B-Ionic two-part. I switched to Kalkwasser, and felt like things were going well. After switching to my new calcium test kit, my calcium level was up around 500. After emptying out the 1 mL syringe of CA-3, I needed to add another 0.13 mL to make the test tube water turn blue. So, the question is: is it the new test kit or the old one that was wrong? How can I figure this out? In the meantime, I've been dosing just part 1 of B-Ionic, to get the alkalinity up. So far, I'm at 3.2. My params: 1.025 sg 78 degrees 8.3 pH (Elos... was 7.9 on Salifert!) 0.5 nitrate (Salifert) 1350 magnesium (Salifert) 3.2 alkalinity (Salifert) 500+ calcium (Salifert) edit: I use Reef Crystals salt mix Link to comment
The Propagator Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Some Salifert test kits a while back were faulty. You may have to contact them for a lot # or something to confirm though. Link to comment
revaltion131 Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 ^- what he said. My Alk and Mg kits that I bought over the summer (maybe like August) were bad. I tossed them after confirming, though, so I can't remember what the batch numbers were. Link to comment
fw2sw-wannabe Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 ^- what he said. My Alk and Mg kits that I bought over the summer (maybe like August) were bad. I tossed them after confirming, though, so I can't remember what the batch numbers were. So I should contact Salifert with my batch numbers? Maybe I'll find the time tomorrow to take my water down to the LFS... Link to comment
bangus Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 So I should contact Salifert with my batch numbers? Maybe I'll find the time tomorrow to take my water down to the LFS... Am definitely interested to know how reliable Salifert calcium test is. I am glad I saw this post as I was planning on ordering the kit from Marine Depot as a third opinion. I currently have two calcium test kits: Red Sea aand API. I noticed that both measured the water in my tank in the same range... 450 for API and 500 for Red Sea. The problem is that the saltwater I just purchased from my LFS measured differently between the two. API measured it at 400 while Read Sea's read was 300! I then thought of buying Salifert to lie detect these two I have. To the experts and veterans here, which is the most reliable calcium tester? Salifert but from the non-defective batch? API? Red Sea (I know there are a bunch of Red Sea doubters out there? Or other brands perhaps? Actual experience wanted. Opinions not needed. Thanks. Link to comment
fw2sw-wannabe Posted January 26, 2009 Author Share Posted January 26, 2009 To the experts and veterans here, which is the most reliable calcium tester? Salifert but from the non-defective batch? API? Red Sea (I know there are a bunch of Red Sea doubters out there? Or other brands perhaps? Actual experience wanted. Opinions not needed. Thanks. hold on there, hijacker! I guess I'm interested in that, too. So far, I've liked my Salifert calcium tests. I haven't tried the others. I always thought Salifert was king. How about Elos? Their pH test kicks Salifert's bu#$! Link to comment
bangus Posted January 27, 2009 Share Posted January 27, 2009 hold on there, hijacker! I guess I'm interested in that, too. So far, I've liked my Salifert calcium tests. I haven't tried the others. I always thought Salifert was king. How about Elos? Their pH test kicks Salifert's bu#$! lol. by the time we got this figured out, the experts would be tired of answering led and chaeto questions. hello!!!!!!! Link to comment
bangus Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 hold on there, hijacker! I guess I'm interested in that, too. So far, I've liked my Salifert calcium tests. I haven't tried the others. I always thought Salifert was king. How about Elos? Their pH test kicks Salifert's bu#$! I didn't know that my Marine Depot order included the Salifert calcium test. As mentioned, I already had API and Red Sea calcium tests and they were somewhat >100ppm off versus each other, and therefore my need to validate which of the two was accurate, ie winner is the one that I will be using long-term. I thought Salifert would be a good lie detector for the two. It would also allow me to try Salifert as a third product to be qualified for more long-term use. Here are the results Red Sea - 300ppm API - 460ppm Salifert - 480ppm Based on the above, one tester is now in the trash can. Between API and Salifert, API is the better value of the two as you can buy this test bundled in a Reef Master Test Kit (with Nitrate, Phosphate and KH testers) for $30+ at your LFS or $20 before shipping cost from Marine Depot. While more complicated, the Salifert test offers a no-spill experience as you are asked to swirl the solution in a vial as opposed to shaking the test tube and spilling some as the chemical reaction somewhat squirts doses of the liquid out of the the tube cap. Judgment. I would stick with API calcium tester during the first year of the aquarium when testing nitrates, phosphate and kh is also as critical. Once I would be ready to buy a stand alone calcium tester, I would go with the pricier Salifert if I had extra change in my pocket. If your Salifert's batch is not defective, the results shd be reliable or close to API's. Hope this helps. Link to comment
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