Ca stuck at 320?

[snowmansnow]

Kinda scratching my head on this one.

my Ca seems to be stuck at 320 and I can't seem to raise it.
My test kits are Elos and Red Sea Pro. They both give a very similar reading.

My alk is at 9 and my Mg is at 1450
alk tested with a checker and Mg with Red Sea Pro.

So... whats up with my water... ? Why can't I get my Ca up ?


Thanks,
B.

 

[ripped tide]

Whoa. Seems like an imbalance, but I don't know where. I am betting that the Red Sea magnesium kit is off. Seems to be a common problem for a few folks on here. I have had first hand experiance with a friend's mg kit. When he tested his water with the RS kit, he got 1500. I got 1100 with seachem.

Edit: I've been using the seachem kit for 2 years and the salifert kit before that. Seachem seems to make pretty reliable tests.

 

[snowmansnow]

even if it is 1100 thats still within range of an alk of 9...

Maybe I'm just not dosing enough

Edit: ill double check the mg again in a while, but based on what the Mg I've added that SHOULD seem about right.

 

[ripped tide]

1100 is too low to get the calcium to 400. It needs to be around 1300 to get to 400

Edit: Are your corals pissed?

 

[eagle9252]

chunk the RSCP garbage!!!

i hated it. i got better numbers with my api. i now use Seachem. much better results. when my numbers got out of wack i was told to do a wc every week and only feed the tank no test and no dosing for 3 weeks. then do another wc and then test you water and get your ma up first. then ca and alk.

 

[ripped tide]

Let me clarify:

I'm not saying that the Red Sea kit is off. BUT if it is, a low mg will not allow a high calcium level.

If the kit is accurate, I don't know what it wrong. Time for a water change! Lol

 

[eagle9252]

what salt are you useing

 

[ripped tide]

eagle9252;814059 wrote: chunk the RSCP garbage!!!

I'd probably call them first. If there is a problem, they need to fix it. Think about the other reefers that will buy that kit. If it is bad, Red Sea needs to know.

 

[snowmansnow]

Salt is Seachem ReefSalt.

Corals are NOT pissed. they are growing like weeds as usual.

BUT I don't keep corals.. I keep water

 

[rdnelson]

Ripped Tide;814049 wrote: Whoa. Seems like an imbalance, but I don't know where. I am betting that the Red Sea magnesium kit is off. Seems to be a common problem for a few folks on here. I have had first hand experiance with a friend's mg kit. When he tested his water with the RS kit, he got 1500. I got 1100 with seachem.

Edit: I've been using the seachem kit for 2 years and the salifert kit before that. Seachem seems to make pretty reliable tests.

I agree entirely with this. Using Elos my mag tested at 1450. Switched to RS when it ran out and it always reads above 1600 (it maxes out at 1600).

Unless your mag is near 1450 the calcium supplements you add will precipitate out.

 

[snowmansnow]

going to retest Mg. Seems I remember I may have done something wrong a few days ago when I did the test.

B

 

[ripped tide]

Most mg kits are pretty complicated and required multiple steps. I know that the seachem want a lot out of you. Add 2 drops, wait for precipitation, filtrate, add 2 more drops, light a match, load a shot gun, titrate and then compare to chart.

 

[rdnelson]

Bill (our VP) posted a great article on balancing the CL,Alk and Mag. Whisk I had kept it. It showed me how import the mag is to the other two and how it halos you avoid the runaway imbalance. Bottom line, if the Mag is around 1450 the other two are soooo much easier to maintain.

 

[rdnelson]

Ripped Tide;814067 wrote: Most mg kits are pretty complicated and required multiple steps. I know that the seachem want a lot out of you. Add 2 drops, wait for precipitation, filtrate, add 2 more drops, light a match, load a shot gun, titrate and then compare to chart.

I liked Elos the best for mag. Easiest and I think the most accurate. But they are not cheap. Tried the Red Sea because they were a bit less expensive and you can buy refill reagents. Happy with the Cal Nd Alk but not Mag.

 

[ripped tide]

I'm on a journey of loving our locals. I'm trying to keep most of my stuff seachem. I switched to the salinity salt and I'm loving it. A Big Bang for the buck(of high end salts). The kits have been reliable and are available locally.

 

[eagle9252]

Ripped Tide;814062 wrote: I'd probably call them first. If there is a problem, they need to fix it. Think about the other reefers that will buy that kit. If it is bad, Red Sea needs to know.

i bought it because i was LQQKing for my first kit purchase after the starter api kit and the video made it LQQk so easy and i even took it back to the lfs of purchase and had them show me what i was doing wrong. i just never could get it to work for me.

i then later called the lfs and told them i wanted to bring it back. they told me to call rscp first. i did and they ran me through some questions and since this had been going on for about 4 months they told me they could send me a replacement set or return it to the store. i opted to return and exchange it for the Seachem test kits.

 

[snowmansnow]

mg is >1600

 

[ripped tide]

eagle9252;814071 wrote: i bought it because i was LQQKing for my first kit purchase after the starter api kit and the video made it LQQk so easy and i even took it back to the lfs of purchase and had them show me what i was doing wrong. i just never could get it to work for me.

i then later called the lfs and told them i wanted to bring it back. they told me to call rscp first. i did and they ran me through some questions and since this had been going on for about 4 months they told me they could send me a replacement set or return it to the store. i opted to return and exchange it for the Seachem test kits.

Lol good! You took the right approach. Telling others to trash it won't help the company get it fixed. Ya feel me?

I think you made the right choice with seachem, but Red Sea still exists and they have some great products.

 

[snowmansnow]

test kit

http://www.marinedepot.com/Red_Sea_Magnesium_Pro_Test_Kit_100_Tests_Specialty_Test_Kits_for_Saltwater_Aquariums-Red_Sea-RS21415-FITKSI-vi.html">http://www.marinedepot.com/Red_Sea_Magnesium_Pro_Test_Kit_100_Tests_Specialty_Test_Kits_for_Saltwater_Aquariums-Red_Sea-RS21415-FITKSI-vi.html</a>

Edit: ok so maybe i did the Ca test wrong .. geez haha..

Going back to test Ca now.

 

[rdnelson]

I did buy local because they were the only store open that day and didn't stock Elos.