Calcium Drop

[thomas_neil]

Hello Everyone,

I was testing my tanks parameters today to get a baseline for my incoming corals that are arriving Thursday. I also wanted to get a baseline to start dosing all for reef starting Friday.

I have a 20-gallon jbj cube that has 2 clowns, YWG pistol shrimp pair, bi color blenny, cleaner shrimp (that's been molting) hermits and snails. I have an acan frag, pipe organ frag, and a zoa.

For salt I'm using red sea coral pro.

I brought one of my older salifert calcium tests from home because I wanted to use it up. I tested twice and both tests showed a calcium level of 90ppm. I just did a water change on Friday, but I didn't check the parameters. I'm going to bring one of my newer test kits tomorrow and double check that its low and if it is I'll bring some 2 part to get the levels up and use all for reef to maintain.

Parameters:
Sal. 35ppt Icecap
PH 8.1 Hanna
Alk 7.9ppm Hanna
Cal 90ppm Salifert
Nitrate 10ppm Salifert
Phosphate .04 ppm Hanna ULR
Didn't test Mag

My question is how did the calcium levels get so low if my test kit was accurate? Coral Pro salt usually runs 430-450

Also, any suggestion on raising PO4? I broad cast feed reef chili every other day.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I would guess that your old Salifert test kit is wrong... maybe expired or some how compromised?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Test error is the only possibility. You may be reading the syringe backward.

 

[thomas_neil]

Tested again today with a new test kit and it was at 100. Not sure how it dropped so fast. I'll bring the levels up over the next few days.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Tested again today with a new test kit and it was at 100. Not sure how it dropped so fast. I'll bring the levels up over the next few days.

I think that is still unlikely to be accurate. There's really no mechanism to get that low, aside from a bad batch of salt water to begin with.

Many folks read the Salifert syringe backward. To be at 100 ppm means hardly any titrant fluid used to get to the endpoint, while most of a syringe used means a lot of calcium.

 

[thomas_neil]

I believe I read it right, I had 0.8ml left in the syringe when the color changed before I dosed some calcium. I'll have to mix up a gallon of fresh salt water tonight and check the levels. I'm wondering if I got a bad batch of salt.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I believe I read it right, I had 0.8ml left in the syringe when the color changed before I dosed some calcium. I'll have to mix up a gallon of fresh salt water tonight and check the levels. I'm wondering if I got a bad batch of salt.

OK, thaty sound slike reading it correctly.

Let's see what the new salt water reads, though if 100 ppm, that still won't prove if its a bad test(s) or a bad batch of salt.

 

[thomas_neil]

OK, thaty sound slike reading it correctly.

Let's see what the new salt water reads, though if 100 ppm, that still won't prove if its a bad test(s) or a bad batch of salt.

Ill test with both salifert test kits and check it with my hanna calcium test as well.