trouble reading tropic marin calcium test

[bethnjeremy]

I am having a hard time reading this. I read awhile ago this was a good test kit. I have had nothing but problems trying to decipher what it really is at. Anyone use this, do you look from above to see it loses the slight blue tint or when the vial is complete clear. If this is the case I am real low. I have been dosing brightwells reef code at their max dose for over a month and the test kit says i have not budged. SOS!!!! I checked my alk and it was 13! I stopped dosing that, i tested that with elos kh kit. I will check it later to see if it drops.

[HighlandReefer]

You are experiencing two problems:

1) Proper reading of your test kit which I am not familiar with. You could mix up a small batch of your salt mix at a salinity level of 1.0264 using a properly calibrated refractometer and compare the results you get with the results in this thread:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1287118&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

If your test results are similar then your test kit reading method is correct.

If not, perhaps buying an API kit and comparing it will help. API kits are cheap and reliable as long as they are not over one year old.

2) If your kit is reading properly and your calcium is low then you will need to make an increase in one or two doses bringing it back up to the correct level. I use calcium chloride to do this and the Reef Chemistry Calculator:

Reef chemicals calculator
http://home.comcast.net/~jdieck1/chem_calc3.html

I am not familiar with the product you are using and what is in it. If directions are not provided stating how much of their product you need to add to bring your volume of water up to a given level, then you may have to contact the manufacturer. Many labels on these products only state what is used for maintaining the correct level of calcium and may not be appropriate for your system.

[bethnjeremy]

thanks highland reefer, since i live in japan i went out and got one of their kits today. Well the tropic marin one is wrong. I took a sample to a coral research place by my home and they tested it. Then I went out and got that kit. Big difference from 344 to 425!

[HighlandReefer]

I glad you worked out your problem. ;)

Happy Reefing.

[ksed]

Which one was reading 344ppm

[1swtlx]

I gotta say the TM calcium test does leave something to be desired. I feel that with the test kit design it leaves the most room for error due to syringe filling instructions. I have tested my calcium a couple times and I finally gave up. I too am going to verfiy my testing on Oceanic salt using the link Highland provided to verify my test kit values are correct.

[bethnjeremy]

tropic marin was reading 344