Calcium testing question

ok heres my situation im testing for calcium with i believe api test and it says add the ten drops from first bottle in and then shake blah blah and then add contents from second bottle one at a time until it turns blue well my problem is it only takes 2 yes 2 drops before it turns blue which it then says my calcium is too low because i have about 40 ppm instead of the wanted 400ppm? i have been dosing with liquid calcium couple times a week is there somthing im doing wrong or is it just that low and what shoud i do to get it where it needs to be (this may be why all my birdsnest dont seem to make it and my hard corals)

 

Are you sure your following the instructions to the T? What is the lot # on the bottles?



luna

 

lot calcium ca 2+ or you mean the long number

 

There should be a lot # on each bottle. I dont mean the content of each, just the lot#.



luna

 

bottle 1 - 69a0609 bottle 2 - 70a0509

 

should i buy a calcium monitor is it worth it?

 

They are not expired, still good. I wonder if your doing it correctly. I have the same tester(dont use it anymore) and never got that reading. A reading of 40ppm for Cal usually means that you did something wrong.

BTW, dont waste your money on a Cal monitor, at least not from Pinpoint.


luna

 

im going to try it once again i did just does but we will see what happens ill get back to you in couple min thanks

 

i have the same calcium test....and actually just used it an hour ago. i highly doubt your calcium is that low if your dosing and doing water changes. follow the directions exactly. i got 440 ppm. add the ten drops of bottle one...close and shake vial...then add drops of bottle 2. only a few drops at a time then close it and shake. it should go from pink...to purple...to blue.

 

also you have to shake the solution # 2 thoroughly as directions state before using it for test.