Salifert test kits

Evening everyone. Hope all of you are doing well and the reef tanks are thriving.

I have purchased the Salifert test kits last week and started my first tests with them on Sunday. The initial test with the calcium showed I was low. 350...not horrible, but nonetheless low. I added some calcium that evening and retested yesterday again. It showed I was at 340...strange...retested and got same number. So I added more calcium last night...retested today and I am reading 320. I find it hard to believe that I am losing calcium when I have added the exact amount for my tank per the instructions. I am using the B-IONIC Calcium Buffer system. What I have read and learned was it was the best out. I am not buying it right now. My question is this...the salifert calcium test says drop the #3 in drop wise and swirl for a second or two until the color changes to clear blue....does this mean CLEAR BLUE in that you can see through it? Or just a definite blue color?

If it is simply blue then I guess I am low on calcium according to this. If it is clear blue then I am off the chart. Anyone with experience with this test kit please advise. I added some green ricordia to my tank and some pulsating xenia and want it to thrive of course.

Thank you for your time and help as always.

Todd

 

They mean blue with no trace of pink left ( clear blue ) ;D.. John

 

I thought so but I had to check.

I am confused then how my calcium is going down when I have added it daily. I'm lost on that one. It had stayed stable at 450 for 3 weeks and dropped slightly to 430 and has been there for the last 2 until this Sunday.

I am thinking maybe I should stop the testing and adding calcium for a day or 2 and then retest????

Thank you John.

Todd

 

I use CalxMax 2 Part Calcium Solution By Warner Marine but I believe that if you are using B-Ionic Calcium Buffer you are supposed to add this every day!
CalxMax is every other day............... John

 

Sorry I see that you have been adding it every day You may want to check your PH and your Magnesium as they will affect your Calcium level

 

Mag is at 1340ish...thought that was good enough. PH is 8.2...Alk is 4.5

I thought everything was right on. Guess I was wrong. I will retest tomorrow and start from there.

Thanks John.

Todd

 

In response to your question (My degree is in Chemistry - formerly worked in an analytical lab). As a chemist, I too use the Salifert test kits because of the accurate results acheived with them. You are actually performing a "Titration" when you are adding the #3 solution dropwise and trying to distinguish the "endpoint" to quantitate the amount of Calcium. This test should have a pretty noticable endpoint (color change) to clear blue. What I suggest to do is take a reading of the syringe volume at the time you think you see the color change. Then add the next drop - if there is a slight color change - a little more "clear blue" that is the endpoint. Record the syringe volume. To be sure, you may want to add another drop - there should be no change in color becuse your past the endpoint. A second suggestion is to practice good analytical technique - 1) be sure there are no air bubbles in the syringe (except for the headspace Salifert mentions - between the syring plunger black 0-ring and the solution - this is due to the add-on plastic titrator tip). 2) Be sure to clean the syringe out and vial with DI water. 3) Be carefull and consistent. Good Analytical technique plays a major role in reproducible results! Also, I beleive that when adding a pH buffer to the tank it may take up to 48 hours to stabalize. Hope that helps.

 

Poppy828,

I just ran the Ca test using the Salifert kit. The endpoint for the test is not really a "clear" blue. It is more like translucent - semi-clear. However, the color does change from pink to a pinkish/blue as it appraches the endpoint. The endpoint is blue.

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Thanks Mr. Crabs. I appreciate the feedback and help with that. I ran a comparison test with the salifert and Seachem tests. They both gave me the same readings with 3 different days of testing. Not so sure the Salifert is worth the extra money now. That will be a point argued for a long time though I am sure.

Thanks again,

Todd

 

Your welcome Poppy828. Glad to hear you get the same results with the Seachem test. I am not familar with the Seachem kit ( I had a bad experience with the Seachem buffer product so I stay away from their products - my personal opinion and I may be wrong ; ) Perhaps the price may not be worth it. But, from my research on test kits, Salifert and LaMott came out to be the "best" available. The "analytical chemist" in me tends to gravitate towards the Salifert for its "sophistication" i.e., using syringes as opposed to "bulb droppers" or "fill to the line on the test tube" for accurate delivery of liquids. I am also assuming that the reagents (chemicals -solutions and powders) with the Salifert kits are of Analytical grade and quality. This is a whole another topic in itself. Good luck with you water analysis!