Calcium test results....please help

[talon4x4]

I got my Salifert Ca test and my results are off the chart. I did the test twice to make sure. Somehow I'm getting a reading of 560ppm. I don't dose with anything, so why such a high reading???

I used the formula on the chart of: ppm CA = ((1 - reading) x 500) x 2(I did the low res test). Comparing the syringe to the chart, I had a reading of .44 which is 280, multipied by 2 for 560ppm Ca.

Any ideas?!?

[hng]

How old is the tank and what do you have in it? What is the alk? Mix up some fresh salt water and test the calcium to see if your test kit is working properly. Most LFS will also test calcium and alk for free.

[talon4x4]

The tank is 6 months old. It's a FOWLR tank. My LFS would test, but I've watched the test. They use cheap kits!!

Does IO salt have a high calcium content??

[Wiskey]

IO has a low CA content. Comes in at ~380 at 1.025. Great for FLOWLR though because it has a high Alk.

What is your SG? What is your Alk?

Do you use araginite sand?

Whiskey

[talon4x4]

I didn't get to test Alk, but I did get that test in as well. My salinity is 1.025 and temp is 78.7. I don't use aroganite sand. I'll get back with my Alk reading.

[Hop]

Did you run a normal test, rather than the low res test? The low res test leaves a little more room for error... I just can't see the Ca being that high without dosing anything.

[talon4x4]

OK, finally got to run the normal test, twice. Both times I got a reading for 425. Not sure why running the half test produced such outrageous results.

My question, where is the CA coming from if I don't dose anything?? I use IO salt which I thought I read had low doses of CA. Not that its a bad things as I would guess the inverts need it to grow there shells.

[mediabox]

Are you using tap water?

I don't know the Salifert tesk kit but when I did my first Ca using Seachem I read the syringe backwards and though my Ca was 100 when it was as really 400.

[Geoff]

what is your alk reading?

G~

[talon4x4]

Its interesting that a month later someone posts in my thread. Because I'm actually still having problems. My Ca is fine, reading around 425. But my KH/Alk is reading around 14 dKH and 5 meq/l.

An no, no tap water, RO/DI.

According to the webpage that has the differnt zone I believe I was a zone 3 and should be dosing Ca. Which I have been doing for 2 weeks, the Kent Marine concentrated liquid Ca. I haven't seen a change in Ca or KH/Alk.

Any ideas??

[Wiskey]

What is your salinity and how are you testing it?

Are you adding any kind of buffer for PH or for alk?

Whiskey

[talon4x4]

I test salinity with a refractometer, its show 1.026. I'm not adding any buffers for pH or Alk.

[Wiskey]

Huh,.. Is your refracto properly calabrated?

What is your PH?

Whiskey

[talon4x4]

Unfortunately, I don't have anything to properly calibrate with, but when testing my RO water it shows 0. And a salinity test with the hydrometer shows the same, 1.026.

My pH is 8.2.

[steamboatwv]

I wish i knew what caused your tests to run high like that, I have never dosed my tank with anything and my cal always runs around 525 according to the test. but everything seems fine in the tanks other than that.