Calcium level above Hanna test kit reference range but alkalinity stable within 8-9 dKH

[KingLucy1997]

Yeah the low range kit sucked. I hated it so bad, I mailed it to someone on here. All they had to do was pay for the shipping.

The high range kit is very accurate, and very repeatable, and very easy to use(same exact procedure as the phosphate kit

Thats why I said get another test kit. With the salifert kit, you can just keep adding the third part and add the results together to know how high it is.

EDIT:
Second part. Forgot salifert changed the calcium test to just 2 parts.

does Salifert have a digital readout like Hanna or am I interpreting colors?

 

[homer1475]

Its a color change. not color gradients.

Goes from pink to blue, very distinguishable. Read how much reagent was used, look at chart, gives number.

 

[KingLucy1997]

Its a color change. not color gradients.

Goes from pink to blue, very distinguishable. Read how much reagent was used, look at chart, gives number.

I wish more tests kits were color change based.

 

[sam2110]

I have been using almost exclusively RO/DI water from the local fish store I get my Red Sea water from for my tanks. Would the typical reef hobby store’s RO/DI system be enough?
I’m planning on using a new calcium test kit now regardless though.
is the Hanna high range nitrate any more reliable that the low range nitrate version? How off are Hanna’s nitrate tests in your opinion and what other test kit do you think is better?
Thanks

If you are using store brought rodi water to use in the hanna calcium checker that will be the reason you are getting high results. You need pure lab grade water for the dilution.

 

[KingLucy1997]

If you are using store brought rodi water to use in the hanna calcium checker that will be the reason you are getting high results. You need pure lab grade water for the dilution.

How do I obtain pure lab grade water? Any recommendations?

 

[sam2110]

How do I obtain pure lab grade water? Any recommendations?

Hanna sell it on their Web site, or just get a small bottle of distilled water for car batteries. Hanna calcium checker is so sensitive due to the tiny sample size it uses. You dilute the sample of 0.1 ml by 100 when you add it to your 10ml of water in the vial, any calcium in you dilution water will effect your result. If you have 1ppm in the 10ml of water before you add your sample of 0.1 you will already have a result of approximately 100ppm before you start testing you aquarium. You need to ensure the water you use has absolutely 0 calcium.

Sorry edit. 9ml of water so that means 1ppm will show approx 90ppm at test level

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

To clarify, I used Marine Buffer by Seachem, which says that it safely raises marine Ph to 8.3 and no higher, even if accidentally overdosed.
Thanks for the quick response

Sorry, no offense to you, but that's nonsense. Companies like Seachem stretch a tiny nugget of truth way beyond scientific recognition.

 

[KingLucy1997]

Sorry, no offense to you, but that's nonsense. Companies like Seachem stretch a tiny nugget of truth way beyond scientific recognition.

Yeah I fell for the marketing on that Sea Chem buffer product. Is there anything you can do for your tank if your pH is low (less than 8)? I know the ideal pH is 8.2 or so, at what levels should I start to get concerned?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah I fell for the marketing on that Sea Chem buffer product. Is there anything you can do for your tank if your pH is low (less than 8)? I know the ideal pH is 8.2 or so, at what levels should I start to get concerned?

Certainly.

Use high (carbonate) or very high (hydroxide) pH additives for alk, more fresh air to the room, fresh air or CO2-scrubbed air to a skimmer inlet, refugium growing macroalgae, etc.

I would only be significantly concerned if the pH dropped below pH 7.8.

This has more:

pH and the Reef Aquarium - REEFEDITION

by Randy Holmes-Farley For many aquarists, pH is not something that they have much experience with aside from their aquarium. For many, pH is almost a black box measurement: something to be considered, but whose physical meaning makes little sense to them. This article will Read more here...

www.reefedition.com

 

[KingLucy1997]

Certainly.

Use high (carbonate) or very high (hydroxide) pH additives for alk, more fresh air to the room, fresh air or CO2-scrubbed air to a skimmer inlet, refugium growing macroalgae, etc.

I would only be significantly concerned if the pH dropped below pH 7.8.

This has more:

pH and the Reef Aquarium - REEFEDITION

by Randy Holmes-Farley For many aquarists, pH is not something that they have much experience with aside from their aquarium. For many, pH is almost a black box measurement: something to be considered, but whose physical meaning makes little sense to them. This article will Read more here...

www.reefedition.com

That is why I was concerned about the pH, I got a reading that pH was 7.5, which led me to use the Sea Chem buffer, which raised the pH to 8. The next day I checked the pH it was 7.6. Still concerning. Does winter cause pH to drop somehow?
Not to get back on the SeaChem buffer, but I want to know why it is a bad buffer. the buffer i used contains sodium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, potassium, as salts of carbonate, bicarbonate, chloride, sulfate, and borate. How are adding carbonate salts or hydroxide to your tank be any worse than Seachem's buffer, especially because Seachem's buffer uses carbonate salts well?
Thanks for helping

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That is why I was concerned about the pH, I got a reading that pH was 7.5, which led me to use the Sea Chem buffer, which raised the pH to 8. The next day I checked the pH it was 7.6. Still concerning. Does winter cause pH to drop somehow?

Closed windows causes higher indoor CO2, which reduces aquarium pH.

Seachem buffer is likely an OK buffer as an alkalinity supplement, but the claim that it will allow you to attain a specific pH and no higher is not correct.

It is also not the best material to actually raise pH. Hydroxide is king, carbonate is second (half as effective), bicarbonate is not going to raise pH at all.

 

[Placenta89]

I brought all hanna checkers. Never use the calcium one though it sits in the cupboard. Nitrate ain't all it's cracked up to be aswell. Get a salifert for CAL.

If you insist on using the hanna make sure you buy distilled water like what you would buy for a car battery, your ro system will not be good enough

Good to know about this, I always thought it was meant to be amazing. My api tests were horrible so I got the Hannah. Seems to be working okay for me but now I feel like I'm getting false readings. Is the Hannah in your opinion at least in a close range when you've used it and compared to other tests?

 

[sam2110]

Good to know about this, I always thought it was meant to be amazing. My api tests were horrible so I got the Hannah. Seems to be working okay for me but now I feel like I'm getting false readings. Is the Hannah in your opinion at least in a close range when you've used it and compared to other tests?

Just done a comparison test between Hanna and Salifert. Used the distilled water in the hanna.

As you can see from the results both test are almost identical Salifert was 0.2 which is 400ppm and hanna read 403ppm so with the distilled water I would say spot on.

 

[Placenta89]

Just done a comparison test between Hanna and Salifert. Used the distilled water in the hanna.

As you can see from the results both test are almost identical Salifert was 0.2 which is 400ppm and hanna read 403ppm so with the distilled water I would say spot on.

So I have a bunch of 5 gallon jugs I keep on hand of my rodi water that I use. Is it better to use distilled over rodi? I'm just hoping I'm not over 500 not that it would be horrible but I'm registering 453 and will definetly pick up some distilled water if it works for a better reading .

 

[sam2110]

So I have a bunch of 5 gallon jugs I keep on hand of my rodi water that I use. Is it better to use distilled over rodi? I'm just hoping I'm not over 500 not that it would be horrible but I'm registering 453 and will definetly pick up some distilled water if it works for a better reading .

I always get better results with distilled water always pretty much identical to the Salifert. Distilled water is really cheap you can get a 500ml bottle that will last you 50 tests, definitely worth it in the long run.

With ro water there can still be trace amounts of calcium in the water just depends how good your system is, but saying that your results are not off the scale so I wouldn't worry to much. The key is stability so as long as its stable within a safe range and your tank is happy who cares if the reading is slightly out.

 

[KingLucy1997]

Good to know about this, I always thought it was meant to be amazing. My api tests were horrible so I got the Hannah. Seems to be working okay for me but now I feel like I'm getting false readings. Is the Hannah in your opinion at least in a close range when you've used it and compared to other tests?

I got an API calcium test kit and according to the API test I am around the 300-400ppm calcium range and not off the charts like the Hanna test kit thought I was. Also the API test is much easier to use than the Hanna calcium test.

 

[sam2110]

I got an API calcium test kit and according to the API test I am around the 300-400ppm calcium range and not off the charts like the Hanna test kit thought I was. Also the API test is much easier to use than the Hanna calcium test.

300 - 400 is a massive range to test at, you want to be with in no more than +/-10ppm of a set number ideally. How can you maintain stability when you say one test is off the scale and the other is around 300 - 400ppm. If you look at my tests they are totally different types of test both from different manufacturers and they are showing as good as identical results.

I personally think you should just give up on the Hanna and buy a salifert

 

[Placenta89]

300 - 400 is a massive range to test at, you want to be with in no more than +/-10ppm of a set number ideally. How can you maintain stability when you say one test is off the scale and the other is around 300 - 400ppm. If you look at my tests they are totally different types of test both from different manufacturers and they are showing as good as identical results.

I personally think you should just give up on the Hanna and buy a salifert

Thanks! I'll get one now. I didn't realize that the Hannah calcium was off more than others. Maybe some people aren't using it correctly? Honestly I got YouTube certified on it just to make sure I didn't mess anything up and it seemed good to me. But I'll definitely get the salifert one now to compare

 

[Placenta89]

I always get better results with distilled water always pretty much identical to the Salifert. Distilled water is really cheap you can get a 500ml bottle that will last you 50 tests, definitely worth it in the long run.

With ro water there can still be trace amounts of calcium in the water just depends how good your system is, but saying that your results are not off the scale so I wouldn't worry to much. The key is stability so as long as its stable within a safe range and your tank is happy who cares if the reading is slightly out.

Yeah I got another jug of distilled in my basement. I'm gonna check this out now if I have enough re agent left. Think I am getting low.

 

[KingLucy1997]

300 - 400 is a massive range to test at, you want to be with in no more than +/-10ppm of a set number ideally. How can you maintain stability when you say one test is off the scale and the other is around 300 - 400ppm. If you look at my tests they are totally different types of test both from different manufacturers and they are showing as good as identical results.

I personally think you should just give up on the Hanna and buy a salifert

The 300ppm-400ppm was referring to the range of calcium results I obtained over several days of testing. Each individual test was precise, but the level of precision for each individual test using API is highly dependent on the user accurately counting the drops. The procedure for Hanna calcium test was such a pain in the butt, even the notoriously bad API tests give me a better idea of what the calcium levels are in my tank than the Hanna calcium tests do. But I am Hanna on all the way on most other types of tests.
I'm using different calcium test kits from different manufacturers to see if one of the tests kits can actually give me a real reading and not an error message. My goal of comparing the API to the Hanna calcium test kit was to confirm whether or not the calcium levels in my tank were extremely high. The API test kit proved that the Hanna calcium test kit is giving invalid results and that I should not be worried about dangerously high calcium levels and instead actually need to supplement a bit of calcium.