Tropic Marin Pro Salt Higher then Normal Cal

[Davisc1293]

My Fresh mixed water has higher then normal calcium levels. I keep my tank at 9dkh and 440 cal Tropic marin advertises 440 and all the past buckets ive used have been in the neighborhood. The last batch is testing over 500 for calcium even after mixing the salt as best i could for roughly 10 minutes. After a 10% wc my calcium went from up to 470 Is this a salt mix issue or could it by my ro unit?

 

[arking_mark]

Most likely a measurement issue. Our hobby grade test kits aren't that accurate.

A 10% water change with 500ppm Ca water would not raise 440ppm water to 470ppm.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I agree there is likely a measurement issue.

 

[Davisc1293]

Most likely a measurement issue. Our hobby grade test kits aren't that accurate.

A 10% water change with 500ppm Ca water would not raise 440ppm water to 470ppm

The tank was already running high from this salt mix and the last water change. I try and maintain 440 but this salt mix is making that impossible. Yesterday Ca was at 450. I just dont understand why its so much higher than advertised or what i can do, can i maintain these high levels so its more constant and not up and down.

 

[brmc1985]

The tank was already running high from this salt mix and the last water change. I try and maintain 440 but this salt mix is making that impossible. Yesterday Ca was at 450. I just dont understand why its so much higher than advertised or what i can do, can i maintain these high levels so its more constant and not up and down.

Agree on testing. Corals won’t care about the change 440 to 470 for calcium anyway. As for the “advertising”…the salt may have settled a bit so it might be higher from the scoops you took. Nothing to worry about IMO. Corals will adapt. We baby them a little too much in the hobby . I run my tank at 500

 

[Davisc1293]

I don't see how it can be a testing error i did 2 tests. i usually have about .11-.12 ml of solution left in the syringe. But like i said it was already on the high side today. Before the water change it was .09-.1 (450) and after the water change its .5-.6 (470) thats a huge difference with just a 5 gallon WC

 

[Davisc1293]

And this is a fairly new bucket which I took the bag out of the bucket blew up with air and rolled around the ground for 5-10 minutes.

 

[brmc1985]

I don't see how it can be a testing error i did 2 tests. i usually have about .11-.12 ml of solution left in the syringe. But like i said it was already on the high side today. Before the water change it was .09-.1 (450) and after the water change its .5-.6 (470) thats a huge difference with just a 5 gallon WC

Everything will be fine. Don’t worry about it! What test kit are you using? And I should probably stipulate that it’s not an error in testing but within the accuracy of our “hobby grade” test kits.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I don't see how it can be a testing error i did 2 tests. i usually have about .11-.12 ml of solution left in the syringe. But like i said it was already on the high side today. Before the water change it was .09-.1 (450) and after the water change its .5-.6 (470) thats a huge difference with just a 5 gallon WC

I don’t think anyone was stating a testing error on your part….within the margin of error on our hobby grade test kits. There’s always a human factor on top of that. Unless you have a clean room, a lab coat and a ton of equipment you’re going to have to settle for a little bit of fluff in your measurement. It is very common to not come up with the numbers printed on the salt specs.

 

[brmc1985]

I don’t think anyone was stating a testing error on your part….within the margin of error on our hobby grade test kits. There’s always a human factor on top of that. Unless you have a clean room, a lab coat and a ton of equipment you’re going to have to settle for a little bit of fluff in your measurement. It is very common to not come up with the numbers printed on the salt specs.

Exactly. Hell…even ICP tests are all over the place with the exact same samples.

 

[Davisc1293]

I would accept that if I was getting inconsistent results but I am not. In fact the results are very consistent. I use hanna for everything but calcium because I find the salifert Ca test repeatable. I would not consider a difference in .5ml of titration sulution left in the syringe within the margin of error. if it was .01 off either direction then i would accept that as testing error because that is the accuracy i am used to seeing with this test.

 

[arking_mark]

I would accept that if I was getting inconsistent results but I am not. In fact the results are very consistent. I use hanna for everything but calcium because I find the salifert Ca test repeatable. I would not consider a difference in .5ml of titration sulution left in the syringe within the margin of error. if it was .01 off either direction then i would accept that as testing error because that is the accuracy i am used to seeing with this test.

If you feel confident in the measurement then you'll have to investigate the cause of sudden rise of Ca.

Again your stated 10% water change with 500ppm Ca will not raise 440ppm water to 470ppm.

Mathematically, a 10% water change with 500ppm would raise your 440ppm tank water to 446...which is well in the error range of these hobby grade test kits.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I would accept that if I was getting inconsistent results but I am not. In fact the results are very consistent. I use hanna for everything but calcium because I find the salifert Ca test repeatable. I would not consider a difference in .5ml of titration sulution left in the syringe within the margin of error. if it was .01 off either direction then i would accept that as testing error because that is the accuracy i am used to seeing with this test.

Well, if your tests have been consistent for a long time and are now trending in a direction repeatedly and you’re not dosing calcium, I would first look to the test kit. Maybe the reagent is getting old, maybe it’s been contaminated by a dirty syringe, who knows. Try a new reagent or different kit and see it it continues to trend in the same direction. Was the alkalinity of the freshly mixed saltwater elevated as well?

 

[Davisc1293]

I stated the new water was over 500ppm as my test only goes to 500. It could have been much higher. Also 440 is the number i like to see but since using this salt with high Ca its been impossible even with the doser off ca doesnt drop enough before my next water change. And even if it did a WC will bring it right back up. This thread was more about if anyone else has ever had salt mix way out of spec. And if bringing up Ca in the tank to match the mix is feasible to help keep things steady. if Ca is well over 500 and they say its 440 that's a pretty major difference

 

[Davisc1293]

Well, if your tests have been consistent for a long time and are now trending in a direction repeatedly and you’re not dosing calcium, I would first look to the test kit. Maybe the reagent is getting old, maybe it’s been contaminated by a dirty syringe, who knows. Try a new reagent or different kit and see it it continues to trend in the same direction. Was the alkalinity of the freshly mixed saltwater elevated as well?

Alk was a little higher then advertised but only by 1dkh nothing major and barley affected the tanks dkh. I also recently opened this new Ca test but i always open the new test and test immediately after using the last test in the old kit to compare the two.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I stated the new water was over 500ppm as my test only goes to 500. It could have been much higher. Also 440 is the number i like to see but since using this salt with high Ca its been impossible even with the doser off ca doesnt drop enough before my next water change. And even if it did a WC will bring it right back up. This thread was more about if anyone else has ever had salt mix way out of spec. And if bringing up Ca in the tank to match the mix is feasible to help keep things steady. if Ca is well over 500 and they say its 440 that's a pretty major difference

To stick to your very specific question of have others had a salt mix way out of spec…..my answer NO

 

[Davisc1293]

Alk isnt a big deal because i allways have to add some to my mix as tropic marin pro is low they say 7 but this has been mixing closer to 8.2

 

[Davisc1293]

Ive had bad luck with tropic marin pro, my last batch smelled like lemon detergent and was from turkey now this.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Alk was a little higher then advertised but only by 1dkh nothing major and barley affected the tanks dkh. I also recently opened this new Ca test but i always open the new test and test immediately after using the last test in the old kit to compare the two.

I believe thats your answer. Alk and calc are elevated, then too much salt or not enough water was added.

 

[Davisc1293]

I believe thats your answer. Alk and calc are elevated, then too much salt or not enough water was added.

Possible. Ill double check now. I always just use the Hanna checker to match salinity to the tanks. which is always 35ppt While I have seen it drift before, ild think ild notice when checking the tank daily. Im going to recalibrate the hanna checker and compare it to an actual refractometer.