need help with calicum and Magnesium

[aeroaustin]

I got Salifret test kit today, I tested the calcium and Magnesium. I suspected that the level of both are way to low or undetectable.

First batch of test with calcium and the color is too dark red/pink and test with cal 3 and unable to change the color until past 1.9 ml to finally change to blue or navy blue. the number is low. calculated is 0

same as magnesium, dark black when the start and way to dark blue or gray when its was 1.7 ml and the number is not on the list. so the calculated is 0

I using Ocean Pure and the tank is 4 month old.. PH is between 8.1 and 8.3 and the ALK is 8.96 both are test from Salifret. Sal is 1.026

change 10 gallon with fresh water and salt few days ago.

[GKarshens]

You must have missed a step in the test. There is no way you are 0 on either of those.

[aeroaustin]

How I missed the step,

2 ml of water in test tube

1 scoop of cal 01 (level scoop)

8 drop of cal 02 then swirl for few sec the color will be dark pink.

use 1 ml syringe, fill syringe with cal 3, one drop equal .01 ml that is measure for one drop.

one or two drops then swirl for a sec.

count of drops when the color turn to clear blue (that is not exactly color is clear blue)

1 subtract of numbers of drop ( each drop = .01) then multiply 500 to get the ppm of calcium.

what is else I do missed?

[Noodle]

First batch of test with calcium and the color is too dark red/pink and test with cal 3 and unable to change the color until past 1.9 ml to finally change to blue or navy blue. the number is low. calculated is 0

Do you mean .19ml? or is it actually 1.9ml (go through all of the liquid in one of the thin syringes and then you have to refill it to get the color to change to blue?) If you have to drip more than that thin syringe, you might have too much calc in your system.

I sometimes make the mistake of putting the decimal at the wrong place when calculating the math and it comes out with some funky numbers. Takes me a minute or so to figure out I'm doing the math wrong! tard.gif

[Noodle]

How I missed the step,  

1 subtract of numbers of drop ( each drop = .01)  then multiply 500 to get the ppm of calcium.

what is else I do missed?

Ahh! Scratch what I said above... happy2.gif

I get what you're saying - you're actually subtracting the wrong thing. Don't subtract the number of .01 drops you've used. After the color changes, flip the syringe so that the tip is at the top, look at the number the black ring stopper is at, and then use that number to subtract from 1.

You said you used .19ml, so (1 - 0.19) * 500 = 405 ppm of calc

[aeroaustin]

No I do with refilled syringe with other 1.0 ml. that is what I mentioned. I do twice... 1.0 ml is out and still pink color then I refilled other 1.0 ml then starting with drop of each .01 then finally hit 90 drops equal of .90 ml that is pretty long dropping and counting.

if too much calcium in my tank, I have no Coraline on wall of tank.. no wonder why my skimmer clogged can't get air. I have to take the pump and clean the air let to remove the white stuffs have developed in airtake and pump .. I have to clean the pump every 4 days...