calcium question

[zodiac's tang]

I am hoping to someday have a reef tank. Right now I have live rock, ls, fish, and invertebrates. I am practicing testing my calcium before I get anything that is affected by Calcium levels. I do have a feeling it will take some practice doing the testing before I am comfortable with my readings. So first question, what testing kits do you reccomend? I did my first test and the reading was around 800. Obviously too high!! How is Calcium controlled in the tank and I'm assuming I will have to do water changes to get it down. I could use some suggestions...fyi, all other readings are fine, nitrates are around 20. Thanks!

 

[kmatysek]

Wow, I'm assuming you must be adding something to the water to drive the calcium up that high (B-ionic or other?).

 

[zodiac's tang]

No, I haven't added anything except buffer to bring my Ph up. Also, the reading could be high because of my inefficiency to do the Calcium test correctly...the reason I'm practicig before getting anything that could be adversly affected by Calcium. The test kit I have has me adding drops until the water turns a clear blue and quite possibly I could of added too many or messed up my count.

 

[kmatysek]

Yeah, I'd try again. I'm no expert, but I wouldn't think you'd be above 400-450 without additives. I think that's what you start with when you mix in the salt. Then if you have anything depleting the calcium (such as coralline algae or corals), it will drop. Do you have nay coralline algae (it's a purple growth) on your rocks?