Originally Posted by
AU Mister
http:///forum/post/2978730
funny you put a thread up on this b/c i am experiencing the same thing. I have the api test kit and I add it drop by drop but I always have hgih ca levels no matter when i test it and no matter how long it has been since i added ca to my tank. I add an all in one supplement on mondays and add ca if needed throughout the week when i test it. Even when i test it on mondays before I put the all in one in it still reads off the charts.
Sorry, your post doesn't make sense to me. You say you always have high calcium levels, yet you also say you add calcium if needed throughout the week when you test it. If it's already high, why are you adding more?
Another thing, if a tank doesn't have enough corals/clams that are consuming the calcium, it's going to stay at a higher level. The type of salt you use will also affect your calcium levels. For example, I think Oceanic salt is around 550, so if the tank is already high in calcium, just doing a water change with this type of salt will keep it high.
As far as the API test kit, I don't know if it makes a difference, but I shake the hell out of the Part II solution for at least 20 seconds before I add it to the test vial. I occasionally test with a backup Salifert test kit, and the API is pretty close.
