Calcium Test Kit

#1 wayne sarah kernow

Clown Fish

Group: Members
Posts: 294
Joined: 27-January 08

Posted 11 June 2008 - 08:36 PM

I got a Hagen test kit when I bought my tank (secondhand) which was lacking the calcium test bottles therefore up until now I have not tested for calcium. I'm starting to get more interested in coral growth etc etc (wedding/hunnymoon and surfing generally getting in the way!). Shall I buy the Hagen Calcium test individually or are there better on the market?
Don't really know anything about KH as I have rarely tested that either (twice in 10 months)!!! can hear people tutting...... Ha Ha
What do you do if its high/Low and how does it get high/low and what the hell is it in laymans terms!!!

#2 gobyboy

Firefish

Group: Members
Posts: 127
Joined: 15-May 08

Posted 11 June 2008 - 09:17 PM

The 3 main ones are to test for are Calcium, Alkalinity and Magnesium.
Most people use the Salifert brand for Calcium and Alkalinity and the deltec kit for phosphates

#3 humbug

Diatom

Group: New Members
Posts: 23
Joined: 23-March 08

Posted 11 June 2008 - 10:41 PM

Definatly recommend Salifert test kits!

I test Calcium, KH & Magnesium the most often out of all the tests. I aim for 400-410ppm calcium, 8.5-9.5dkh & 1350ppm magnesium. When the calcium & KH are lower I use Tropic Marin bio-calcium. Sometimes the calcium is fine & the KH is low- in this case I use triple buffer & occasionally the calcium is low but the KH is fine... if that happens I use Salifert coral calcium.