Calcium Tests over 500 ppm and I Furious
- Thread starter snaz
- Start date
snaz
Member
Update,
My Calcium is still way to high 500+ ppm, so I mixed up a new batch of Kent salt with near perfect RO/DI water.
After mixing the salt I noticed a lot of white particles floating in the water.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm….
I gave Kent Marine’s tech support a call. They where more that willing to help solve this issue, so they asked me if I could send in some pictures, 1lb sample of the salt, and a sample of the freshly mixed salt & water including the white particles.
So far Kent has told me that the white particles are indeed Calcium Carbonate. They are still waiting on the test results of the 1lb sample of salt.
I’ll post an update once I receive the test results of the Salt.
What would cause Calcium Carbonate to Precipitate out of the salt mix.
My Calcium is still way to high 500+ ppm, so I mixed up a new batch of Kent salt with near perfect RO/DI water.
After mixing the salt I noticed a lot of white particles floating in the water.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm….I gave Kent Marine’s tech support a call. They where more that willing to help solve this issue, so they asked me if I could send in some pictures, 1lb sample of the salt, and a sample of the freshly mixed salt & water including the white particles.
So far Kent has told me that the white particles are indeed Calcium Carbonate. They are still waiting on the test results of the 1lb sample of salt.
I’ll post an update once I receive the test results of the Salt.
What would cause Calcium Carbonate to Precipitate out of the salt mix.
UnderWaterParadise
my name is Rob and I'm a Zooaholic
mps9506 said:
Ditto
On a side note when I was using Oceanic my CA. levels were above 500 and m phosphates were off the chart. needless to say I wnr back to IO and have never looked back!
forestal
Active Member
just a thought, but did you test the ca and alk in your ro/di? just trying to think of other possibilities....maybe they made a bad batch..
altho when i used kent, i got the same precipitate when mixing if i added too much salt...
i use a 50 gallon garbage can, if i add the salt then the water, i get a lot of precipitate since solution is too concentrated.....its important to add the water then the salt a bit at a time and stir it in so it all gets a chance to dissolve
this may not apply to you, just trying to think of possibilities...interested in what Kent says too
good luck
altho when i used kent, i got the same precipitate when mixing if i added too much salt...
i use a 50 gallon garbage can, if i add the salt then the water, i get a lot of precipitate since solution is too concentrated.....its important to add the water then the salt a bit at a time and stir it in so it all gets a chance to dissolve
this may not apply to you, just trying to think of possibilities...interested in what Kent says too
good luck
snaz
Member
I always mix by adding salt to the water and keep testing until the salinity reads 1.023
Temperature was 78F
I then let the water mix for 24 hours using a Power head.
Pure R/O DI water:
Alk < 1 Meq/L
Calcium was not detectable
TDS 0 PPM
P04 0 PPM
Silicate 0
PH 7.8
After I mixed the salt it was:
Alk 2 Meq/L
Calcium was 500+
P04 0 PPM
Silicate 0
PH 8.2
Temperature was 78F
I then let the water mix for 24 hours using a Power head.
Pure R/O DI water:
Alk < 1 Meq/L
Calcium was not detectable
TDS 0 PPM
P04 0 PPM
Silicate 0
PH 7.8
After I mixed the salt it was:
Alk 2 Meq/L
Calcium was 500+
P04 0 PPM
Silicate 0
PH 8.2
snaz
Member
Update,
Problem/problems solved
Kent Marine rocks
Here is the quote directly from Kent Marine.
“We ran a test in which the salt from your sample was mixed to a salinity of 1.023 g/cm3 and the calcium concentration determined; for this test we utilized a Hach calcium test kit, known for extreme accuracy. The calcium concentration detected was 400 mg/L, which is slightly lower than it should have been. It would seem that for some reason, a percentage of the calcium in your batch formed temporary bonds with carbonates and rendered the final calcium concentration lower than the 425 mg/L we formulate it to. I believe that your salt should be replaced, and will make arrangements to have a 200-gallon bucket shipped to you. Please send me the shipping address and I will take care of it immediately.” :bugout:
That explains why I was getting white particles in my freshly mixed sea water, but this contradicts why I’m getting a Ca reading > 500 mg/l. :hammerhea
So, after further investigation; I have determined that my Calcium test kit is defective. I went out and purchased a Salifert Ca test kit; retested my tank water and some freshly mixed sea water; compared the test results with Kent Marines test results and here is what I have found.
Salifert test Kit
Tank Water: 450 mg/l
Freshly mixed Sea Water: 400 mg/l
Fastest test kit (Aquarium systems):
Tank Water: > 500 mg/l
Freshly mixed Sea Water: > 500 mg/l
Fresh RO/DI water: >500 mg/l
It’s pretty obvious that the Aquarium systems Ca test kit is defective.
Now its time to go after Aquarium Systems :grind:
Problem/problems solved
Kent Marine rocks
Here is the quote directly from Kent Marine.
“We ran a test in which the salt from your sample was mixed to a salinity of 1.023 g/cm3 and the calcium concentration determined; for this test we utilized a Hach calcium test kit, known for extreme accuracy. The calcium concentration detected was 400 mg/L, which is slightly lower than it should have been. It would seem that for some reason, a percentage of the calcium in your batch formed temporary bonds with carbonates and rendered the final calcium concentration lower than the 425 mg/L we formulate it to. I believe that your salt should be replaced, and will make arrangements to have a 200-gallon bucket shipped to you. Please send me the shipping address and I will take care of it immediately.” :bugout:
That explains why I was getting white particles in my freshly mixed sea water, but this contradicts why I’m getting a Ca reading > 500 mg/l. :hammerhea
So, after further investigation; I have determined that my Calcium test kit is defective. I went out and purchased a Salifert Ca test kit; retested my tank water and some freshly mixed sea water; compared the test results with Kent Marines test results and here is what I have found.
Salifert test Kit
Tank Water: 450 mg/l
Freshly mixed Sea Water: 400 mg/l
Fastest test kit (Aquarium systems):
Tank Water: > 500 mg/l
Freshly mixed Sea Water: > 500 mg/l
Fresh RO/DI water: >500 mg/l
It’s pretty obvious that the Aquarium systems Ca test kit is defective.
Now its time to go after Aquarium Systems :grind: