calcium test

[TRe]

i got bought this cheapo $10 calcium test kit and got home n tried it out and it just seems like such a pain 7 drops of bottle 1, 3 drops of bottle 2, and 1 drop at a time of bottle 3 shaking the vile each time till it turns purple (20 times ) so i guess it looks like its on to the next lfs but does anyone know of any better test for calcium??? what type of test does everyone else use for calcium??

 

[Lorna]

I use the american pharmacuetical 10 drops from bottle one and then about 15-20 drops of bottle two until it turns blue from pink. I like it as the color shift is definite.

 

[TRe]

do u really shake in between each drop??

 

[CoolWaters]

y cant they have a strip test for calcium....or a one drop thing -__-
or even better digital

but i have never seen a calcium test...is there a simple one drop test?

 

[iplaydafoozball]

calcium is best tested by a chemical reaction called titration. that's like the one you mentioned, with the add so many drops til it turns purple. it's actually a very accurate way to test, just very wasteful of reactant.

 

[CoolWaters]

icic

is there anyother elements that needs to be tested like that?

 

[TheFool]

kh, gh, for a start.

 

[TRe]

I use the american pharmacuetical 10 drops from bottle one and then about 15-20 drops of bottle two until it turns blue from pink

ok for the 15-20 drops do u actually put 1 drop at a time and shake in betwwen ?? or can u just start off with like say 10 drops and then start shaking it in between drops??

 

[KahluaZzZ]

i do both, pretty much the same results.

 

[TRe]

sweet im lazy sometimes*crazysmil

 

[Lorna]

Actually Tre what I do is add the 10 from the 1st bottle and shake it....then I add about 15-17 drops from the second and shake it. Then I fine tune it a drop at a time. I know that my ca is over 400 which is at 20 drops. As my ca has been really steady lately I only test about once a month.

 

[joeyjoeq]

I have a digital device to test my calcium. Its made by American Marine and works really good.

 

[TRe]

how much did it cost??

 

[CoolWaters]

omg...is this the one??almost $300!!!

Mail Order Pet Supplies - SHTML Product List

"The PINPOINT Calcium Monitor� is the only truly affordable and accurate digital Calcium measurement instrument that is available."

afforable my but thats almost half of wat i spent so far on this hobby...

found a cheaper one

Aquatic Exchange Pinpoint Calcium Monitor American Marine

but im going to see if ebay has it for dirt cheap

 

[TRe]

yea i think ill stick with the million drop method

 

[joeyjoeq]

how much did it cost??

Got mine for $250 shipped, pretty expensive but saves a lot of time and beats buying those liquid testers.

 

[TRe]

i cant see paying that much for just one test maybe if it was a 5 in 1 ...do they even make those??

 

[CoolWaters]

ebay sells it for around $220 shipped brand new.

yeah they make thos 5 in 1 but there like $1000

 

[TRe]

ill add that to my wishlist lol last nite me and my gurl were talking about how much nicer our tanks would be if we wer rich and what we would do differantly .... a digital all in one tester first on my list

 

[joeyjoeq]

ill add that to my wishlist lol last nite me and my gurl were talking about how much nicer our tanks would be if we wer rich and what we would do differantly .... a digital all in one tester first on my list

Dont we all lol, but yeah its a very good device to have. I have a digital PH meter that works great too, and its not expensive either. Paid like $30 for it.