# Is there freshwater tests for iron, magnesium, and calcium?



## psalm18.2 (Oct 16, 2010)

My plants are showing signs of iron deficiency and possibly calcium.

I have searched online and can't find freshwater calcium or magnesium tests.

There's a saltwater kit by Red Sea that has all 3 tests. I wrote to them to see if can be used on freshwater. 

Anyone have ideas? I understand KH and GH can help make sure calcium and magnesium levels are good enough.


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## In.a.Box (Dec 8, 2011)

There a iron test kit call Fe test by sera.
They also carry a CA test kit.


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## bdacus (Dec 9, 2012)

*Sera Master Kit*

Easy to read. Easy to use. I have the master kit and really like it. I have used API as well. The water vials are wider like JBL or Red sea. They have both Fresh and Marine.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

I tried the Red Sea Iron test and never got a good result. The test tube turned green, and the color chart included red, blue and grey. 
Even when I over dosed and tested soon after, so the iron was well circulated. 

What is the GH of your water? This is a combined Ca and Mg test. It does not tell you either one separately. If it is high enough I would assume there is enough of both in the water. If the level is under about 3 German degrees of hardness, though, it would be good to test and see if you need to add one or the other (Ca or Mg). Similarly, if the plants seem deficient in something then knowing the GH and Ca and doing a little math can tell you what the Mg is, also, and help you figure out what to dose. The math is not as simple as subtracting one from the other, look it up.


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## bobc4d (Sep 16, 2012)

yes there are test for them; total iron, for instance, you need to use digestion method to get a true result. this is not something easily done at home nor is it cheap.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

psalm18.2 said:


> My plants are showing signs of iron deficiency and possibly calcium.


This is more than luikely, CO2 related.

I've never seen a Ca++ deficient aquatic plant in 20+ years.
The only way one might do that is having plain sand, inert.....and RO water.....and not dose Ca++ at all... for sometime. 

It's possible, but exceedingly rare.

If you ever feel something is deficient, add more, a very simple solution to rule out such possibilities. Wait 1-3 weeks etc. If nothing improves, then you know it's something else.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

> If you ever feel something is deficient, add more, a very simple solution to rule out such possibilities. Wait 1-3 weeks etc. If nothing improves, then you know it's something else.


This is surely the easiest test. 
If adding a potential cure does not cure the problem, then the problem is something else. 

It sure worked for my tanks. 
The problem looked like potassium deficiency, so I dosed K. The problem went away. It comes back when I slack off dosing K. 
The plants are the best test.


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