Help with KH test kit

[Icefire]

Well I bought a Elos test kit as I was doubting my 2 Hagen KH..

With an new Hagen Reagen, I have 9 KH.

I tryed the elos and after 20 drop I was still getting an bright Orange.. I did some search and someone had the same problem and elosusa said it was probably heat damage. I said to myself, It probably settled at the bottom and shaked the hell out of the reagent bottle.

1st drop, slight blue! well, 1st 5ml test: 5drop = 5 KH.
2nd test, 10ml 9 drop, 4.5 KH.

If I used 20 drop of the reagent (because it wasn't mixing well), is there a way to know if I really have 4.5 kH ?

I lost my 2 SPS that I was testing in 2 weeks months ago, Now I bought a 20 heads candy cane and many head show STN, but most show feeders sweeper at night.

Any opinion? I wanted a Salifert test kit for 0.1 resolution but the store is out of them and it's been 4 month since they got something from them (Habid still sick?) but they really like Elos's kit.

[reefbuzz]

Your test should get darker blue as you near the dKH range of your water, then switch to yellow quickly. 20 drops is way too many for 1 test. Hold off and wait until you see what's going on. Someone will respond with more info.

[bogg]

Curious... are you holding the regent bottle straight up and down upon dropping?.

[elosusa]

I suspect that the kit is correct and you have between 4.5 and 5 dkh. It is a good idea to always shake the reagents as you have stated. When I bring the kits in from Italy I blind test these kits with saltwater samples from a lab and the kh has always been a very consistent and accurate kit. The heat damage kit showed a burnt orange or brown look so I think you are correct in feeling that it was just a question of the reagent not mixed well before making the test. Hope that helps and let me know if you have any other questions.

[Icefire]

Elos: 8.5 kH
CA: 540ppm
Hagen: 15 kH
6 years old Hagen: 9-10 kH

I added 38g of Baking soda to 75G of Water and got a nice 8.5kH with Elos.

I think the problem was the shaking, it needed a hell of a shake and it look like it's working nice.

[Icefire]

When I do a standard 5ml test, @ 7 drop I get a slight green shade and on the 8 drop I get a yellow color.

That means it's 7.5 dkh?

[elosusa]

Yep this would be a good assumption.

[old salty]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11522080#post11522080 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Icefire
When I do a standard 5ml test, @ 7 drop I get a slight green shade and on the 8 drop I get a yellow color.

That means it's 7.5 dkh?



If you want better resolution, use 10ml of water. If not, just make sure you are consistent in your readings. I don't stop dripping until I get the vial to turn yellow. Sometimes it takes that extra drop to send it over the edge, but it prevents me from screwing up.