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View Full Version : how to cheat on Salifert tests...


Sk8r
09/21/2008, 09:39 AM
...and others...

First, have a logbook: don't trust your memory.

Second, set up a clean working area. NEVER have 2 test kits open at the same time. This leads bad places.

Third, lay down a clean paper towel, and set your test vial on it: this gives you a good white background for observation. Cheating requires a good lighted view.

Fourth, look at your log book to see the value for last test. Say it was 8.3 for your alkalinity. Set up your vial with 2 ml of water, 2 drops green stuff. NOW...you fill your syringe with the tall bottle, you shoot in to the 5 mark; you squirt in up to 6; then 7, all at once. You see you're getting close to 8. You drip now...drop, drop, drop. See that pinik flash of color? Shake the vial: you're getting close, but it goes back to all blue. 2 more drops, each with a pink flash, each with a little shake. It goes all pink---you've got your reading.

The calcium test. Same...BUT...you've got some powders to mix. So while you're uncapping bottles and setting up, have that test vial in the crook of your thumb as you work with other fingers: the motion of your hand is doing the shakey-thing as you count one-mississippi, two-mississippi (one second, 2 seconds, etc). You reach 10-missisippi and set it down, do the shoot-in, until the near-last-reading drip.

The magnesium test. Somewhat the same: THIS is the one you need really to hew close to the directions on. It's a cranky test. If you don't trust your result, it's a re-do. Fortunately, you only need to do it if the alk and cal won't stay up despite your additions of buffer and calcium.

OK?

The key is that logbook---if you get a wildly 'off' reading, re-run the test. It's not that expensive. If you get the same reading twice while being careful, you're reading the truth. DO something. ;)

Once you get practiced at this, you can run your alk/cal/sal/ph tests inside 5 minutes, maybe less, using meters for the last 2.

Better ten cheated tests than a 10 weeks untested tank. Just repeat any test that looks bozo and you're good. Yes, there's a learning curve: we've all knocked vials over. But it pays to do this and to get good at it.