PDA

View Full Version : Salifert K/H ALK test kit


rumontap
10/01/2009, 05:04 AM
Brand new test kit tested my kh only to find that it's telling me my kh is 0. I added the 1ml syringe of kh solution drop by drop only to find I use the whole 1ml and the color is still blue hasn't change to pink/orange. Whats going on with the test kit am I doing something wrong please help.

flamron
10/01/2009, 05:31 AM
If you have the new test kit, use the calibration solution it came with.

commonstranger
10/01/2009, 05:47 AM
Use the calibration fluid to double check it. If it checks out redo the test and if you run out of solution in the 1ml syringe fill it back again and keep going. It could be possible that your Alk is too high. You did put the two drops of the green solution in didnt you ? PM if its still a problem same test kit I use with no problems.

rumontap
10/01/2009, 05:48 AM
Yeah I put the 2 drops in. I just check ed the calibration and said 7.4 dkh +/-0.3 on the solution bottle and the test came out at 8 dkh so does this mean that any test i do i need to add .3dkh to the test. Ok now just tested my tank again and it's taken 1.24ml to get it to change color. The lowest reading on the chart is 0.98mls = dkh 0.3 = alk 0.11. My question what does this mean that my tank has 1.24ml so it has virtually no alk in it or way to high. HELP me lol

Randy Holmes-Farley
10/01/2009, 06:19 AM
Hold on. :D

If you added the whole syringe and did not get to the end point, the dKH is on the high end, not 0. Add a second syringe of fluid until you get to the endpoint, and then add the values together. Double check your chart. 0 dKH means the color changed with no fluid added. A whole syringe is more than 10 dKH. :)

Billybeau1
10/01/2009, 07:11 AM
1 whole syringe is 16 dkh. Plus another .24 ml is about 3.8 dkh so your number is somewhere between 19 and 20 dkh. This is not good. Are you adding ph buffers or something ?

The orange is very faint when it turns and you'll need good background light to see it. Stop adding drops as soon as you see any faint color of orange or red.

Since the reference solution isn't that far off, I think your alkalinity is very high and needs to be dropped.

Dyraxe
10/01/2009, 09:41 AM
Also ALK test will go bad from heat. I live in FL so I have to make sure mine stay cool. Don't leave them outside for long. I had one shipped from Marine Depot and I think UPS left it outside too long and the test was bad. ELOS makes vendors sign an agreement to store their test kits inside at a certain degree. Salifert does not.

Billybeau1
10/01/2009, 09:49 AM
The reference was pretty close. I doubt the kit is bad.

OUPike1833
10/01/2009, 10:06 AM
1. Add 4ml of water with 5 ml syringe to test vial.

2. Shake KH-Ind dropper bottle and add 2 drops to test vial.

3. Place plastic tip on 1 ml syringe. Place plastic tip below level of KH reagent and make sure it stays below level as you slowly draw the syringe back until the lower part of the plunger is at the 1.00 ml mark. The air bubble is fine as it takes into account the fluid the is in the plastic tip.

4. Add dropwise (titrate) and gently swirl the test vial for a couple of seconds between drops.

5. Stop adding the drops as the endpoint will be where it goes from blue/green to an orange/red or pinkish color.

6. Hold syringe so that the tip now points upward (towards the sky). Now read the mL mark of the top (the part of the plunger nearest the tip) of the plunger.

7. Match it up the mL mark of the plunger with the chart on the directions page.

It is kind of different if you aren't used to titrations...

luther1200
10/01/2009, 03:17 PM
I agree that you need to fill a second syringe and keep going until you get a change. If you maxed out the syringe that means your Alk is literally off the chart.