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-   -   DKH test kits (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1249442)

Evolley1 11/12/2007 11:25 PM

DKH test kits
 
Who uses what? I am begining to hate Salifert tests just for the mere fact of mutiple syringes and the length of time in which it takes to do testing. For instance I just ran out of the easiest dkh test I've ever used...a Tetra kit. It might of not been the most accurate +/- . whatever but it was a simple bottle with a dripper and the number of drops used in 5 mL's of water determined the dkh. I need to find another kit like that especially since I am in the process of setting up my calcium reactor. Which is time consuming as it is with all the testing.

dohc97 11/12/2007 11:44 PM

I bought a lamotte test will use it tomorrow so ill post what i think. I believe Eric is using Elos and very happy with them.

glassbox-design 11/13/2007 08:03 AM

we really like the elos kits. the alk is just a one step and super fast. fill up with with water and count the drops. you can use 5ml and 1drop= 1dkh. 10ml 1drop=.5dkh or 15ml 1drop=.25ml

i've used lamotte before too, and those are very nice as well.

eric

BlakDuc 11/13/2007 08:18 AM

I have the Seachem and it is pretty easy. fill up test vial to 5 ml, put 1 drop of alk stuff in, then use the syrenge with the titrant. It takes me about 2-3 minutes to run the test. It sounds like the elos is pretty nice though.

Evolley1 11/13/2007 08:43 AM

The elos test sounds like it's right up my alley. I'm assuming it's pretty accurate? No syringes=easy. Where can I find that test kit?

BlakDuc 11/13/2007 09:01 AM

Sea Schor has the elos test kits, call to make sure he has the one you want before going.

SaraB 11/13/2007 09:07 AM

I have the German made Sera test kit arriving on Thursday that I'm going to try out!

Evolley1 11/13/2007 09:49 AM

Any online retailers? Not sure if I can get up there soon enough

PSam 11/13/2007 09:51 AM

LaMotte, best I've used, and I've used all the kits mentioned thus far, plus 3 or 4 other brands.

fast57 11/13/2007 10:53 AM

i dont mind the salifert dkh but what about the the calcium tests? do those companys make simplified tests for calcium? when you have multiple tanks it can really get time consuming

PSam 11/13/2007 10:57 AM

Elos is a very simple Ca kit if you don't care about resolution, i.e., do you really care if it is 400 or 450, or do you want to know almost exactly where you're at? Aside from quick kH checks, I only test water every couple weeks, so I don't mind to sit down with more time consuming kits once or twice a month.

ostrow 11/13/2007 03:25 PM

LaMotte here. Much more consistent than Salifert.

Evolley1 11/13/2007 04:06 PM

So where can you find LaMotte test kits and are they also relatively easy?

ostrow 11/13/2007 04:07 PM

Easy as pie. Premium has them.

Evolley1 11/14/2007 10:12 AM

I am going to give Sea Schor a call today about the Elos kits. As for the dropper solution...when testing my effluient for my calcium reactor I need to get a reading of 25 dkh and higher...the kit can support this since it is a dropper rather than a syringe. Is that correct?

Evolley1 11/14/2007 10:15 AM

Any other place out there in the western burbs that sells the Elos kits. Due to the hour Sea Schor is open I don't think I can get up there anytime soon.

glassbox-design 11/14/2007 10:19 AM

PM elosusa, jesse can ship them directly to you.

PSam 11/14/2007 10:22 AM

You might burn through that kit pretty fast with 25 drops or more each test. I'm not sure how much titrant 25 drops would add, but you may also want a taller test tube. The elos kit takes 5ml sample, then each drop = 1 dkH.

Evolley1 11/14/2007 10:46 AM

I PM'ed Elosusa...thanks for the suggestion. By the way anyone know how much their kits run in price?

PSam considering that I am setting up the reactor I knew I would be burning through the test kits pretty fast. As a result I may pick up a couple.

The whole reason for all the questions is that I am not happy with my brand new Salifert test kit...I think the numbers are wrong. Case in point...they send out a for your convience bottle of 7 dkh fluid, I do the test to see how accurate it is turns out the dkh is 8. Go figure. Not to mention the color changing is very difficult to tell. Test kit says when blueish green color turns to Orangish red or pink this should determine your DKH. It's funny that the solution turns purple instead. Arghhhhhhhhhh

PSam 11/14/2007 10:57 AM

I think I paid just under $14 for the kH from elos

Jeff 11/14/2007 11:07 AM

I always used Salifert alk testing kits but I started getting the higher readings around 12-14 dkh. I then switched to Tropic Marin and started getting 10 dkh. I still use Salifert for nitrate, phosphate, and calcium without problems.

aiko670 11/14/2007 04:58 PM

API is supposed to be good too, I just picked up some from The Marine Connection in Arlington Heights. Cheap too!

The DKH test seems to be identical to Elos, I did a comparison between the two and got the identical results... My Sailfert is way high!

here's some light sailfert reading...

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1185538

ostrow 11/14/2007 05:02 PM

25dkh?

You know, you can just test the alkalinity of your system to dial in the reactor. The dkh reading of the effluent itself isn't necessary. Just costing yourself money in reagents.

HighlandReef 11/14/2007 06:19 PM

Quote:

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11180845#post11180845 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Engine 7
I always used Salifert alk testing kits but I started getting the higher readings around 12-14 dkh. I then switched to Tropic Marin and started getting 10 dkh. I still use Salifert for nitrate, phosphate, and calcium without problems.
I had the same issues with salifert alk test kits, even got it replaced with a new one and still had issues with it reading way off by 3 points.
I have been using api with no issues, i might try elos for the heck of it.

aiko670 11/16/2007 03:39 PM

I'm liking the API for sure...


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