Alk Test Kits

How many ml is the API test kit? my API Calcium test are 37ml and my Elos Alk is only 20ml, and currently testing every 2 days, I'm using it fast. If API is as accurate, at 7$ each, I'll buy 2 and use my Elos as calibrator.

Any good low cost MG kit?
 
You guys are petty thick headed. Buy the Tetra kit and just count the crops. When the drop that causes the color to change from blue to yellow will now your alkalinity in dkh. I have reef tanks for 14 years. I'm not a novice.
Ken
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11611856#post11611856 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ken6217
You guys are petty thick headed. Buy the Tetra kit and just count the crops. When the drop that causes the color to change from blue to yellow will now your alkalinity in dkh. I have reef tanks for 14 years. I'm not a novice.
Ken
Click to expand...

Thats a rude thing to say sir!

I respect that you have 14 years of aquarium experience but I have 18 years of laboratory experience and besides all that Im a girl not a guy. Please refrain from calling people thick headed, since we are trying to discus the precision of different test kits.

The tetra kit sounds very similar to the API kit which is performed the same way as you explained.

The Lommotte kit is more precise because it reads in ppm which is a fraction of dKH.. actually 1dKH = .056 * ppm. which is 1/17.85 more precise than a kit that reports in dHK.
 
Guys was being used as a generic non-gender term. Get off your high horse.

If you think that you have to be that precise to know if your alkalinity is 9.0 or 9.25 or 9.5 for that matter versus knowing 9.0 to 10.0 you're wrong. This is a guide for you to know where your aquarium is and what direction it is going when comparing readings on different days.

I am curious, what are you using to add alkalinity and calcium to your tank?
Ken
 
Hi Ken,

I started this thead because I was looking for an alternative to Salifert Alk test kits. You've made your point now please move on. You have become rude and abusive. Your input is no longer contributing to the conversation.

Ben
 
I recently tried one of the Elos Alk test kits. It only measures in whole numbers so I doubled the water sample and then it took twice as many drops to change color, then, divided the number of drops by 2 (which gave me readings in .5's).

I still have one Salifert alk kit that I trust (out of 3) due to it's older dates, and it compares to a friend's Salifert kit (also with an old date). The Elos kit matches those Salifert kits.

The Salifert kit read 8.8dkh.
The Elos started to change at 17 drops (8.5dkh) and was fully changed at 18 drops (9.0dkh). 8.8 is right in the middle of that color change. So, at least for now, I am comfortable that I can trust the Elos Alk kit.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11612463#post11612463 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bdare
Hi Ken,

I started this thead because I was looking for an alternative to Salifert Alk test kits. You've made your point now please move on. You have become rude and abusive. Your input is no longer contributing to the conversation.

Ben
Click to expand...

Ben,
I made my comment defending myself when Nanz said I was rude using the word "guys" when there was no ill intention on my part.
Ken
 
I said thick headed because you all were beating a dead horse on this subject and looking to make things more complictaed than they really are.

Anyway, my intentions were not to be rude and just be helpful. Maybe I have lived in New York too long. I apologize if I offended anyone.
Ken
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11613169#post11613169 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ken6217
I said thick headed because you all were beating a dead horse on this subject and looking to make things more complictaed than they really are.

Anyway, my intentions were not to be rude and just be helpful. Maybe I have lived in New York too long. I apologize if I offended anyone.
Ken
Click to expand...

Thank you for the apology Ken. I am a girl though but you did not know, hehe. Its ok I was just kidding with that statement. I just think its wrong to call someone thick headed.

Anyways...
The point I was trying to make was that since the precision of Lamotte is higher then it makes the test more accurate when the analyst makes an error in the endpoint. If you miss the endpoint on lamotte your still within a better range than the API and Elos kit. If you miss the endpoint with API or Elos then your off by one or more dKH.

I like the API kit since its cheap and easy to use. But if I have a problem or question with the API kit then I compare with Lamotte since its more precise.

I use Randy's Recipe #1 for Alk and Calcium from TwoPartsolutions.
 
Heck, my dad grew up in Brooklyn. I grew up being called thick-headed. I didn't even flinch when you called us all thick-headed, lol!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11614024#post11614024 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralnut99
Heck, my dad grew up in Brooklyn. I grew up being called thick-headed. I didn't even flinch when you called us all thick-headed, lol!
Click to expand...

Man, you have to come to my company and listen to the mouths. There isn't one woman executive that doesn't have a mouth like a truck driver.
Ken
 
I am a fan of the LaMotte test kits and it's not difficult at all to use. I would MUCH rather have the accuracy of Lamotte than the whole numbers available through API and similar "1 drop = 1 dhk point" tests. I keep my ALk at NSW levels (between 6.5 and 8.0 dhk) so I want to know right away if & when it starts to veer outside of that range.
 
I have a really, really old lamotte, 14 years, new solutions of course, I LOVE the way it works, and is really easy to read, and is precise, down to .25 fractions, the colors are totally distinguishable. does anybody make them like that anymore.
I need to buy a mag kit and I do not trust half of m salifert kits.
 
Reason we want the precision is to developpe a dosing regiment.

If you know your tank use 0.75dKh/day, you know what to dose.

Elos have a 0.5 dKh precision which is good enought. You can have 0.25 once you know how to use it (green shade)
 
Well, all of my new Elos kits will be here on Friday.

I will test them against Salifert, API, LaMotte and Seachem.

You all know I'm the testing fool. :D :jester:

Thanks for all of your input. It's what makes Reef Central the best reef site on the web. :)

Sometimes it is difficult to read emotions on the web. I'm sure you all mean well.

Lets keep it going.
 
if they are as good as elos, that's a bargain, twice the reagent for 1/4 price.

I'll buy 3 and do all double precision test (10ml, divise per 2).
 
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