Getting varied results from API and Salifert Cal & Alk Tests?!?!?!

blk94rs

blk94rs

New member
To make a long story short, I set my calcium reactor up about 2 weeks ago. It was maintaining my Cal/Alk pretty solid at 440 Cal, 10-11 dKH according to my API test kits.

I bought Salifert Cal & Alk test kits on Saturday. My water tested out at 610 Cal & 14 dKH! I immediately shut my reactor down to let my parameters settle down.

I have been testing my water daily with the Salifert test kits. My Alk has been coming down, but my calcium is hovering arround the 600 range.

Today I tested my water with both brands. I got the following results:

Calcium
Salifert: 600
API: 440

Alkalinity
Salifert: 9.1
API: 7

This is REALLY bothering me. How do I know what brand to trust? I might go buy a set of Elos tomorrow, just for piece of mind.

Has anyone else experienced these kind of variances between brands? I can understand a small variance between brands, but this is drastic!

Fortunately, I have seen no negative effects in my corals.
 
Its good your livestock is ok.

I have to ask this, are you sure you are using your new test kits correctly ?

Read and reread the Salifert instructions and make sure you understand them completely. If you have any questions, ask away. :)

It is pretty hard to screw up an API test but it can be easy to misinterpret the directions on a Salifert if you have not used them before. :)
 
I have to agree that getting quality, consistent test kits is very frustrating. I miss the days of the "good Salifert" test kits. The ca and alk kits were the best. I dont know what to trust anymore.
 
The answer is simple. Your API kit is older than your Salifert. Reagents have a shelf life, and those of the API are on the downward trend. The only way to directly compare is to buy a brand new API kit and check it against the Salifert at the same time. But if you don't want to spend the money just go with the Salifert until it's out. But remember Salifert reagents have a shelf life too :)
 
Billy, I know they went through a troubled time. Is that past? I also read that the alk test is different than it used to be. The new style has just one reagent instead of two?
 
Yeh Scott, I have one of the new ones. I am lucky enough to have a little left from the last generation.

It is still pretty accurate, I just liked the color end point in the older kit better. Just takes some practice. :)
 
I really liked the old one. It was very easy to tell when you got to the endpoint. The Elos I have now is a single reagent and you have to watch it pretty closely to tell. I wonder if the single reagent types have more of a shelf life issue than the 2 reagent types??
 
I suppose that is possible as API (single reagent) has a short shelf life. I haven't checked the Elos I bought 6 mo ago. Maybe I should.

Sounds like a project for next weekend. :D

I sure liked my Salifert with the green dye indicator. :(
 
Is API the ~same~ as Tropic Marine for alk? It is, right? The reason I ask is I had the exact same experience as blk94rs. I brought home a new Salifert kit last night and my alk tested at ~11.5 dKH. I thought that I must have overdosed the night before when I was adjusting stuff. I'm glad that I went ahead and double checked because my 6-month old TM kit read 8.0 dKH. Should I trash the TM kit or average the results?
 
I don't think it is how I am using the kits....I have been using the Mg test for a while now, and feel very comfortable with the Salifert style kits. I thoroughly re-read the instructions on both of them though just in case.

The only possible issue I see is the 1/2 spoon of Ca-1, it is difficult to get exactly 1/2 spoon.

Why would my calcium hover right arround 600 over the last 2 days when my alk had dropped from 14 to 9?
 
try using the salifert not with low resolution. Use a full scoop of ca-1. That way you put a full scoop in instead of half a scoop.
 
As for the alk test kits I too get different results. From what I have been told is that salifert alk test kits titrate at a different pH made to suit SW. As most other alk test kit titrate for FW. Both my API and LaMotte read the same. While salifert is ~10% higher. This is do to pH tritaing differences in SW VS. FW.
 
I would agree that the ApI test kits have short shelf life. The diff between my API alk kits is eight months and the old one reads low, like 7. I got two brand new kits and they both were at 9. Dejavu, that's interesting. Why would they then say it is for both FW and SW?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14423131#post14423131 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ssamick
I would agree that the ApI test kits have short shelf life. The diff between my API alk kits is eight months and the old one reads low, like 7. I got two brand new kits and they both were at 9. Dejavu, that's interesting. Why would they then say it is for both FW and SW?
Click to expand...

I feel they both work for SW water. I try to fin the link.
 
Well, I just got my Elos Cal & Alk test kits today....

I tested all 3 brands TWICE, just to confirm the results.

Alk
Salifert: 7.7
API: 6
Elos: 6

Calcium
Salifert: 600
API: 400
Elos: 390

My Calcium reactor has been off-line since Saturday, and the results show it. Before I shut my reactor down, I was at 10-11 dKH, and 440 Cal (according to my API kits). Now my live stock has experienced an unnecessary fluctuation in parameters.

Now I will be getting my Cal/Alk back up with 2-part, then starting my reactor back up.

I will be using the Elos kits from this point on. I will also be forwarding my findings to Salifert. They should not be in business, potentially thousands of dollars worth of livestock could be riding on the results of their tests.

I would not advise to buy ANY Salifert Products. If you cannot afford Elos, go with API.
 
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