Alkalinity Standard?

[Johnson556]

Many brand has Ref solution. I am using DSR Ref solution to calibrate all my test kit

I just searched for this and couldnt find the solution you’re speaking of?

 

[UWC]

Have not used it but looks like GHL has a on the shelf standard.

 

[Johnson556]

Have not used it but looks like GHL has a on the shelf standard.

going to order that now, thank you!

 

[radiata]

Many brand has Ref solution. I am using DSR Ref solution to calibrate all my test kit

Could you please provide a link to this product?

 

[radiata]

Yes, Dickson's CRM is available for sale (at least when we have a functioning government, that is), but is crazy expensive, having 6 significant figures of accuracy, and all that.

There is the "Tropic Marin Multi-Standard", which is much less expensive than the Dickson CRM, but it still pretty pricey when you consider how small the bottle is.

I've often wondered what sort of demand there would be for a product like this, considering that I'm all tooled up to create such standards with great accuracy, as a result of my work on the original Alkalinity Monitor ("AMI" as Neptune calls it), and also the Trident project.

Jim,

Have you found a US source for the "Tropic Marin Multi-Standard"? Looks like it was released just a few months ago, and only in the EU.

I think there is indeed a demand for products like this (at least I'd buy them). PLEASE start up such a business. I'd even support you with a GOFUNDME contribution.

I can foresee a day when any questionable post on any marine aquarium chemistry forum is met with the following:

"The result you got on the [XXX chemistry] test with your [YYY brand test kit] just doesn't look right. Have you tested your kit against the 'WELSH [XXX chemistry] Standard Solution' and gotten either appropriate or reasonable results? If not, your [XXX chemistry] test from [YYY brand] is probably giving you incorrect readings. Strongly suggest you do additional research and get a better test kit."

Thanks,
Bob

 

[JimWelsh]

Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence! I've never purchased the Tropic Marin Multi-Standard, but I've seen it in online searches for a few years now. (EDIT: It looks like they have changed the packaging from the more plain bottle I used to see online. EDIT2: D'oh! I was confused between the Tropic Marin Multi-Standard and the Fauna Marin Multi-Reference. The product I meant is the latter. Silly me -- the names are so clearly different and distinct!) But, now that you mention it, I cannot currently find a US source for it. Sorry. I'll give more thought to producing my own.

Thoughts about the elements/analytes in demand? I'm thinking of course alkalinity, calcium and magnesium. Salinity would be a given. While we're at it, potassium would be easy, too. People would probably want nitrate and phosphate as well. People would probably expect pH, but that would really be dependent upon equilibrium with ambient air.

An obvious choice would be to simulate NSW as closely as possible, but perhaps people would prefer "round numbers", e.g., Alk = 8.0, Ca = 450, Mg = 1400 or something like that instead. For the nutrients, you would have to jack them up above NSW levels to make them measurable, like NO3 = 5 and PO4 = 0.01, or something like that.

Forum member thoughts?

 

[Sherman]

Could you please provide a link to this product?

I not sure US has DSR product.
You can get from www.seaflower.nl

I think is in Dutch

 

[Sherman]

You can also use Fauna Marin multireference.
This is available in US

 

[nereefpat]

Lots of posts here, and maybe i missed it.

Couldn't you make your own?

Make a solution of saltwater with RODI and table salt. Then add baking soda. Rough/quick math would be about 1 gram baking soda per 1 gallon would give dKH of about 9.

 

[brett.sizeland]

The Aquaforest test kits come with a reference solution that has been ICP tested to confirm its concentration.

It is only small though but handy to check the kits accuracy and enough there to check the accuracy of the Hanna checker as well.

 

[JimWelsh]

The Aquaforest test kits come with a reference solution that has been ICP tested to confirm its concentration.

It is not possible to test alkalinity by ICP.

 

[Docdiggy]

I'm in the same boat where my salifert reads 1dkh higher than my hanna. I've been using the hanna and keeping it at 8-9 dkh. Tank has been looking good.

 

[Art2249]

For what it's worth, I always get very consistent results with my checker. But i do one thing different. I don't use the extension for the syringe. I dip it straight into the bottle. I figured it would only waste the reagent.Also I pump the syringe a few times to remove air bubbles. Plus I always wipe the vial with a lint free cloth and turn it towards the front each time. Occasionally I will test against salifert but it always comes within .1 using this method.

 

[atp0726]

For what it's worth, I always get very consistent results with my checker. But i do one thing different. I don't use the extension for the syringe. I dip it straight into the bottle. I figured it would only waste the reagent.Also I pump the syringe a few times to remove air bubbles. Plus I always wipe the vial with a lint free cloth and turn it towards the front each time. Occasionally I will test against salifert but it always comes within .1 using this method.

Why dont you use the extension? By not using the extension you are using the test kit differently than its original intention and may be getting skewed results. I have always used the extension, thoroughly cleaned the cuvette, rinse with ro then saltwater from the tank before taking the first reading. I add the reagent and make sure it is facing the same direction in the checker. My readings with Hanna vs Salifert is Salifert is always aprox 1 dkh higher. .I have tried this with with multiple kits and reagents from both brands and always been consistent. By clearing out the air bubbles you may be adding more reagent than intended increasing the alk reading.

Try using the Hanna test according to the instructions and see if you get a different result.

 

[Hugo]

A thought for the original question could you have been sent the wrong reagent by mistake. It is a mistake i made a while ago purchasing the Hanna HI 755 reagent instead of the Hanna HI772 reagent. The 755 reagent used with the HI772 checker gives a reading 0.3 0.5 higher.

 

[zipperbaum]

It has always been a reefing dream to have someone develop a reasonably priced probe for Alk!

 

[atp0726]

A thought for the original question could you have been sent the wrong reagent by mistake. It is a mistake i made a while ago purchasing the Hanna HI 755 reagent instead of the Hanna HI772 reagent. The 755 reagent used with the HI772 checker gives a reading 0.3 0.5 higher.

According to Hanna the reagents are the same so this shouldn’t matter. I just did this very thing and it matched the reagent I was replacing exactly. You may have gotten a bad reagent.

 

[BoasNZoas]

Atp0726.... My salifert test kits reads a full 1.0 higher than my Aquaforest kit. I'm so aggravated with the discrepancy. Had a friend bring his Hanna and it read a different result than my 2 kits. Aquaforest has a reference solution with it... So i guess I'll stick with that number...

 

[Art2249]

Why dont you use the extension? By not using the extension you are using the test kit differently than its original intention and may be getting skewed results. I have always used the extension, thoroughly cleaned the cuvette, rinse with ro then saltwater from the tank before taking the first reading. I add the reagent and make sure it is facing the same direction in the checker. My readings with Hanna vs Salifert is Salifert is always aprox 1 dkh higher. .I have tried this with with multiple kits and reagents from both brands and always been consistent. By clearing out the air bubbles you may be adding more reagent than intended increasing the alk reading.

Try using the Hanna test according to the instructions and see if you get a different result.

I will try it but as long as my results are consistent and on par with a different test I see no reason to change. It always comes in within .1 and real close to salifert. I,m really just checking for CHANGES. The actual number could be different but I don't think it is. Plus the coral always looks happy. I just started using dosing pumps yesterday. I was doing it twice daily by hand before.

 

[Art2249]

Why dont you use the extension? By not using the extension you are using the test kit differently than its original intention and may be getting skewed results. I have always used the extension, thoroughly cleaned the cuvette, rinse with ro then saltwater from the tank before taking the first reading. I add the reagent and make sure it is facing the same direction in the checker. My readings with Hanna vs Salifert is Salifert is always aprox 1 dkh higher. .I have tried this with with multiple kits and reagents from both brands and always been consistent. By clearing out the air bubbles you may be adding more reagent than intended increasing the alk reading.

Try using the Hanna test according to the instructions and see if you get a different result.

I persnally think the checker works better without the extension and is more accurate that way.