Alkalinity

[Spanman]

Hi. We recently took over maintenance of our two year old 65gal nano tank.

All tests we have performed have come back normal except alkalinity. Seems to be high between 14-16 my main question is about the actual test. We are using a Red Sea multi test kit. My question is in regards to when to start counting. The test says to add one drop of solution then it should be blue... but my samples haven’t turned blue until around 3 drops. It then says to count the number of drops until it turns green. So I am wondering do I count from 1 or 3?
If I count from 1 my alkalinity is 14 dkh but if I count from 3 it is 11 dkh which is much more in range?
Anyone have experience with this kit?

 

[GoVols]

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef

Best advice:

Buy yourself the Hanna dKH checker?

Alkalinity DKH Colorimeter HI772 Hanna Checker - Marine Water

Why does BRS recommend this? The Hanna Alkalinity checker is an awesome little tool that now will give results in DKH values that are much more common in the aquarium hobby. It will also give you accurate easy to read results with the large LCD display. We like the repeatable results and ability...

www.marinedepot.com

Reagents

HI772-26 Alkalinity Checker Reagents - Hanna

Reagent refill for Alkalinity Colorimeter HI772 or HI755 Hanna Checker HC Marine Water, as well as the Marine Master HI97105 Multiparameter Photometer. Enough reagent for 25 tests. Item #: HI755-26

www.marinedepot.com

 

[ReefHomieJon]

Welcome to Reef 2 Reef

Best advice:

Buy yourself the Hanna dKH checker?

Alkalinity DKH Colorimeter HI772 Hanna Checker - Marine Water

Why does BRS recommend this? The Hanna Alkalinity checker is an awesome little tool that now will give results in DKH values that are much more common in the aquarium hobby. It will also give you accurate easy to read results with the large LCD display. We like the repeatable results and ability...

www.marinedepot.com

Reagents

HI772-26 Alkalinity Checker Reagents - Hanna

Reagent refill for Alkalinity Colorimeter HI772 or HI755 Hanna Checker HC Marine Water, as well as the Marine Master HI97105 Multiparameter Photometer. Enough reagent for 25 tests. Item #: HI755-26

www.marinedepot.com

But you didn’t answer the question, only gave em your recommendation of the product they should use

 

[MERKEY]

Hi. We recently took over maintenance of our two year old 65gal nano tank.

All tests we have performed have come back normal except alkalinity. Seems to be high between 14-16 my main question is about the actual test. We are using a Red Sea multi test kit. My question is in regards to when to start counting. The test says to add one drop of solution then it should be blue... but my samples haven’t turned blue until around 3 drops. It then says to count the number of drops until it turns green. So I am wondering do I count from 1 or 3?
If I count from 1 my alkalinity is 14 dkh but if I count from 3 it is 11 dkh which is much more in range?
Anyone have experience with this kit?

Hannah are great but take time to test...if you want a quicker result Try the giessmann test kits...we went through the same issues and giessmann seemed to be our favorite and we tried all of the main tests.

We ended up with a trident and giessmann as a fall back. The trident and giessmann are only off by .01-.5 for us.

Everyone has their favorite tests to use and it really is just a trial and error.

The other thing I would add is mixing salt is just as important. Do you buy your water or make your own?

If you make your own make sure to test the fresh salt mix.

Your alk out of any salt mix other than a "pro" mix should be around 9. They all mix to a certain level.

When we used red sea we would start counting after the test turned blue. So after 3 drops.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

Somebody (actually give a real) answer please because I be wondering the same exact thing

 

[MERKEY]

Somebody (actually give a real) answer please because I be wondering the same exact thing

We started counting after it turned blue. We did not count the first 3 drops it took.

 

[kevin_e]

Hi. We recently took over maintenance of our two year old 65gal nano tank.

All tests we have performed have come back normal except alkalinity. Seems to be high between 14-16 my main question is about the actual test. We are using a Red Sea multi test kit. My question is in regards to when to start counting. The test says to add one drop of solution then it should be blue... but my samples haven’t turned blue until around 3 drops. It then says to count the number of drops until it turns green. So I am wondering do I count from 1 or 3?
If I count from 1 my alkalinity is 14 dkh but if I count from 3 it is 11 dkh which is much more in range?
Anyone have experience with this kit?

I'm a little confused. The red sea alk test that I have used utilizes a 1 ml syringe that results in a color change after a specific amount of solution has been added. Is this test different?

 

[ReefHomieJon]

We started counting after it turned blue. We did not count the first 3 drops it took.

You said you use geisman tho. Or did you use Red Sea??

 

[MERKEY]

I'm a little confused. The red sea alk test that I have used utilizes a 1 ml syringe that results in a color change after a specific amount of solution has been added. Is this test different?

There are 2 red sea test kits which does throw some people off.

 

[MERKEY]

You said you use geisman tho. Or did you use Red Sea??

Yes we now use giessmann because of this issue with red sea

 

[GoVols]

But you didn’t answer the question, only gave em your recommendation of the product they should use

It's all good, I'll stick with my advice.

 

[ReefHomieJon]

I'm a little confused. The red sea alk test that I have used utilizes a 1 ml syringe that results in a color change after a specific amount of solution has been added. Is this test different?

Same test? If not it’s the same situation

 

[ReefHomieJon]

It's all good, I'll stick with my advise.

But you didn’t answer the question

 

[kevin_e]

Same test

This one?

 

[ReefHomieJon]

It's all good, I'll stick with my advice.

Your “advice” didn’t answer his/her question smh

 

[kevin_e]

There are 2 red sea test kits which does throw some people off.

Ah, that explains it.

 

[GoVols]

But you didn’t answer the question

The old red sea "Pro" alk kit: Card showed Red as endpoint

You would stop tritration not at Red, but as soon as you saw a color change.

Endpoint could have been orgrangish, pinkish or red.

You would see a flash of gray, then when it turned to one of the above stop, and take your reading.

Salifert:
Stop at the lavender hue, not going until the hot pink.

lol
Just get the Hanna

 

[MERKEY]

The old red sea alk kit: Card showed Red as endpoint

You would stop tritration not at Red, but as soon as you saw a color change.

Endpoint could have been orgrangish, pinkish or red.

You would see a flash of gray, then when it turned to one of the above stop, and take your reading.

Salifert:
Stop at the lavender hue, not going until the hot pink.

lol
Just get the Hanna

The color scheme on these test kits really are way out of wack...especially phos testing

 

[GoVols]

The color scheme on these test kits really are way out of wack...especially phos testing

Yeah,

Most use the Hanna ULR checker for phosphates, but those are the only two of the Hanna line that I can recommend.

Alk and Phos - Hanna

 

[Ultra Aquatics]

Hanna alk test aren’t perfect either, I know of quite a few people recently that got a recent bad batch of reagents that tested WAY off. I have Hanna, Salifert, Red Sea and Alkatronic and only trust Alkatronic and Salifert.