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roger saltwaters
Active Member
Not enough red in the bottle to get to the endpoint lol.
Red Sea Pro Alk test kit. Does this thing suck?
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donnievaz
Well-Known Member
There is a very distinct point where it goes from purple to gray, one drop past that point is your endpoint. I was having the same concerns and found the info below. Just go drop by drop once it starts to turn purple.
From RedSea regarding End Point Colour for Alk,Mg,Ca titration.
Alkalinity. you are looking for a pink colour as opposed to an orange colour ( Dazza 1304 has posted some pictures in a thread started by Sheep600fx , picture 1 in post 6 is what you’re looking for and many thanks to Daryl for posting them) In fact the true end point of the KH test is one drop before the pink which is an almost colorless point which really is difficult to see. Since one drop of KH is equivalent to 0.15 dKH, (which is insignificant for aquariums) we decided to set the end point at the one drop passed the true end point as we thought that it is much easier to identify. Therefore look out for an almost colourless liquid in the vial and stop at the first sign of pinkness.
Magnesium . One of the important issues with the magnesium kit is being able to recognize the end point. When the blue end point is first reached is disappears very quickly. We write about this in the instructions but many do not fully understand the importance of this information. The blue color of the end point disappears and the liquid returns almost to the previous color. Most titrations maintain the end point when it is reached and therefore this is a very unusual instruction and differs from many other makes. Stop at the first sign of a blue liquid in the vial.
Calcium There doesn’t seem to be any concerns with identifying the end point on the Calcium test but for completeness, stop when you see a blue liquid in the vial.
From RedSea regarding End Point Colour for Alk,Mg,Ca titration.
Alkalinity. you are looking for a pink colour as opposed to an orange colour ( Dazza 1304 has posted some pictures in a thread started by Sheep600fx , picture 1 in post 6 is what you’re looking for and many thanks to Daryl for posting them) In fact the true end point of the KH test is one drop before the pink which is an almost colorless point which really is difficult to see. Since one drop of KH is equivalent to 0.15 dKH, (which is insignificant for aquariums) we decided to set the end point at the one drop passed the true end point as we thought that it is much easier to identify. Therefore look out for an almost colourless liquid in the vial and stop at the first sign of pinkness.
Magnesium . One of the important issues with the magnesium kit is being able to recognize the end point. When the blue end point is first reached is disappears very quickly. We write about this in the instructions but many do not fully understand the importance of this information. The blue color of the end point disappears and the liquid returns almost to the previous color. Most titrations maintain the end point when it is reached and therefore this is a very unusual instruction and differs from many other makes. Stop at the first sign of a blue liquid in the vial.
Calcium There doesn’t seem to be any concerns with identifying the end point on the Calcium test but for completeness, stop when you see a blue liquid in the vial.
joshkirkland83
Valuable Member
Here's how you solve this huge problem. Buy two other tests of different brands and whatever color matches the other two test kits alk reading, THATS YOUR COLOR. Mine is peach/pale orange.
joshkirkland83
Valuable Member
sure
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roger saltwaters
Active Member
It looks to me like the Red Sea kit just doesn't quite cut it if it needs this much clarification. The tips posted in here are not at all how it is advertised.
ihavecrabs
2500 Club Member
I love this test.
You have to be careful what color light you check the color under. I typically do it by a window rather than under a 6500k (warm) bulb.
I also hold a piece of white paper up behind it. It makes telling the color change much easier.
HTH
I do see the gray color before it starts turning peach or orange or whatever. I wish it just would have said that is the endpoint since they can't match the color on the card to what the color it actually turns to.
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roger saltwaters
Active Member
Exactly
FranklinDattein
Active Member
I have had the same issue for a long long time. I watched every single post and video from RedSea Kevin, which helped me to understand the color changing.
In addition, bear in mind two things:
- the reagent won't change color properly if exposed to air for too long and it shouldn't be used.
- Some batches have different end point colors
Therefore, it is difficult to determine if your reagent is a bad one or just slight different end-point color.
In the last few years, I was unlucky enough to get a bad reagent (which was quickly replaced by my LFS) and two reagents that do work, but have slightly different end-point colors.(blue vs grey near the end point and orangeish vs pinkish for the end-point).
So, every time I buy a new bottle of reagent I check it first against natural saltwater, in order to get used to the end-point color.
Alkalinity in NSW should be 7DKh, so you should be able to reproduce the steps on post #22 and determine the end-pint color.
Obviously, the same can be done with any type water, as long as you know what is its alkalinity.
In addition, bear in mind two things:
- the reagent won't change color properly if exposed to air for too long and it shouldn't be used.
- Some batches have different end point colors
Therefore, it is difficult to determine if your reagent is a bad one or just slight different end-point color.
In the last few years, I was unlucky enough to get a bad reagent (which was quickly replaced by my LFS) and two reagents that do work, but have slightly different end-point colors.(blue vs grey near the end point and orangeish vs pinkish for the end-point).
So, every time I buy a new bottle of reagent I check it first against natural saltwater, in order to get used to the end-point color.
Alkalinity in NSW should be 7DKh, so you should be able to reproduce the steps on post #22 and determine the end-pint color.
Obviously, the same can be done with any type water, as long as you know what is its alkalinity.
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A better idea would be if Red Sea would had the color on the card be the same color as the end point. The color on my card is maroon.
JasReef
Active Member
I use it to check on my hannah every once in a while and they are always both the same. The key with this titration test is once you see a change in color you are done. My color always looks like the card but if it didn't I would still go off when it changes in color.
FWIW I would just put down the money to get a hannah. Refills are only 6 buck so order three of them at a time and it is very easy to test and read. I check everyday so I am glad for that.
FWIW I would just put down the money to get a hannah. Refills are only 6 buck so order three of them at a time and it is very easy to test and read. I check everyday so I am glad for that.
I've been matching peach for 5yrs. Guess this goes to show how important matching the color is. As long as my number is consistent I'm good-lol.
Tristan
Well-Known Member
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I had a bad alk reagant and they sent me a new reagant fee of charge in about 3-5 days.
Go to the Red Sea website tech support and put in the reagant for alk. http://www.redseafish.com/tech-support-form-p-c/
I had a bad alk reagant and they sent me a new reagant fee of charge in about 3-5 days.
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