Test kit question

[Maho.B]

Hello, I've recently changed from the salifert magnesium test kit to the aqua Forest magnesium kit. Does anyone who uses the aqua Forest find that the droppers for reagent A and B release a faulty (like half a drop) quite often regardless of how careful you use them? The instructions specifically say to start over if there is a faulty drop. I'm curious if this is common with this brand or if it's just the batch I received? It basically does it at least one time per test so it's getting annoying to start over so often. If it's common I'll go back to salifert. Thanks!

 

[Garf]

Hello, I've recently changed from the salifert magnesium test kit to the aqua Forest magnesium kit. Does anyone who uses the aqua Forest find that the droppers for reagent A and B release a faulty (like half a drop) quite often regardless of how careful you use them? The instructions specifically say to start over if there is a faulty drop. I'm curious if this is common with this brand or if it's just the batch I received? It basically does it at least one time per test so it's getting annoying to start over so often. If it's common I'll go back to salifert. Thanks!

Yes, happens on mine on the rare occasion I use it. I squeeze the first couple of drops into the sink, so it don't make a mess of the test.

 

[Maho.B]

Yes, happens on mine on the rare occasion I use it. I squeeze the first couple of drops into the sink, so it don't make a mess of the test.

Thanks. I do the same thing now, but it will still shoot half a bubble out even after that, it's likely mine and not the majority of the kits. Thanks

 

[taricha]

The instructions specifically say to start over if there is a faulty drop. I'm curious if this is common with this brand or if it's just the batch I received? It basically does it at least one time per test so it's getting annoying to start over so often. If it's common I'll go back to salifert. Thanks!

there's a way around this if you have a scale.
On a scale you can to 5 or so drops to get the average mass of one drop. Then since you know the mass of a drop, you don't have to care if the bottle messes up and splutters a half or 2/3 of a drop or whatever.
You simply mass the amount that went into the test when you reach the endpoint, and divide by the known mass of a drop and you knwo how many drops you added, even if it's like 8.7 or something.

 

[Maho.B]

there's a way around this if you have a scale.
On a scale you can to 5 or so drops to get the average mass of one drop. Then since you know the mass of a drop, you don't have to care if the bottle messes up and splutters a half or 2/3 of a drop or whatever.
You simply mass the amount that went into the test when you reach the endpoint, and divide by the known mass of a drop and you knwo how many drops you added, even if it's like 8.7 or something.

Thanks Taricha, that is definitely the way to go for absolute accuracy! I'll have to see if the digital scale we have for food ingredients will measure that small of an amount. Thanks for the input

 

[PharmrJohn]

there's a way around this if you have a scale.
On a scale you can to 5 or so drops to get the average mass of one drop. Then since you know the mass of a drop, you don't have to care if the bottle messes up and splutters a half or 2/3 of a drop or whatever.
You simply mass the amount that went into the test when you reach the endpoint, and divide by the known mass of a drop and you knwo how many drops you added, even if it's like 8.7 or something.

Thats a really good point. And my daughter happens to have a very accurate scale she uses to make salves and creams. Cool! I'll remember this!