Trident reagent A empty notification...almost 100mL left in bottle

[Hitch08]

I thought I saw a video where they said that you could, but you risk contamination. When you compare the cost of the various automatic testing systems, the Trident isn't bad at all. Heck, I saw where someone on here did the math as against Hanna testers and it wasn't bad. Different strokes for different folks.

 

[MnFish1]

I thought I saw a video where they said that you could, but you risk contamination. When you compare the cost of the various automatic testing systems, the Trident isn't bad at all. Heck, I saw where someone on here did the math as against Hanna testers and it wasn't bad. Different strokes for different folks.

Actually I think the video said 'you will risk contamination' and 'they dont recommend it'. As to the cost of the Trident - It depends on how often you test. Though their 9 cents/test sounds 'great'. If I test Mg once a month and Ca every 2 weeks - and alkalinity once a week or so (for what I feel my tank needs) - the cost of a trident and its testing is far higher. That doesn't mean that its bad or they are wrong, etc - I just think they are fiddling with the numbers some to say the tests are 'cheaper'.

 

[Thales]

Yes, we understand that, but the the whole point of this thread was that the OP had a lot of reagent left after the trident said that bottle was ‘empty’. Obviously no one really understands exactly how it works because Neptune hasn’t said, but the speculation is that the trident reports that the reagent is empty after a certain number of tests... not actually based on the amount of reagent in the bottle.

So if that’s the case then you will get the same number of tests whether you have a high alkalinity level in your tank or a low level... you’ll just wind up with more or less reagent left in the bottle at the end of the specified number of tests.

Exactly - you get 120 tests per bottle of reagent. There may be reagent left over or not.

 

[Thales]

Unless I misunderstood what I read on other threads the goal is that each user get 1 month of tests per vial of reagent. So whether there is 100 cc or 1 cc left at the end of the month - supposedly the machine is more accurate being changed once a month. So - im not sure there will be any rush to 'fix this'. - But for example you could say doing 2 calcium tests/day is 'a waste of money', but thats how the machine works to keep it accurate. Ditto for Mg (which could be considered 'more of a waste of money).

You get 120 tests per bottle. 2 month reagent kit comes with 2 alk bottles.

 

[Thales]

yea I get what your saying. this definitely needs to be fixed tho. Some one that runs 7.5 has to pay the same every 2 months than someone who runs 12 even tho the person who has 7.5 has a lot of reagent left and if they cant use it its a waste of money. I know they said you could trick the system into thinking it has more but then you run an uneccessary risk of running out and not knowing it right away and then have to get some more ordered.

But it isn't a waste of money - you pay for 2x120 alk tests and 120 each of Mg and Ca, and everyone should be getting that in the 2 month kit.

 

[Hitch08]

Actually I think the video said 'you will risk contamination' and 'they dont recommend it'.

You have an interesting way of posting. Often seem contentious, not sure how its intended. They didn't say that you cannot and I didn't say that they did.

I'll take a pass on your "fiddling with the numbers" comment.

 

[MnFish1]

You have an interesting way of posting. Often seem contentious, not sure how its intended. They didn't say that you cannot and I didn't say that they did.

I'll take a pass on your "fiddling with the numbers" comment.

Wasn't meant to be contentious at all - sorry. Its just perhaps blunt? Maybe you're reading it that way because you really like the Trident - and I'm kind of +- on it? In any case - in the video (If we're talking about the same one) they did say - you will risk contamination - and they do not recommend adding extra solution from a prior month to a new months vial (i.e mixing the 2 solutions old and new).

The fiddling with the numbers comment had nothing to do with your post - I was referring to Neptunes comment that each test costs '9 cents'. While that may be a 'true statement' I don't think you can use that value to compare the price of other test kits (that was the point). No one would ever test alkalinity 4 times/day using a salifert kit, for example or Ca 2x or Mg 2x/day. So though I completely understand the REASON they test that often (ie im not debating that) - I think they are fiddling with the numbers a bit to say using the Trident costs less than other methods.

 

[ajhudson15]

But it isn't a waste of money - you pay for 2x120 alk tests and 120 each of Mg and Ca, and everyone should be getting that in the 2 month kit.[/QUOTE
your telling me if something costs lets say $100 but the manufacturer said o but you only get $66 dollars worth out of it you would be fine. from what he said he is losing one third of the reagent do to this. thats a waste of money in my opinion
im not trying to start a argument or anything but most people wouldn't be ok with throwing out something they paid for that is still perfectly good to use.

 

[ajhudson15]

your telling me if something costs lets say $100 but the manufacturer said o but you only get $66 dollars worth out of it you would be fine. from what he said he is losing one third of the reagent do to this. thats a waste of money in my opinion
im not trying to start a argument or anything but most people wouldn't be ok with throwing out something they paid for that is still perfectly good to use.

 

[Brett S]

The fiddling with the numbers comment had nothing to do with your post - I was referring to Neptunes comment that each test costs '9 cents'. While that may be a 'true statement' I don't think you can use that value to compare the price of other test kits (that was the point). No one would ever test alkalinity 4 times/day using a salifert kit, for example or Ca 2x or Mg 2x/day. So though I completely understand the REASON they test that often (ie im not debating that) - I think they are fiddling with the numbers a bit to say using the Trident costs less than other methods.

Obviously marketing is what marking is, so they’re gonna try to present things in the best possible light. But I don’t know that the 9 cents per test thing is meant to compare against salifert or something like that.

Instead I think the concern is that people are gonna see that it says “four tests per day” and think... wow... that’s gonna be crazy expensive. And they are trying to point out that it’s a pretty low cost per test even though the tests are run frequently.

Really, I think that comparing to salifert or other manual tests is a bit of apples to oranges because you can’t feasibly test that frequently with salifert. (Well, I mean you could, but you’d go nuts trying to do it for any length of time). I think there is a clear advantage to having regular and frequent tests that you don’t get with a regular manual test kit.

 

[Thales]

your telling me if something costs lets say $100 but the manufacturer said o but you only get $66 dollars worth out of it you would be fine. from what he said he is losing one third of the reagent do to this. thats a waste of money in my opinion
im not trying to start a argument or anything but most people wouldn't be ok with throwing out something they paid for that is still perfectly good to use.

I am not telling you that because that isn't what is happening in this situation. You are paying for 120 tests per bottle, and you should be getting that regardless of the amount of fluid left if the container after 120 tests. The amount of reagent left over doesn't matter because you got your 120 tests (the reasons that there is extra fluid in the bottles has been covered in this thread a bunch, but I am happy to revisit it if you like). If you didn't get 120 tests, or close to that, you should contact Neptune Systems.

 

[ajhudson15]

I am not telling you that because that isn't what is happening in this situation. You are paying for 120 tests per bottle, and you should be getting that regardless of the amount of fluid left if the container after 120 tests. The amount of reagent left over doesn't matter because you got your 120 tests (the reasons that there is extra fluid in the bottles has been covered in this thread a bunch, but I am happy to revisit it if you like). If you didn't get 120 tests, or close to that, you should contact Neptune Systems.

so what happens if your alk is real high and you don't get 120 tests. you paid for 120 test but didn't get it.

 

[Thales]

so what happens if your alk is real high and you don't get 120 tests. you paid for 120 test but didn't get it.

That doesn't seem to be happening, which makes sense given that that is the overfill is there to prevent. Like I said, if you aren't getting 120 tests, or close to that, you should contact Neptune Systems.

 

[Gareth elliott]

so what happens if your alk is real high and you don't get 120 tests. you paid for 120 test but didn't get it.

Under this scenario.
Say you had an alkalinity of 15dkh, and did nothing to change this while you were monitoring. Why did you buy a parameter monitoring device?

That said I see this thread as the reason why in 2021 they start selling trident 2.0. That includes fluid monitoring, and an increased price tag [emoji23]

 

[ajhudson15]

That doesn't seem to be happening, which makes sense given that that is the overfill is there to prevent. Like I said, if you aren't getting 120 tests, or close to that, you should contact Neptune Systems.

I appreciate your side and love that you can keep it a civil discussion cuz we all know most cant. I just happen to disagree. if I pay for something I want to be bale to easily use it all up or it looks like I lost money. I think more than just me would agree. I see your point on the number of tests. hopefully going forward the second bottles don't leave as much but I cant see that being the case since people who have higher alks need to use more reagent. maybe they should come out with bottles that are made for alk in a range and then bottles that are made at a slightly higher potency for people with higher alk

 

[User1]

so what happens if your alk is real high and you don't get 120 tests. you paid for 120 test but didn't get it.

I think it was already addressed as stated above. You paid for 120 tests. If you do not get 120 but rather 115 or even fewer upon your first regent purchase then there may be an issue so reach out to Neptune and be done with it. They will assist you with trying to understand how that happened and if it is a bigger issue.

Bottom line is you paid for X amount of tests when you purchased the regents. If you get W instead there may be a problem. Hell I don't even own a trident (not from lack of trying) and I get this. Work with us a little bit here.

Edit: Or as you said we can disagree no harm no foul.

 

[ajhudson15]

Under this scenario.
Say you had an alkalinity of 15dkh, and did nothing to change this while you were monitoring. Why did you buy a parameter monitoring device?

That said I see this thread as the reason why in 2021 they start selling trident 2.0. That includes fluid monitoring, and an increased price tag [emoji23]

are you stating that 15 is to high? even if someone ran at 15 they may still want to monitor it. im sure most people don't run that high but hey you never know anymore

 

[ajhudson15]

no I

I think it was already addressed as stated above. You paid for 120 tests. If you do not get 120 but rather 115 or even fewer upon your first regent purchase then there may be an issue so reach out to Neptune and be done with it. They will assist you with trying to understand how that happened and if it is a bigger issue.

Bottom line is you paid for X amount of tests when you purchased the regents. If you get W instead there may be a problem. Hell I don't even own a trident (not from lack of trying) and I get this. Work with us a little bit here.

Edit: Or as you said we can disagree no harm no foul.

no I totally understand that your paying for a number of test im not arguing that or anything really. im just saying that in a consumers eye when they pay for something and there is a lot left that cant be used anymore it makes you feel like you lost money. that's all im saying.

 

[Brett S]

no I totally understand that your paying for a number of test im not arguing that or anything really. im just saying that in a consumers eye when they pay for something and there is a lot left that cant be used anymore it makes you feel like you lost money. that's all im saying.

How does this work with other test kits that you buy and how do you feel about those? Obviously I haven’t used all of the test kits out there but with a lot of them you’ll run out of one part before you run out of the other parts. For example with my salifert magnesium test I always run out of part 3 while I still have a lot of parts 1 and 2 left. Salifert doesn’t sell part 3 alone, so my only option is to throw out the extra parts 1 and 2 and buy a whole new kit.

Should I feel like I’m wasting my money because I paid for the extra parts 1 and 2 that I couldn’t use or should I be satisfied that I got the 50 tests that they advertise on the outside of the package?

 

[ajhudson15]

How does this work with other test kits that you buy and how do you feel about those? Obviously I haven’t used all of the test kits out there but with a lot of them you’ll run out of one part before you run out of the other parts. For example with my salifert magnesium test I always run out of part 3 while I still have a lot of parts 1 and 2 left. Salifert doesn’t sell part 3 alone, so my only option is to throw out the extra parts 1 and 2 and buy a whole new kit.

Should I feel like I’m wasting my money because I paid for the extra parts 1 and 2 that I couldn’t use or should I be satisfied that I got the 50 tests that they advertise on the outside of the package?

for me, yes this would make me mad. just for the purpose that now instead of being able to buy a cheap little bottle of part 3 you now have to buy the whole test kit again.
again im not trying to start an argument it was just stating an opinion. everybody will have a different one and im sure some would agree with the way I look at it. its just a matter of perception. some will be ok with getting the number of test they were told they would get and then some will say wow I have enough for another 20 test but I have to dump it down the drain and buy a whole new bottle again.