Salifert Ca and Alk test kits

[bongobrian]

Hey does anyone use the salifert kits? I picked up a couple the other day, and the instructions they came with are kinda messed up. Some of the words are missing in the text. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out how to read the results on the small 1.0 ml syringe. The instructions say something about tipping the syringe so the point is facing up, after that, the words get all jumbled in the instructions. So should I be reading where the black "piston" is on the syringe? or should I be reading where the rest of the chemical is in the syringe? Also, does anyone use the skinny plastic tip on the syringe? it seems to me that it just draws a bunch of air into the syringe, and seems like it would throw off the results. Anyway, I'm just trying to get some accurate results on these kits. If anyone can help me out that would be awesome. Thanks.

[zhenya]

Hi Brian,
I do use the same kits.You have to read where the black part of the piston is and not the chemical. The little air between piston and chemical represents that distance of the tip.After you read the ammount just compare with the chart provided.Hope it helps.If you need more complete answer I can just type the whole thing for ya.By the way,you do have to use that tip and the ammount of air will not influence the result,hence the reading black tip and not the chemical.

[bongobrian]

Thanks a lot for your help zhenya. You don't have to trouble yourself with typing the whole thing out.... I understand what you're saying and that's how I thought it worked in the first place. So basically you just take the number of where the black piston is on the syringe, and compare it to the chart right? If my results are accurate, then I must say there is quite a bit of difference between the salifert kits and the red sea kits and the red sea kit was WAY off.

[zhenya]

Yes Brian,
I've foun Salifert kits are more accurate then most and use them exclusevely.Plus,
Habib Sekha is owner of Salifert and posts regularly on RC's chemistry forum If you need some extra info on his product you can always ask him directly or email him.This is a big plus IMO when you can ask owner of the company some questions Over the few years I tried many test kits and found his to be more accurate,for our purposes anyhow.

[kevinpo]

I also use both of those test kits and found them to be accurate. Be sure to use the tip. When reading the results point the tip up and read down to the first edge of the black rubber on the plunger (the part closest to the tip).

HTH,
Kevin

[jsaltzgi]

I agree- the instructions could be a little better, but the test kits are great, IMO. I think it would make more sense to just say multiply the mL you used by 500 for the Ca and the respective number for the alk. The instructions are very verbose telling you that there should be some air in the syringe (if you used the tip).

I have also used (and still do since I still have some...) the SeaTest/ FasTest kits. They are nice with the powdered reagents, however, I think the endpoint for titration for the Ca is much more apparent withh the Salifert, thus you can get a more accurate measurement.

James

[Papa Doug]

Hmmm, to the black , eh. Guess I have been doing mine wrong all these years.;; Never relized it compensated for the tip. Oh well, learn something new everyday.

Perhaps I should read instructions on things, but its not manly you know.

[bongobrian]

LMAO too funny.... I went to my lfs last night to discuss the salifert dilemma, and come to find out, they have been doing it wrong for the whole 11 years they've been open! Well according to these tests, my alk and ca are off the charts.... I just switched over to these kits, and the red sea kits always showed my alk as being low.

jsaltzgi- when you do the multiply meathod, do you use the tip? I guess it doesn't matter... seems to me that when you read the position of the piston, the reading reflects how much liquid you have in the syringe, even if there is air near the piston. The results would probably be the same with or without the tip right? I guess I could try it both ways and see if they are the same. It's nice to know I'm not alone on this topic.

[Papa Doug]

I remember when I first started using it, the confusing thing was the 3mm in the 5mm thingy.

They still are the best kits I have used. Although I have a fancy for FasTest alk. kits.

[bongobrian]

"thingy" isn't a very manly word j/k. Yeah I know what you mean, and the guy at my lfs was argueing with me saying that it was 5ml of water and not 3.... I was like ummm noooooo it's 3ml of water USING the 5ml syringe.. and he was like.... holy $hit! you're right!

[jsaltzgi]

Yep, I use the tip. If you do not use the tip, there should be no air space. The air space in the syringe after filling it is just the air that was in the tip. So the water level would be at the plunger. The tip's volume was calibrated, I'm sure, to take this into account. (well, probably not the very same tip in the box, but the design...) It works because if you pull 1 mL in, you replace t mL of air with fluid. The volume doesn't change because of the air in the syringe, just we think about it. So if you pull the stopper back all the way, you still have the 1 mL, it's just that some of it is in the tip, and there is air at the plunger...

You could compare with tip to without tip by doing the same thing, only now the water level will be at the plunger- you still read at the plunger.

James

[zhenya]

Brian,the "thingy" word could be very manly,depends how you look at it ,but not to stray of topic, I agree with James about endpoint on Salifert kits.Much clearer color change I think even for vision impaired like me

[Papa Doug]

Thats what I like also Gene.

I also meant ml not mm. Been using this metric for a gazzillion years and still get it wrong.