Lol, the lab tests here are pretty much the same thing your doing at home, its just that I can verify that the results are true.
A standard is a lab made sample to verify accuracy, they would be made up with a pre determined amount of what ever it is your testing for, like a 450 ppm standard of ca. That sample should when tested show 450 ppm on the meter, if not then you calibrate you meter. The solution your using for your tds meter is a zero standard, same thing, just different terminology. Lol and no I would not find all kinds of stuff running it here in the lab, only would find the test performed. Honestly not much different testing here, just different reagents, and a real nice color spectrometer (hach Dr5000) but I don’t have the reagents to test for the things you are testing for, not yet anyway, and the magnesium test kit from hach is a royal pain in the rear. So ill be looking for cheap and reliable home test kit there.
Well, well, well. apprently my Ca is either very low and I don’t know it or both my API and HANNA Ca test kit are way off. Guess I’d better check my Kalkwasser mix and up the mix.
I’d tested both the API and the HANNA Ca test. HANNA shows 357ppm and 360ppm for API. So, my Ca is very low. I also tested Alk and that is at 10 DKH and Mag is at 1350ppm. So, everything is up to speed except my Ca.
[quote=“saltcreep, post:20, topic:4801”]
A, if you can make it to the next meeting will you bring a sample of your water? i’d like to test it. last month paul, tim and i tested Mg of Pauls water. we each had a diff brand kit, and all got close results. I’m curious if my api kit reads closer to your kit, or your new toy. Those Hanna’s are pretty sweet :
:
Btw A… what do you do for dosing Ca, and Alk?[/quote]
I will be there John. And I will bring some sample water and the HANNA Ca test kit.
I dose kalkwasser as top off and as for alk good old baking soda that has been baked in the oven for 2hr
thats got to make you feel good, being within 3ppm of each other YahoO
Now i have to ask a stupid question as this kalkwasser dosing is new to me, does the kalkwasser add to the alk as well as the ca? or does the vinegar eat up the alk and leave only the ca???
Its my understanding from reading that kalk takes care of both Ca/Alk equally and helps raising ph (if you need to) I dont use vinegar in my mix, but i may. I’ve only recently started dripping kalk, i’ve been doing about 2L a day and it seems to be maintaing my levels pretty good, i just need to add a tbl spoon or two of baking soda and Ca during a weeks time. I’m a fan so far, I’m seeing some more color in my coral, its very inexpensive, and its easy.
When Chemistry questions arise, its always best to go back to the Reef Central Chemistry Zen Master. Randy Holmes-Farley. He has written on pretty much all the good subjects. Including limewater and vinegar.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-01/rhf/index.php
the mother load:
I think i have read all of these, forgotten most of it, But i know where to find it when i need an answer.
[quote=“kaptken, post:25, topic:4801”]
the mother load:
mutha load for sure YahoO saved that link
[quote=“aonemarine, post:23, topic:4801”]
thats got to make you feel good, being within 3ppm of each other YahoO
Now i have to ask a stupid question as this kalkwasser dosing is new to me, does the kalkwasser add to the alk as well as the ca? or does the vinegar eat up the alk and leave only the ca???[/quote]
I feel better now knowing I can rely on something, naming these test kit (maybe). I went back and figured out what I did that was different that may have lowered my Ca addition.
I don’t normally dump the lime powder residual that has been building up at the bottom of my 5gal top off containers. I thought it was building up too much and dump it out. So, I guess that made my recent mixes weaker than normal, to where it lower my Ca. No more dumping it out. I don’t think that build up will hurt anything but maintaining my high Ca level that I need.
As John stated, yes it does. However, when you have tank full of animals (acros) that requires high Ca and Alk, sometimes it goes out of balance and must dose more of one or the other. I notice in my tank, the Alk sometimes goes lower than normal so, I would add a little of baked sodium bicarbonate solution to raise the level a little.
By adding vinegar to the kalkwasser mix will only lower the ph a little but, will not dissipate the Ca. It also add carbon to feed and build up bacteria in your tank, but that’s another subject that has been talked about in another thread.