Boomer... Is there any info out there to make your own cal and alk test kit?

[CaptainGreg]

There got to be info out there to make your own test kit from the basic chem from lab store.

I used to do titration in high school to find out the quantiy of material in solution and I remember alk and cal was in my final lab test.

I could not remember the detail of how to make the titration solution and the indicator to do my test.

I am hoping you can point me in the right direction.

Test kit are getting too expensive to test twice a week on multi tanks.

 

[TJL]

Greg, GREAT QUESTION

All ears, BOOMER... Throw us a bone would ya "Boomer DIY Reef Test Kits"

Todd

 

[returnofsid]

Seems I just read this same question, on RC. One of the chemistry Gurus, (The other is Boomer) stated that this wasn't really possible, due to inavailability of the chemicals needed.

 

[TJL]

Does anyone know of a place/site that one might get replacement reagents for test kits ( at least the more popular ones). There must be a better way than having to buy complete kits every time you run out.

Todd

 

[Boomer]

Todd

Sorry I missed this post, just caught it I was gone at that time.

Go to the library and look for this. So, you can see what you need and how such test can be done.


Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater
http://www.standardmethods.org/

 

[jrgilles]

alk could be easy. Basically you just titrate in an acid of a known concentration with an indicator that changes color around 4.2 (the point where all the carbonate and bicarbonate are fully converted to carbonic acid.)

Count how much acid it takes (ie drops) and do some chemistry/math to go from that to the units you need.

Would be even easier if you had an actual titration buret (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burette) which would probably be way more accurate than doing it dropwise.