Can Salifert reagents be re-calibrated?

[scytale]

I have 1 new Salifert ALK test-kit that is giving consistently high, inaccurate results (+ ~1.3 dKh).....Is there any way to adjust the reagent solution to yeild a lower result?

(I thought about trying to "concentrate" the reagent solution by boiling it....)

Any thoughts?

 

[scytale]

2 days and later and no posts--Did I stump everyone?!?

 

[DonW]

2 days and later and no posts--Did I stump everyone?!?

I'd say no. Just use the test kits that hopefully you used to determine that this one was off with.

Don

 

[preons]

maybe add a little more or less tank water to your test vile and see if that corrects your problem

 

[Holygral]

If your results are reading high( I am assuming off the chart 16 DKH or higher) Try testing with the low resolution of 2 ml of water instead of 4 and adjust the reagent according. The instructions should be on your instruction sheet. After your reading you double the KH/Alk value to get a correct reading

 

[Boomer]

No, you can not "fix" / "recal" the reagents, as it will change their concentration. Either you have a testing error due to the way you did it or the reagents are bad. The best for now is to try what Holygral suggested.

Sorry for the late post and response

 

[scytale]

Thanks for the replies everybody--I was out-of-town for M-day, but this test-kit issue is still bugging me, so....

Holygral--
My test results aren't "high" they're +1.3 dKh "higher" (than they should be)--
as compared to other Salifert ALK test kits.
(Tested multiple times over the past weeks--with the same +1.3 results each time....)

Another example--when I mix and aerate a fresh batch of IO saltt his particular test-kit says that ALK of this fresh mix is nearly 10 dKH--but we all know that IO salt is rarely ever that high straight-out-of-the-bucket....if it were, they wouldn't have to sell "Reef Crystals" :lol

Don--

I would keep using the old test-kit(s) but they're nearly used-up--that's why I bought a new (but apparently, faulty) kit. :doubt:

Boomer--

So if I should't try to modify the reagents--what's the best course of action for this kit?

-A 1-way trip to Dumpster-ville? (but I hate throwing money away though...)
-Try to return it (but I bought it online.....)
-Make myself a cheat sheet? (i.e. -1.3 dKh from whatever reading it gives....)

 

[Boomer]

A new kit or new reagents. And it is not that the kit can not be mod, it is you can't You would have to know the exact ingredients of the kit and their concentration and then know if one could run dilution stds with it. With that said only Habib from Salifert could answer that question.

 

[scytale]

Thanks Boomer!

Since I'm going to have to buy a new kit anyways....I may try my crazy, steam-distilling idea, just for fun.

(Since it's already broke--at least I can have some fun--tinkering with it. :razz

 

[Lowman]

Does you LFS test water parameters? Take a sample to them and have them test it with their kit. Then adjust accordingly. I would write down the difference on your instruction sheet or somewhere you will find it, I tend to forget things like that.

 

[Boomer]

OK scytale