DOS interval question

blaxsun · May 3, 2022

A trick with Tridents: use the sample water in your tank and calibrate manually based on your test results (and not the calibration solution Neptune provides).

2 months since last Trident check:
* Alkalinity | Hanna: 8.24 dKH ... Trident: 8.31 dKH
* Calcium | Hanna: 504ppm ... Trident: 496ppm
* Magnesium | AF: 1460ppm ... Trident: 1455ppm

lubeck · May 3, 2022

Gtinnel said:
No I get it, I did the same thing and honestly went overboard with it. I still dose more during certain times.
The trident does good with the alkalinity tests IMO, but I’ve never been too impressed with its accuracy (compared to my other tests) for calcium and magnesium. I’ve gotten to where I basically ignore them.

I’m with you. Im going to run more manual Hanna tests to see if there is consistency when the numbers go up or down. At least I will know there is a true fluctuation and not focusing on the actual number but the variance.
Calcium is within - 30-40.

Gtinnel · May 3, 2022

blaxsun said:
A trick with Tridents: use the sample water in your tank and calibrate manually based on your test results (and not the calibration solution Neptune provides).

2 months since last Trident check:
* Alkalinity | Hanna: 8.24 dKH ... Trident: 8.31 dKH
* Calcium | Hanna: 504ppm ... Trident: 496ppm
* Magnesium | AF: 1460ppm ... Trident: 1455ppm

I quit using the calibration solution after the second bottle and I agree calibrating with your tank water is much better. It did help but my calcium and mag still drift over time.

blaxsun · May 3, 2022

Gtinnel said:
I quit using the calibration solution after the second bottle and I agree calibrating with your tank water is much better. It did help but my calcium and mag still drift over time.

I cut my testing schedule in half and I'm seeing noticeably less drift.

lubeck · May 3, 2022

blaxsun said:
A trick with Tridents: use the sample water in your tank and calibrate manually based on your test results (and not the calibration solution Neptune provides).

2 months since last Trident check:
* Alkalinity | Hanna: 8.24 dKH ... Trident: 8.31 dKH
* Calcium | Hanna: 504ppm ... Trident: 496ppm
* Magnesium | AF: 1460ppm ... Trident: 1455ppm

Dang. That’s pretty good. I just installed mine on Saturday. Is it true I shouldn’t calibrate yet? I think they said to wait a couple weeks?

blaxsun · May 3, 2022

lubeck said:
Dang. That’s pretty good. I just installed mine on Saturday. Is it true I shouldn’t calibrate yet? I think they said to wait a couple weeks?

I'm certainly not complaining! If memory serves me, you calibrate it initially - let it run for a few days and then re-calibrate it again.

Gtinnel · May 3, 2022

You’re supposed to wait 2-3 days before calibrating. On the first calibration I waited but on all other times after replacing reagents I did it immediately. However like suggested I don’t use the calibration solution anymore. I just test my alk/cal/mag with different manual tests multiple times and find the average and then use those values to “calibrate” my trident with my tank water.

lubeck · May 3, 2022

I guess I will calibrate tomorrow then. I’m assuming it’s easy to manually calibrate using tank water results?

really appreciate the support. Thanks

Gtinnel · May 3, 2022

lubeck said:
I guess I will calibrate tomorrow then. I’m assuming it’s easy to manually calibrate using tank water results?

It’s the same as normal only you just leave the sample line in your tank/sump and input the values that your other tests showed as your calibration values. I usually turn off my dos while doing it so that I don’t pull in some of my dosing liquid and make my calibration be significantly off, but that’s only an issue because I dose near my trident sample line, which isn’t ideal.

lubeck · May 3, 2022

Gtinnel said:
It’s the same as normal only you just leave the sample line in your tank/sump and input the values that your other tests showed as your calibration values. I usually turn off my dos while doing it so that I don’t pull in some of my dosing liquid and make my calibration be significantly off, but that’s only an issue because I dose near my trident sample line, which isn’t ideal.

Got it. Thank you.

lubeck · May 5, 2022

So I calibrated my trident tonight using the calibration fluid since I had it. So now my mag and ca are in line with Hanna but my alk is way off. Hanna is at 8.6 and apex at 8.0

kinda bummed since my alk was within .1 before.

Gtinnel · May 5, 2022

lubeck said:
So I calibrated my trident tonight using the calibration fluid since I had it. So now my mag and ca are in line with Hanna but my alk is way off. Hanna is at 8.6 and apex at 8.0

kinda bummed since my alk was within .1 before.

The problem is that you don’t actually know which one is correct. That is another reason I started using my tank water to calibrate it, I want it to match my other test kits. It doesn’t matter to me if the value is off some.

lubeck · May 5, 2022

Gtinnel said:
The problem is that you don’t actually know which one is correct. That is another reason I started using my tank water to calibrate it, I want it to match my other test kits. It doesn’t matter to me if the value is off some.

I will wait a few days and calibrate with tank water.