ELOS test kits

[gparr]

My Salifert test kits ran out, so I bought a set of ELOS kits (alk, Ca, Mg). Tonight was the first time I tried to use the Calcium kit. The instructions say to fill the vial to the 5 ml mark with the syringe. Good idea, but the 5 ml mark is not 5 ml according to the syringe. It's 4 ml. I checked it with another syringe. So, I immediately have a question: Is the 5 ml mark on the vial the correct sample size or do I need an actual 5 ml, meaning the mark on the vial is wrong? 5 ml according to the syringe seems to give the best reading, but I'm in the process of raising calcium in one of my tanks and I currently have a Ca level in the high 300s. I hate when there are doubts like this, especially for something that should be straightforward.
Gary

 

[mpoletti]

Use the syringe. The vials are massed produced. There was a few threads about this in the Elos forum on RC.

 

[Acroholic]

I had the same issue with my KH and Ca test kits. Use the syringe.

 

[gparr]

Thanks. This kind of stuff suggests sloppy manufacturing and makes me doubt kit accuracy. I didn't realize there was an RC ELOS forum. I'll check it out.
Gary

 

[dbarker]

So, if Elos test kits have problems, and API is unreliable which test kit is the best to use?

Debbie

 

[MikeB]

Just make sure you have 5ml, I would go by the syringe not the vile.

 

[JuniorMC8704]

The elos kits are great, and once it was explained by elos, it made perfect sense.

Just be sure to note that the DKH test is .5 dkh per drop. There was a large batch that had instructions that were printed wrong and said 1 drop = 1 dkh....for a month, i thought my DKH was at 17! it wasnt really...

overall for the speed and simplicity of the test kits, i think they are great, and will continue to buy them.

 

[gparr]

Thanks. I used the syringe measurement and results seemed to be on target.

Debbie, don't misread my ******** as an indication that the ELOS kits are not accurate. My research indicates that they are reliable and accurate. Little things like a vial that is marked 5 ml but the mark is at the 4-ml level just irritate me. I did some comparisons last night with Salifert kits and the results were very close.

At some point we all need to remember that these are not, by any means, laboratory quality testing systems. There are too many variables beyond control of the manufacturer. Good kits will give you, at best, a close determination of what the actual alk, Ca, Mg levels are in your reef, at that point in time. We also need to remember that we are dealing with dynamic systems, i.e., corals are constantly reducing levels as they grow. Our job is to keep an adequate supply of available Mg and Ca in the water over a 24-hr. period. On a side note, the Mg level is as important as the Ca level. Corals need Mg to grow.

Gary

 

[Seahorsedreams]

The elos kits are great, and once it was explained by elos, it made perfect sense.

How did they explain it?

 

[gparr]

Take two aspirin, then read this:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1333391

 

[Seahorsedreams]

*digs around in bag for aspirin*

 

[Seahorsedreams]

Oh wow. That seems really messed up, actually. That air bubble thing changes the volume you are testing. Putting that in there changes the sample from 3mls to 3.3mls (let's say .3 for fun).

There's too much room for user error in that kit. Also, if the rubber reacts to the sample... supply the kit with syringes that don't have a rubber-tipped plunger.... they're out there.

 

[gparr]

I'm just going to use syringes from my depleted Salifert kits. They don't have rubber and have flat bottoms on the plunger so there's no doubt about the volume. I'm going to give the ELOS kits some time, mainly because I just spent $80 to buy the three kits, but I may go back to Salifert when these are used up. I switched because Salifert isn't always available and these looked to be quality kits. I'll give it time. Maybe my attitude will change.
Gary

 

[gparr]

I ran all three tests on both aquariums tonight using the ELOS kits. After reading that mess of a thread about syringes, I thought I'd give the rubber-tipped syringes a try. It actually worked quite well keeping the rubber away from the water. For kits requiring 3 ml, I moved the plunger so the bottom "ring" on the rubber was at 1 ml, put the tip in the water and pulled the plunger until the water level reached 3 ml. There was a nice gap between the water and the rubber. For the 5-ml quantities, I started the bottom "ring" at 0.3 ml. That also worked well.

The tests were easy to use and the indicator color changes were definite and obvious. The Mg kit requires you to do two phases. The first phase requires 30+ drops if your Mg is at the proper level. The color starts at orange/red, becomes deep red, then turns a deep green. That change is not as obvious but it's detectable.

Now that I have a grasp of the syringe/sample issue, I have a much more positive attitude toward the kits. The results seemed consistent with what I know my water levels to be.

Gary