is there a solution that i can make to verify alk reagent?

[Miller535]

DIY alk standards:

DIY alkalinity standard

For folks who may want to evaluate the accuracy of their alkalinity test kits, here are two suggested ways to do it. One is DIY and one is a mostly commercial standard with one DIY step. Method 1 Standard solutions could be made with sodium bicarbonate, but it can be hard to be sure it hasn't...

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you Randy. I just purchased this from amazon, and it is supposed to be delivered on thursday.

 

[Miller535]

I also had a Triton N-DOC laying around that I have been meaning to use. It is supposed to measure alkalinity. I filled the test vials, then immiately testing my alk with the hanna checker and got 7.7dkh. So when I get my results back later this week or early next week I will report back. I will also report back with how the "alk standards" test went. Thanks everyone for your help.

 

[Miller535]

I just did Randy's test (half diluted) and got 13.5dkh (should have been 14). Which is probably pretty accurate being that its outside of the range usually measured in aquaria. Comparatively I also did a test with fauna marins multi reference that is supposed to be 6.6dkh and I got 6.7.

So I suppose it's safe to say the bottle of reagent that I had been using was bad or expired. But at least I got to the bottom of it. Thanks everyone

 

[homer1475]

You guys do realize that Hanna only states 25 tests per reagent bottle, yet there is 30ML in each bottle.

I started marking each test on the bottle, when I get to 25 I throw out the rest. My test have been super consistent between bottles since I started doing that.

 

[Miller535]

You guys do realize that Hanna only states 25 tests per reagent bottle, yet there is 30ML in each bottle.

I started marking each test on the bottle, when I get to 25 I throw out the rest. My test have been super consistent between bottles since I started doing that.

If the reagent is properly mixed (and I shake it before every use), I do not see how the last little bit would be any different then the first little bit.

 

[homer1475]

There was a huge thread a while back about this, and hanna stated that between evap, and possible contamination you should only use the stated 25 tests. Ever notice how the last bit in the bottle has those little floaty things in it?

Kind of like how the trident has a set number of tests between bottles but put a bit more in each bottle.

Just my experience and it has greatly improved my accuracy between bottles.

 

[GlassMunky]

There was a huge thread a while back about this, and hanna stated that between evap, and possible contamination you should only use the stated 25 tests. Ever notice how the last bit in the bottle has those little floaty things in it?

Kind of like how the trident has a set number of tests between bottles but put a bit more in each bottle.

Just my experience and it has greatly improved my accuracy between bottles.

I’ve NEVER had “little floaty things” In any of my reagent packs

 

[Miller535]

There was a huge thread a while back about this, and hanna stated that between evap, and possible contamination you should only use the stated 25 tests. Ever notice how the last bit in the bottle has those little floaty things in it?

Kind of like how the trident has a set number of tests between bottles but put a bit more in each bottle.

Just my experience and it has greatly improved my accuracy between bottles.

O.k. That makes sense. And the last bottle I was having issues with, I did notice some floaty things in it. Thank you for the info. I guess I assumed because it said 25 test that there was 25 test worth of reagent in it

 

[homer1475]

I’ve NEVER had “little floaty things” In any of my reagent packs

Consider yourself lucky then. Nearly everyone in that thread, noticed the same floaty things in the last bit of reagent.

Kind of like how some people get the "brown crud" from IO, and yet others don't.

 

[Miller535]

I also do not rinse the syringe out when I am done. Which I should start doing. I have noticed that it starts to dry on to the syringe after a while. I wonder if that's what the floaties are. Old reagent.

 

[Miller535]

@homer1475 , is this the thread?

Hanna Alk Reagents / Floating Particles

Hello Hanna, I can never finish a bottle of new reagent before floating particles come in to play after half the bottle is used. I've shaken before use every time per refill and not on some refills. Same results. It's a big enough issue to through the test results off by 2 dkh at times. When I...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[homer1475]

Nope not that thread. It was a few years back, might even have been on RC.

 

[Mono]

Yes 1.135 grams of sodium bicarbonate in 1 gallon purified water (0tds) will equal 10dkh. May or may not work with hanna checker (i haven't tried)

Ha, it gives you a sense of the size of the numbers we are worrying about. 1.135 grams = 10 dkh? It also amazes me how small these numbers are.