Neptune Trident Calcium & Magnesium Issues

[User1]

So my concern is with my particular unit. I’m taking water samples to send off right after the trident did it’s test. It’s off. I trust icp much more. It’s a million dollar machine. Does someone have a step by step to manually (change the numbers to compensate for the off reading) calibrate the trident, or should I contact Neptune?

I would do some additional reading on ICP tests and results when you have some spare time. I think you may be enlightened a bit. In any case you should contact Neptune if you have a concern. The steps below are getting started and Trident calibration. There is a step that allows you to enter the calibration numbers off the bottle that comes with the reagents. I do not believe that is what you are asking. It sounds like you are asking if you can open a task and add a value to off set the Tridents numbers to show what you believe is the correct value. If so, the answer is no.

https://www.neptunesystems.com/getstarted/trident/calibration/

 

[EJReef]

My calcium reading drops by 100 when I replace the b and c reagent, reset and prime. Anyone have this happening or know the cause? Does it also reset calibration?

 

[TX_Punisher]

So my concern is with my particular unit. I’m taking water samples to send off right after the trident did it’s test. It’s off. I trust icp much more. It’s a million dollar machine. Does someone have a step by step to manually (change the numbers to compensate for the off reading) calibrate the trident, or should I contact Neptune?

how do you know your tank values haven’t changed since then? (2 weeks?)

if you want to calibrate the trident to any other test’s values (icp or other) you simply calibrate it as you normally would but enter the values you want the trident to “see” in the calibration box based on your test kit’s results. Your tank water is the sample. Essentially you’re just calibrating to your tank water.

As stated, read up on icp tests first.

 

[joseserrano]

how do you know your tank values haven’t changed since then? (2 weeks?)

if you want to calibrate the trident to any other test’s values (icp or other) you simply calibrate it as you normally would but enter the values you want the trident to “see” in the calibration box based on your test kit’s results. Your tank water is the sample. Essentially you’re just calibrating to your tank water.

As stated, read up on icp tests first.

Don’t understand your question. Why not share this knowledge regarding icp testing for everyone to know instead of sending me on an Easter egg hunt?

 

[dodgr31]

Reading along and I too have had the same calcium issues since day one. I have a ticket open forever it seems and have jumped thru all the hoops Neptune suggested. Nothing has worked. What I do find intersting is on my trident I dont start to see numbers go up until after I change out reagent A. This last time I let A go all the way down to about 8% with no issues. My b & C reagents were at about 45. The day after my calcium starting floating up. Within a week and a half I am now at 776 calcium with 34% fluid left. I bought 3d printed caps to keep the tubes straight, added fluid to B & C (suggested by Neptune) still doesnt work. I am hoping like everyone else this gets resolved and believe there is way more than 1% having this issue. Neptune has been very responsive to the issue.

 

[joseserrano]

Reading along and I too have had the same calcium issues since day one. I have a ticket open forever it seems and have jumped thru all the hoops Neptune suggested. Nothing has worked. What I do find intersting is on my trident I dont start to see numbers go up until after I change out reagent A. This last time I let A go all the way down to about 8% with no issues. My b & C reagents were at about 45. The day after my calcium starting floating up. Within a week and a half I am now at 776 calcium with 34% fluid left. I bought 3d printed caps to keep the tubes straight, added fluid to B & C (suggested by Neptune) still doesnt work. I am hoping like everyone else this gets resolved and believe there is way more than 1% having this issue. Neptune has been very responsive to the issue.

heard this same problem from a local farmer. He has about 10 units running, all behave similarly.

 

[joe0813]

May 19th my calcium was 429 for the last test. May 20th my calcium was 530. Replaced all three reagents because they were at 6%. Went through the steps described by Neptune for reagent replacement. Calcium still saying it's at 550 with new reagents. Going to calibrate it today and see what happens

 

[User1]

Don’t understand your question. Why not share this knowledge regarding icp testing for everyone to know instead of sending me on an Easter egg hunt?

Because sometimes one feels better about it if they do their own searching....

Here - please search for this:
Skeptical Reefkeeping 12: Triton Lab ICP-OES Testing of a Certified Artificial Saltwater Standard

This will get you started and well worth the read. Also I know there are a few threads out there about putting in your own values during the calibration process. Again I can't stress this enough. Don't. Like it or not the calibration solution provided in the reagent box matches the lot number. If you look at your solutions you will see that they are different bottle to bottle and their respected values.

All you are doing is raising the question which test kit is correct and that isn't achieving anything. You bought the Trident to do the work for you.

 

[joseserrano]

Because sometimes one feels better about it if they do their own searching....

Here - please search for this:
Skeptical Reefkeeping 12: Triton Lab ICP-OES Testing of a Certified Artificial Saltwater Standard

This will get you started and well worth the read. Also I know there are a few threads out there about putting in your own values during the calibration process. Again I can't stress this enough. Don't. Like it or not the calibration solution provided in the reagent box matches the lot number. If you look at your solutions you will see that they are different bottle to bottle and their respected values.

All you are doing is raising the question which test kit is correct and that isn't achieving anything. You bought the Trident to do the work for you.

Ty for the link and unsolicited parenting

 

[User1]

Ty for the link and unsolicited parenting

My pleasure.

There are a few others and they are interesting but alas I didn't have them book marked. I send off water samples to ATI about 2 or 3 times a year. Probably closer to 2 if I'm being honest. I'm biased I'll admit towards ATI since my results have been consistent, inline with the Trident, and also my limited manual tests. ATI reported my salinity low. I questioned it, sent an email, got a response back over night (they are in Germany I believe), and we had a great dialog. Turns out they are correct in the number and I was calibrating my Milwaukee seawater refractormeter incorrectly and not using a reference solution.

I'm not going to lie. I bought the Trident because I'm lazy and dislike water testing. The only tests I do are the quick and easy ones. So Hanna ALK and Phosphate. Nyso Nitrate. That is it. About once a month I'll grab some water before the noon test Trident does and compare alk. At that time I'll do phosphates. More or less both are in sync. I've had a few drift issues with the Trident but mostly related to my line placement, clog, and marine pure block messing up my sump.

 

[Ldc3000]

My calcium will continue to rise even when I’m not dosing, then it will drop down to below range, I’ll start dosing and it will skyrocket again. after I change reagent and recalibrate, it will be off sometime by as much as 80.

 

[Huskymaniac]

My calcium will continue to rise even when I’m not dosing, then it will drop down to below range, I’ll start dosing and it will skyrocket again. after I change reagent and recalibrate, it will be off sometime by as much as 80.

Yes, 100%. I doNt even pay attention to it.