Red Sea Alk test hard to read

[Jon0807]

I've been using Salifert test kits for Alk and Mag but they were reading really low for Reef Crystals so I thought they may have been bad. So I ordered some Red Sea test kits to compare it to. Mag and Cal seem to be matching the Salifert and API test kits, but the Alk is very hard to read. I checked Youtube to see if there were any videos to see when the color change takes place but I noticed that the colors are very different to the test I have. I think Red Sea might have changed how the color changes and is now from blue to green, with yellow being an overdose. But it's very difficult to tell when green starts and ends cause the color is very light. As far as I can tell, Red Sea is testing my alk at 9.64 and Salifert 9.1 (this is after dosing alk for a few days). I don't know which one to believe.

Here's the card that came with the kit


Anyone else have this Red Sea version?

[Xxero]

The Red Sea Alkalinity test does come in 2 different color forms, but I don't know which was first/last. The Alkalinity test that used to be included with the Red Sea Marine Care Kit looks like yours - It starts with blue and drop by drop you take it to green. It will turn to yellow quickly, to indicate an overdose, so go slow drop by drop until you get to green.

When my Alkalinity reagent ran out from the Marine Care Kit, I ordered the Alkalinity refill and it was completely different. The reagent was red and you were supposed to bring it down to purple. This is the version that I couldn't stand. I never saw a color change to purple, and the original conversion card was no longer compatible with the refill kit.

This is what lead me to purchase the digital Alkalinity Hanna Checker. LOVE it!

HTH

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Jon0807

Red Sea is testing my alk at 9.64 and Salifert 9.1 (this is after dosing alk for a few days). I don't know which one to believe.

Both are fine and in the acceptable range so don't fret.. Call it 9.3 and have a nice day..

I had red sea (another Hanna checker user now and loving it)..but my red sea wasn't the blue/green/yellow like yours..

[Jon0807]

The problem with this version is that the color is so light it's very hard to distinguish when it's absolute green. At first it'll look bluish green, then it'll look yellowish green. It's never a real green. I think I'll have to invest in a Hanna checker eventually. I'm trying to see exactly how much my tank uses so I can figure out how much I need to dose, if I need to at all.

[tjm9331]

I have this test just not with syringe, I go drop by drop and wait for it to turn from blue to bluish green/green I take that count, for example let’s say it takes 9 drops to get to bluish green, I’ll add one more drop and that usually pushes the color to yellow so what I’ll do is call it 9.5 and call it a day.

These tests aren’t designed to measure down to the tenth decibel so they aren’t super accurate but they get you pretty close and that’s all I need. Corals have been happy so I’ll stick with this method


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[homer1475]

And this is why I switched to Salifert, then to Hanna. The Hanna ALK kit is a breeze to use and gives me a number.

[RobSpeed13]

yeah i have the same kit as well. i literally keep a white light pointed at it as i test as the green is so faint. After my baby girl is born here in a few weeks i plan on purchasing the Hanna Alk test.

[Papermonkeys]

The whole RedSea test kit really isn't colorblind friendly. I usually have to have my GF help me out with color detecting. I think I'm gonna slowly start acquiring hanas haha

[RobSpeed13]

I've always tested alk, ca, and mag. recently i started dosing because im reducing my wc schedule. One thing i noticed right off the bat is when testing Alk the solution color is way more noticeable. using Redsea alk to dose with and read it is super concentrated. Even when i used to use Kalk in my ATO the readings weren't as clear as to when using Redsea alk. So for some reason i feel like using both redsea to dose and test with they go hand and hand making the color much clearer to read.

[ktownhero]

Originally Posted by Jon0807

The problem with this version is that the color is so light it's very hard to distinguish when it's absolute green. At first it'll look bluish green, then it'll look yellowish green. It's never a real green. I think I'll have to invest in a Hanna checker eventually. I'm trying to see exactly how much my tank uses so I can figure out how much I need to dose, if I need to at all.

It's actually far easier to read than the old reddish orange color. The switch to green is very brief before it goes to yellow. Mark down when you see it change and then add a couple more drops until it turns yellow. Then you know your correct reading was a drop or two before yellow. You really can't be off by more than 2 - 3 drops on the new test, so it's pretty good. The old test had an infinite opportunity for screwing up the reading since there was never a "you went too far" point.