Salifert KH testing newbie question...

20 20 · 02/28/2006, 06:35 PM

I had been using a Nutrafin (Hagen) test kit for my KH readings, and have been hovering around 9 to 9.5 dKH. Ran out of the Nutrafin reagent, so I splurged today and bought the Salifert KH test. Just tested, and wasn't quite sure how to take the reading. (I TOLD ya it was a newbie question

) I filled the vial with 5 ml of tank water, put in 2 drops of the KH-Ind, and then proceeded to add the small drops of the KH reagent with the small syringe, waiting for the color to change. After a while, I noticed as a drop went in the tank water, the color would flash to the orange/pink color, but quickly revert back to the blue/green color. I assumed that the test wasn't done, and continued adding the reagent until the color in the vial changed to the orange/pink color and stayed that way. So, I then read the chart, and it said my dKH was 12.0!

So, my first question is, when 'stopping' the KH test, do I wait until the tank water in the vial changes color and stays changed, or do I stop the test when I first notice the color changing, even though it goes back to the blue/green color.

Second, if the answer to the first question is wait until the water changes and stays changed, why the difference between the Nutrafin test (9.0 dKH) and the Salifert test (12.0 dKH)? The Nutrafin test is fairly new, and has an expiratiion date of 7/21/2008.

Any opinions/instructions/heckling would be greatly appreciated!

20 20 · 02/28/2006, 06:42 PM

OK, well, I found my first mistake. Was only supposed to put 4 ml of tank water in the vial, not 5 ml. (Newbie, I TOLD ya

)

So, using 4 ml of tank water, I get a reading of 9.9 dKH when the color changes and stays changed. So, I'm again assuming that that is when the test 'stops', because that is much more in line with the Nutrafin test. Can someone/anyone confirm?

BLOODMAN · 02/28/2006, 07:21 PM

Yes, the endpoint is when the color stays the clear pink color. Very important to add the reagent one drop at a time, mix a few seconds and wait a few seconds.

20 20 · 02/28/2006, 08:48 PM

That's what I thought, thanks, just looking for confirmation, especially after my bogus first test confused the heck out of me!

02/28/2006, 06:35 PM	#1
20 20 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 1,246	Salifert KH testing newbie question... I had been using a Nutrafin (Hagen) test kit for my KH readings, and have been hovering around 9 to 9.5 dKH. Ran out of the Nutrafin reagent, so I splurged today and bought the Salifert KH test. Just tested, and wasn't quite sure how to take the reading. (I TOLD ya it was a newbie question ) I filled the vial with 5 ml of tank water, put in 2 drops of the KH-Ind, and then proceeded to add the small drops of the KH reagent with the small syringe, waiting for the color to change. After a while, I noticed as a drop went in the tank water, the color would flash to the orange/pink color, but quickly revert back to the blue/green color. I assumed that the test wasn't done, and continued adding the reagent until the color in the vial changed to the orange/pink color and stayed that way. So, I then read the chart, and it said my dKH was 12.0! So, my first question is, when 'stopping' the KH test, do I wait until the tank water in the vial changes color and stays changed, or do I stop the test when I first notice the color changing, even though it goes back to the blue/green color. Second, if the answer to the first question is wait until the water changes and stays changed, why the difference between the Nutrafin test (9.0 dKH) and the Salifert test (12.0 dKH)? The Nutrafin test is fairly new, and has an expiratiion date of 7/21/2008. Any opinions/instructions/heckling would be greatly appreciated!

02/28/2006, 07:21 PM	#3
BLOODMAN Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Magnolia, NJ Posts: 175	Yes, the endpoint is when the color stays the clear pink color. Very important to add the reagent one drop at a time, mix a few seconds and wait a few seconds. __________________ Startin' all over really stinks Current Tank Info: 180 in progress.

02/28/2006, 06:42 PM	#2
20 20 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 1,246	OK, well, I found my first mistake. Was only supposed to put 4 ml of tank water in the vial, not 5 ml. (Newbie, I TOLD ya ) So, using 4 ml of tank water, I get a reading of 9.9 dKH when the color changes and stays changed. So, I'm again assuming that that is when the test 'stops', because that is much more in line with the Nutrafin test. Can someone/anyone confirm?

02/28/2006, 08:48 PM	#4
20 20 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Stewartstown, PA Posts: 1,246	That's what I thought, thanks, just looking for confirmation, especially after my bogus first test confused the heck out of me!