Red Sea Testing

[fishlips]

I believe I been testing incorrectly. When using the syringe to measure the amount of water to be tested, for example, 10ml. When pushing black plunger to 10 ml, there is two rings around the plunger. If you set to first ring, you will have more then 10ml. If you stop at the second ring, You have exactly 10ml. Its a good bit of a difference of amount of water.
I used a two different measure beakers. Am I looking at this wrong.

 

[xilez]

I havn't had issues with that plunger, but the syringes are so inconsistent. I get different amounts everytime I suck up the regent no matter how fast or slow I go.

 

[fishlips]

The big syringe is misleading. If you put it at 10ml, and pump it into a medicine container. Its more then 10ml.

 

[frag freak]

My wife is a critical care RN. When you test, pull the liquid into the syringe. Use the closest "sealing" ring of the syringe to the tip for the measurement. If the syringe has a tip or needle on it.... drag the plunger out until air is in the needle to see how much liquid is in the syringe itself. The measurements on the syringe body DO NOT account for a tio, needle, tube.


this is the way I figured it worked but after your thread I had to ask to make sure lol.


Testing point us only from the tip of the syringe- to the closest "sealing" ring on the plunger.

 

[frag freak]

I have no idea why this post got so screwed up but I have noticed this forum has been terrible when ping on mobile compared to yrs ago.


If you need a detailed video I Will be happy to make one for you.

 

[fishlips]

Someone needs to let the manufacturer of red sea test kits, that there syrings are not accurate. If you want try for your self. Take the syringe, pull out what you think 10ml is, shoot in a medicine cup that measures ml.

 

[mkowalchuk]

Fishlips;1101192 wrote: Someone needs to let the manufacturer of red sea test kits, that there syrings are not accurate. If you want try for your self. Take the syringe, pull out what you think 10ml is, shoot in a medicine cup that measures ml.

Yes, but that has no bearing on the test, at all.
The syringe could hold 1,000 ml, or 10,000, it doesn't matter, as long as you don't go over 10 ml displacement.
All that matters is that you measure the displacement from the start point to the end point.
And the two rings, again, it doesn't matter, as long as you use the same ring for the whole test.

 

[urbanknight]

Reading the instructions for the Red Sea kit, it tells you "Note for filling the 1ml titration syringe:
Raise the plunger of the syringe until the bottom ring of the plunger (see arrow in
diagram) is at the 1.0 ml mark. The surface of the liquid will be approximately 0.1 – 0.15
ml below the plunger.
Do not try to remove the air trapped between the liquid and the plunger. This small
volume of air corresponds to the liquid held inside the plastic tip." I used the same method in filling the 10 ML syringe and it worked with no problem.

 

[fishlips]

Urbanknight;1101203 wrote: Reading the instructions for the Red Sea kit, it tells you "Note for filling the 1ml titration syringe:
Raise the plunger of the syringe until the bottom ring of the plunger (see arrow in
diagram) is at the 1.0 ml mark. The surface of the liquid will be approximately 0.1 – 0.15
ml below the plunger.
Do not try to remove the air trapped between the liquid and the plunger. This small
volume of air corresponds to the liquid held inside the plastic tip." I used the same method in filling the 10 ML syringe and it worked with no problem.

Thanks, I did know about that syringe. I'm referring to the bigger one. If you measure the 5 ml or the 10 ml, its not coming out what you think. Try it, look at my pic, and copy , put fluid in a measuring device (medicine cup).And you will not have the amount that it reads.If you look at the black plunger in pic,it set to the first ring.If you go to the second ring,you get the exact amount.

 

[fishlips]

mkowalchuk;1101202 wrote: Yes, but that has no bearing on the test, at all.
The syringe could hold 1,000 ml, or 10,000, it doesn't matter, as long as you don't go over 10 ml displacement.
All that matters is that you measure the displacement from the start point to the end point.
And the two rings, again, it doesn't matter, as long as you use the same ring for the whole test.

Thanks, For some reason, the instructions says exact amount.
I'm going to start testing with the exact amount that it calls for.I will check and see if I get a different reading.

 

[fishlips]

After doing some research, This is what I found. The tip was where the extra volume was coming from. It does make a difference. That was a helpful video.

 

[Adam]

I use a 10ml syringe that came with a RS kit and use it to fill Hanna vials. When I fill the syringe to the 10ml mark it will fill the vial to the line perfectly with the bottom of the meniscus right on the line.

 

[fishlips]

The one that came with my RS kit, If you just put syringe in water pull up to ten ml stopping correctly, you will still have some extra water in tip. I also used two different measuring device. But after looking at the pic and video I know how to get the correct amount. Im sure there are thousands of reefers who don't worry about .4 ml extra.

 

[Adam]

I would think it's more like .04 extra if you purge the tip when taking a sample.
I'll check it again tonight.

 

[fishlips]

Its looks like alot in a small beaker. Now that I know how to correctly use the syringe, l can be as accurate as I can
Reason I'm being so exact, My tank is slap full of sps, my frag tank aswell. Its tapped into the DT. I am using a doser. Going through gallons of Cal/Alk
And yes, your right on the. 04

 

[Adam]

To be the most accurate, try using a tip on the 10ml syringe. Then use it the same way as you would when filling a 1ml reagent syringe. This will pull more air in the beginning which will then purge most if not all, of the water when you push the plunger down all the way.

Volume is Volume and when you are hitting the mark right on the syringe you should have 10ml every time.

Also regarding syringes. I was having a hard time reading some of the 1ml syringes that came in some of the different kits I have. So I bought a box of these.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XZ96DOA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XZ96DOA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1</a>
Very easy to read and I've swapped them in for all of my tests.
If you're having a hard time with the 10ml ones you've got from RS maybe try these.
[IMG]https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZJ2GGS/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_4_r">https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009ZJ2GGS/ref=s9_acsd_hps_bw_c_x_4_r</a>

 

[Adam]

I can confirm, after checking this several times, that the RS syringe pulls 10ml every time if done right. How I measure is to start with a completely empty syringe, including the tip. Without clearing the tip pull the sample slowly above the 10ml mark. Then push the plunger down till the bottom outer edge of the plunger touches the top of the 10ml mark, no light can be seen between the plunger and the line (There will be some bubbles in there). When I empty the syringe into a Hanna vial the meniscus hits the line on the vial perfectly.

 

[fishlips]

anit77;1101695 wrote: I can confirm, after checking this several times, that the RS syringe pulls 10ml every time if done right. How I measure is to start with a completely empty syringe, including the tip. Without clearing the tip pull the sample slowly above the 10ml mark. Then push the plunger down till the bottom outer edge of the plunger touches the top of the 10ml mark, no light can be seen between the plunger and the line (There will be some bubbles in there). When I empty the syringe into a Hanna vial the meniscus hits the line on the vial perfectly.

I agree, When done write. Thats why I posted that site that shows where to measure from. If you add whats in the the tip, its not 10ml. For some, they don't know.