Tis the Season (bad testing)

[jeep9783]

I have been battling a low alk problem for the past two weeks i have done about 70-80 gals of water changes to correct and my alk would never go higher than 6...(using api test) so last week i ordered an elos alk test...havent done a water change since wedenesday tested thursday still 6 on alk...got my elos test in sat...checked the alk today wow 11alk...I would check your test kits may save you some salt...elos is obviously better than api but is there away to check the elos test kit

chris

 

[stickx911]

If it were me, I would take it to einsteins and have him chris check it. I'm sure he wouldn't mind running one test just to match up (I know he charges 10 for a full elos panel but you may PM to check).

I'd take it there because he's the only one who really sells elos (that I know of) and because he tests with it regularly, you may eliminate any possible user error (if there is any).

 

[bobz]

be careful with interpreting the results. I think the ELOS kits are 2 drops per degree of alk. So 11 drops would be 5.5 reading, very close to the API reading. I know the directions on the kits were wrong at one point, they may have corrected it by now. I had the same type results the first time I used ELOS until I went back a read the fine print.

 

[ralph atl]

True, that's when they changed to .5 point incriments. Make sure u know which kit that u have. Api & elos should be close on alk. (a few other kits like nitrates, phosphate, etc would not be the same).

 

[jeep9783]

well when i read it, it was 1 drop per dkh at 5ml of water...are yall sure that wasn't for testing 10ml of water b/c there is a 5ml mark and 10ml mark

 

[drnecropolis]

Kinda the same thing happened to me..I kept checking my CA and it wouldnt get over 300 with the IO Reefmaster kit.. Bought a salifert and it was 500+...