Heartbreak hotel

[Pan]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Potassium is one of the last frontiers for me. Tell me about your dosing regimen .. I'm a little hesitant to dose anything without testing. I do have a Potassium test kit (this one) but it is inordinately the most difficult test kit to read. Basically, you're guessing the value based on how opaque the liquid is. I thought comparing colours was a subjective guess, this is worse!! Basically if in the end you're just guessing the overall value you can just guess without spending the cash. However, I think it's more or less the only test kit for K and if you're anything like me, it's just a more comfort zone knowing you can test when you're actively dosing something (because it's generally imperative to know when to stop, IME).

Right now I am cleaning the glass every day. If I don't do it every day, it gets harder to clean with every day that goes by.

I do wonder about the K thing. It's just that I tested it and .. well, I think the end reading was about 400 (top of the scale). So either I guessed wrong, or K isn't really the issue.

Here is another one for you Tony.
http://stonyreef.com/blog/2008/potas...lium-test-kit/

[Delphinus]

That one does sound better, thanks for the heads-up. Haha, now to find one..

[Pan]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

That one does sound better, thanks for the heads-up. Haha, now to find one..

Well oceanaquatics carries the fauna marin ultralith...they should be able to get their test kits as well?

[albert_dao]

Originally Posted by 'Ol Nobodaddy

Well oceanaquatics carries the fauna marin ultralith...they should be able to get their test kits as well?

Fauna Marin test kit is garbage. Everything reads 400 ppm. EVERYTHING.

[Pan]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

Fauna Marin test kit is garbage. Everything reads 400 ppm. EVERYTHING.

Fine be that way!

http://www.thomassci.com/product/26126
or
http://www.clarksonlab.com/vLam.htm

[Delphinus]

My rant with the KZ test kit is that I can't read the results. The instructions say to take the reading from when you can't see the colour strip anymore through the vial, OR when you can only barely see the colour strip. My problem is these are two very different spots. If they were close that would be one thing, but they're not that close. The point where I can't see the colour strip anymore is about 310-320. The point where I can only barely see the colour strip is the darkest point of the strip, ie., top of the scale, which is 400. So which is the reading? 310? or 400? 400 sounds implausible, why would have I have high K when I've never dosed it before. But reading up on zeovit.com it seems that you are supposed to take the reading when you can only barely see the test strip. So that means 400. But reading up on the perils of low K, it sounds like it could be a plausible explanation. So maybe it's 310? But being 310 or 400 is very important to know before I embark upon any kind of dosing.

Sigh. I throw my arms up in the air over this one. The only form of testing that I trust with degree of confidence are titrations or volumetric based test kits. Too bad the chemisty just isn't there for some things. If any point you find yourself saying "I guess this vial matches this colour" or "I guess I can't see the strip anymore through the liquid" - confidence in the value goes right out the window. Or should I say, "I guess" confidence goes out the window. Or I guess it's a window. I guess I can't really be sure. I guess I can't really be sure of anything. I guess.

[digital-audiophile]

Tony,

Did you try to modifiy your zeo dosing regiment as suggested by G.Alexander? I have found with new modified dosing schedule and the addition of a vortech my green film algae/cyano is all but gone again.

[Jason McK]

I agree 100% Tony. I just can't read that test kit. I still try to read it. The crazy thing is your ability to see through the liquid is also determined by ambient light.
Anyway. I did notice huge improvements in coral when using K. But I have stopped because of the inability to test

J