Salifert Organics Test Kit

[Johnny Reefer]

Not really a review, but a question. Wondering if anyone else has used one and could offer an answer/opinion.

I just got one of these yesterday and using it for the first time today. It comes with two vials. No colour chart.

The instructions say to put 4ml tankwater in each vial and set one on the left, the other on the right.
- Add 3 drops reagent #1 to the right vial, swirl 5 sec, let sit at least 15 minutes.
- After 15 min...add 1 drop reagent #2 to right vial, swirl 10 sec, wait another 20 sec.
- Then hold both vials against white background.
- Continue adding reagent #2 (I'm assuming to the right vial) until a faint yellow appears, swirling 10 sec after each drop.

The number of the drops is the indicator of the water quality. The more drops, the worse it is. BTW, the scale they provide is pretty short:
1 drop - "very low pollution".
2 drops - "might become problematic".
3 drops - "the more drops, the worse the water quality".

Question is...what is the relevance of the left vial? Just an aid to compare colouration in the right vial? (I suppose it's so obvious I'm missing it).

(BTW, when they say faint yellow, they mean it. At 10 drops I think I saw a faint yellow. Ya...10 drops. I guess I have bad water quality ).

Thanx much for any answers/opinions,