Test kits

Hello,

I see there are all sorts of test kits available for checking ammonia,
nitrite, nitrate, etc levels in the tank. They are also quite pricey.
Does anyone know the actually chemicals required for the various tests - For
example to do a titration / calculation or simply a colour check as per the
kits?

Thanx
Miguel

"Miguel" wrote in message
...
Hello,

I see there are all sorts of test kits available for checking ammonia,
nitrite, nitrate, etc levels in the tank. They are also quite pricey.
Does anyone know the actually chemicals required for the various tests -
For
example to do a titration / calculation or simply a colour check as per
the
kits?

Thanx
Miguel



Sounds like a good one for Boomer. =)

~Mort

Miguel wrote:
Hello,

I see there are all sorts of test kits available for checking ammonia,
nitrite, nitrate, etc levels in the tank. They are also quite pricey.
Does anyone know the actually chemicals required for the various tests - For
example to do a titration / calculation or simply a colour check as per the
kits?

Thanx
Miguel



You can find standard titration procedures for all kind of things. (EPA
testing procedures, for instance, check you local university chemistry
library.) The biggest problem is that salt water is a very complicated
system. There are many species that can interfere with your measurements
if you are not careful. This is why the test kits are expensive. Lots of
work goes into the design, and some kits have a large combination of
chemicals designed to remove or alter important interferent species.
Basically it isn't worth the hassle. Talk to Habib on reefcentral if you
are serious about this. He will explain the problems. (He probably won't
tell you how to solve them though, as he makes his living selling test
kits.)

-mat