LaMotte Test help

i just got the calcium and alk test kits from LaMotte. in the instructions the Calcium test mentions tha there is 3 sections in the plunger tip and to add 4 for each one totally 12 and then add that to the reading. I noticed that on the Alk test it does not mention adding anything for the remaing solution in the tip? is this because you dont or did they forget to print it?

does this question make sense?

 

ok how about this question.. how do i lower my ALK levels? by lowering PH? or salinity?

 

I don't have that test kit so I am no help there, but check out the link Nautilus put on the 'Got Kalk?' thread on this board for alk/calcium relationships.

I think Craig has that test kit. [smiley=idea2.gif]

 

[quote author=new2salt2 link=board=Water;num=1078309965;start=0#0 date=03/03/04 at 02:32:45]i just got the calcium and alk test kits from LaMotte.  in the instructions the Calcium test mentions tha there is 3 sections in the plunger tip and to add 4 for each one totally 12 and then add that to the reading.  I noticed that on the Alk test it does not mention adding anything for the remaing solution in the tip?  is this because you dont or did they forget to print it?

does this question make sense?[/quote]

Here are some instructions I found on the web. Are these the same as yours?
The test procedures for Calcium Hardness using the LaMotte test kit are:

Use the 0.5 mL pipet to transfer 1.0 mL of the salt water to be tested to the titration tube.
Dilute to 12.9 mL line with distilled water.
Add 6 drops of Sodium Hydroxide Reagent. Cap and mix.
Add one Calcium Hardness Indicator tablet. Cap and gently shake until tablet disintegrates. Solution will turn red.
Fill the Direct Titrator with Hardness Reagent. Insert into the center hole of the titration tube cap.
While gently swirling the tube, slowly deprss the plunger to titrate the sample until the red color changes to purple then to blue. Read the test result where the plunger tip meets the scale. Multiply by 5.16.
Record as ppm calcium as Ca++.
Note: Disregard any color change back to purple after five seconds.

 

     
(1)Direct Reading Titrator (2) Dropper Pipet (3)Dropper Bottle  

(1)The Direct Reading Titrator is a 1.0 mL microburet calibrated to allow direct reading of the test result. Each Titrator has a specific range, but may be refilled to test higher concentrations.
(2) The drop count test uses a pipet to provide fast, precise measurements in the field. The number of drops used before the color change is multiplied by a given number to produce the test result.
(3) The dropper bottle test uses bottle tips which deliver a consistent standard drop size to add titrant to the sample. As with the drop count test, the number of drops used to complete the reaction is multiplied by a given equivalence factor to determine the concentration.

Kits use titrations with standard acid to the phenolphthalein (P) and/or total (T) alkalinity endpoint. Where hydroxyl (OH) alkalinity is determined directly, the sample is pretreated with barium to precipitate carbonates. All results are expressed as CaCO3.

 

Calcium and Alk correction by Randy Holmes Farley. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/nov2002/chem.htm

 

Hello? are these tests the ones you are talking about?