[bartoli]

A key to speeding up the reaction time is reducing the air space in the bottle. For example, you can use the sun cure resin to fill up much of the bottle.

The less air in the bottle, the faster it is for the water CO2 to reach the 4 dK solution.

 

[Fat Guy]

A key to speeding up the reaction time is reducing the air space in the bottle. For example, you can use the sun cure resin to fill up much of the bottle.

The less air in the bottle, the faster it is for the water CO2 to reach the 4 dK solution.

that makes perfect sense. It's not perfect yet, but as it is, it does the trick. Thanks for the replies. Best,

el g

 

[Fat Guy]

I've had a lot of free time the past couple of days. And with the rain in NYC, I've been spending a lot of time working on the aquarium. I wasn't happy with the drop checker chamber so I decided to make it bigger, without making it over complicated. It was taking way too long to get readings with the drop checker and I felt like it was because the gas wasn't traveling very rapidly into the chamber with the reagent. So I removed the cap, and took half inch airline tubing, cut it to size, and fit it through the opening in the glass vial, filled the container with approximately 3ml dKH4/4.5 H2O, added 6 drops pH reagent, tested the seal, and placed it in the aquarium. It went a little something like this.

,

,

,

,

,

 

[Fat Guy]

Success in just under 3 hours!!

The new modification works like a charm:

,

,

 

[virgo888]

good idea though. i got lazy and bought one - works great after i made my 4dkh solution.

 

[Fat Guy]

good idea though. i got lazy and bought one - works great after i made my 4dkh solution.

thanks. this drop checker works like a charm. if yours breaks...try this modification on for size.

best,

el g

 

[dzsenci]

hi
im new and imi thinking
i got KH tester
if i test my wather and then i put ph reagent from the ph tester , is that liquid good 4 the drop checker ?

 

[dzsenci]

how offen u need to change the solution from the drop checker?

 

[dzsenci]

no one changes the solution from the diy drop checker ?

i have 1 more problem
we use 4 dKH water , and i use 10 drops of PH reagent on 2 ml dKH water , and it's still not blue ,is a dark green .
why is that ?
what we do wrong ?

 

[pat w]

Are you using tank water, or a prepared 4dkh solution?

If tank water, stop the practice and get or make a reference solution. Tank water will give you unreliable results. The 4dkh in a drop checker must be exclusivly from carbonate, nothing else.

If you are already using a prepared solution and it was homemade (baking soda and distilled water) you may have had some moisture in the baking soda (it can hold a lot). You need to bake it in an oven (325 F for an hour or so) then weigh it out for the solution. I made this mistake and got basically the same type of results you described, a greenish blue instead of blue when I added the PH reagent. It will cause you to misread the CO2 in your tank, thinking it is high enough when it's really too low. My result ... algae bloom.

Pat

 

[dzsenci]

hi
i am using a prepared 4 dkh water
the water was made in a lab from baking soda an distilled water
i use 2 ml of 4 dkh water and 10 drops of sera ph reagent and it turns green not blue
i see on youtube some 1 use 4 drops of ph reagent and turn blue
it can bee the moisture ?
i will tell 2 mi friend 2 redo the 4 dkh water
not even now after 2 days of using it diden't change 2 much the color

i test my water and i have 6 ph , but the drop checker is almost green and the test shows me almost yellow . if i am not wrong it has 2 be both the same color . i am right ?
that meens that the solution from the drop checker is not good?

 

[pat w]

dzsenci,

The solution in the drop checker and the tank water are independant of each other. The two should test differently.

I'm starting to think you may have some misconceptions about how a drop checker works. Add to that the fact that all information reguarding them is in English. Sorry, but I can't help there but, I can offer what is concidered by many a very good post on the subject. Read it over and then get back with any questions you may still have.

http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/2818-Drop-Checkers-CO2-Indicators-Why-and-How?highlight=drop+checker

Pat

 

[dzsenci]

i know that the solution and the tank water are independent
i read a lot about the co 2 checker before i start to use one , but i that is better to ask because some of my friends told me that is possible to use the solution from the drop checker too test the water ph .
my drop checker works , because it change the color to yellow green (that to much of co2 , i know that , i am traing to reduce that )
mi problem is that my water that i use is only 3 Kh strong , and i need to raise a little bit the ph because it's to low ( 6 ) .
that why i wondering of good working about the drop checker because watching the ph/kh/co2 table it's not good

 

[pat w]

Bottom line on drop checkers with 4dkh solution and standard PH reagent is that they turn blue initially and change to green or on to yellow acording to the CO2 content of the tank water. If your DC is already showing some shade of green initially then either the solution is not at 4dkh or your reagent is old or off in some way. Bromothymol blue added to the DC should indicate a PH of near 7.6, blue on the chart. 1 full point of PH down to 6.6 will take it to green. If you can't trace the discrepancy perhaps you can try to determine what PH your initial test indicates and what 1 full point of PH drop should show in terms of a color change.

Pat

 

[gh0ul]

The sera ph Reagent does not use Bromothymol blue. THis is why it turns green.

IT WILL NOT WORK LIKE OTHER pH REAGENT

 

[HeyPK]

The sera ph Reagent does not use Bromothymol blue. THis is why it turns green.

Bromthymol blue changes from blue at pH 7.4 through green at around pH 6.6 to yellow at pH 6.

 

[zhanghanbing]

pics not showing

 

[HeyPK]

What pictures are you talking about? What posts?