Reef Aquarium Test Kits: Seachem Reef Status Magnesium & Carbonate/Borate Alkalinity Test Kit

*	Accurate magnesium test kit designed for reef aquariums
*	Measures magnesium AND alkalinity levels in reef aquariums
*	Assess aquarium alkalinity content to ensure proper coral growth

The answer to measuring magnesium and alkalinity in the reef aquarium. Versatile test kit measures magnesium, carbonate alkalinity, borate alkalinity, and total alkalinity. Reef Status Magnesium & Carbonate/Borate Test Kit resolves borate from carbonate to present a clear picture of the aquarium's buffering capacity. Provides a very reliable determination of the critical carbonate content required for coral and coralline algae growth. Each kit can perform 75 determinations for each test.

Accuracy:
Magnesium Tests: Titration-based procedure in increments of 12.5 mg/L. Carbonate Alkalinity, Borate Alkalinity, and Total Alkalinity Test: 0.1 meq/L resolution through a titration-based procedure.

Please click on "More Information" for directions for use.

Instructions
RO water may not be sufficiently pure, de-ionized (or distilled) water must be used.

Place the fiber in the filtration funnel and push the fiber all the way to the bottom of the funnel neck with the provided rod; pack into a very firm pad. Place the neck of the funnel into the collection vial.
Fill the sample cup to the top with sample. Pour this into the precipitation vial. Add 2 drops of Magnesium #1. Cap firmly. Invert twice to mix. Let sit one minute.
Pour contents of the precipitation vial from Step 2 into the filtration funnel. Collect filtrate until it reaches the green line on the collection vial. The top of the water will be concave. The bottom of the concave curve should be level with the green line. Filtrate should be clear and filtration should be complete within 2-3 minutes.
To the collected filtrate in the collection vial, add two drops of Magnesium #2. Mix gently by shaking.
Fill the syringe with Magnesium Titrant to the 1 cc level. Titrate with the syringe (i.e. dispense titrant solution to the contents of the collection vial) until color turns from pink/magenta to blue. Gently shake the collection vial after each drop. Color will turn purple just before changing to blue. At this point, only one or two more drops are usually required. Read the volume of titrant used from the cc graduation.

In reading graduations from the cc scale, note that the scale runs in reverse of dispensing, so that 0.9 = 125 ppm; 0.8 = 250 ppm; 0.7 = 375 ppm; 0.6 = 500 ppm; 0.5 = 625 ppm; 0.4 = 750 ppm; 0.3 = 875 ppm; 0.2 = 1000 ppm; 0.1 = 1125 ppm; 0.0 = 1250 ppm. Each line (0.01 mL) in between these graduations equals 12.5 ppm. If magnesium exceeds 1250 ppm (mg/L), it will be necessary to refill syringe and continue; add the volumes used from both syringe fills to get the total amount of titrant used.

Reference Test
The proper performance of this kit may be validated by running a test in the normal manner except that the reference sample is used in place of an aquarium sample. It is not necessary to run a reference test to use this kit. The only time you might choose to run a reference test is if you have cause to believe the test is giving incorrect results. If you run a test using the reference sample and obtain the correct result (based on the known reference value provided), then you know the test is giving correct results. To run a reference test use the Magnesium Reference as the sample. Reference value is listed on the container label.

Interpretation
This kit is capable of at least 75 tests for magnesium. It is designed specifically for seawater. The test is based on titration of magnesium with EDTA in the presence of a magnesium specific indicator dye after the co-precipitation of calcium and strontium.

Natural seawater concentration for magnesium is approximately 1,300 mg/L. The magnesium concentration in kalkwasser treated aquaria may be as low as 600 - 700 mg/L. In general, it is prudent to maintain magnesium concentrations in reef aquaria between 1,200-1,400 mg/L.

This kit may be used as an emergency or confirmative calcium procedure. To do so, measure magnesium according to instructions. Then, repeat the procedure, skipping Steps 1 through 3. Pour some untreated sample into the collection vial to the green line and proceed directly to Step 4. Results will reflect the total of magnesium and calcium. Subtract magnesium value from the total value to arrive at an approximation of calcium concentration. The increased use of reagents, however, will decrease the number of magnesium tests possible with this kit.

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Seachem Reef Status Magnesium, Carbonate Borate Test Kit