FM Kallium (Potassium) Test Kit review

[KeithM]

I'ved posted this on another board but thought it would be useful for people here to see. I have had the opportunity to review the new FM Kallium Test Kit before its release. These kits should be available at the end of the month after Glee.

The Kit:
http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186052743.jpg

Contents:

2x 250ml Distilled water
2 x tall glass tubes
2 x short glass tubes
1 x reagent 25ml
1 x reference solution 25ml
1x 10ml blue syringe with 6mm silicone tube
1 x green 1ml syringe
1x white 1ml syringe
1x instruction manual
1 x Orange reference card
Reference card:
http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247254.jpg

The FM Kalium test is a turbidimetric. I don’t know the science behind how it works but the kit essentially requires you to compare the turbidity of two samples to determine your potassium level – one is the reference sample and one is your tank water sample.

The FM Kalium test kit recommends that practice using this kit a few time with the reference solution (instead of aquarium water) to gain experience using the kit and to get a feel of how to compare the solutions against the reference card.

Heres an example of how to use the test with aquarium water:

Step 1

Take the blue 10ml syringe, pull the blue silicone tube onto the syringe

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247398.jpg

Using the blue syringe with the silicone take exactly 7ml distilled water from one of the 250ml distilled water bottles. There will be some air in the tube but this does not affect the readings. The instructions also come with a useful hints and tips section which illustrates how to use the syringes properly.

Step 2 & 3

Fill BOTH small glass tubes with 7ml distilled water

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247266.jpg

Step 4

Use the green syringe and take 1ml of the reference solution and put that into one of the small glass tubes.

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247283.jpg

Step 5

Again, using the green syringe, take 1ml of aquarium water and add that to the OTHER small glass tube.

Step 6

Shake the dropper bottle and add 8 drops of reagent into each of the small glass tubes

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247275.jpg

Step 7

Swirl the glass tubes carefully to ensure that the reagents and water are well mixed (the instructions suggest using the cap but I do not think its necessary!) – both solutions should become cloudy.

Step 8

Wait for three minutes for the solutions in the tubes to react fully

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247292.jpg

Aquarium water on the left, reference solution on the right

Step 9. (now this is where it gets a little more complicated!)

Using the WHITE 1ml syringe take 3ml (i.e. take 1ml each time…and do this three times!) from the small tube that contains the reference solution and carefully transfer this to one of the tall glass tubes (we shall now call this the REF tube).

Step 10.

Now put the tall REF tube on to the reference card. The REF tube now becomes the reference point. The REF tube contains the reference solution so we know it has 400ppm potassium – therefore, at 3ml…with 400ppm potassium...the turbidity should look like this:

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247304.jpg

As you can see, the ‘X’ is barely visible

Step 11.

Now, we put the REF tube to one side, and take the other tall glass tube, we will now call this other tube TANK.

The idea now is to take the cloudy water from the small glass which contains the water from our aquarium. We then add this slowly to the TANK tube until we have the same visual turbidity as the REF tube – This is essentially the test bit!!

So, first take 1ml from the small glass aquarium water tube, and slowly add this to the TANK tube – each time you add a drop, compare this to the REF tube (you will need to alternate the tubes over the orange X to campare!).

Example – this is what the TANK tube looked like after 2ml of solution was put into it from the small glass aquarium water tube:

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247315.jpg

Its cloudy, but its not quite the same as the REF tube yet

After 2.45ml:

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247327.jpg

…Nearly there, but not quite there yet!

After 3ml:

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247345.jpg

CLOSE! But not quite there – you can see the tube on the right (REF) is slightly cloudier… heres a closer photo

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247356.jpg

After 3.1ml

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247372.jpg

Bingo! That seems about right

Now I check my potassium level with the graph they provided:

http://www.reefpark.net/forums/uploads/monthly_08_2007/post-742-1186247386.jpg

380ppm…That’s not too bad at all!

That’s all there is to the kit. Potassium kits are notoriously difficult to make/use but I think FM have come up with a great kit. Comparing the turbidity of two solutions is easier than comparing various shades on a chart. This kit is not really a quick and easy kit to use but if you take your time and do things carefully its potentially very accurate. You just need a good pair of eyes and a steady hand ;)

[aquadorge]

Is the potassium figure something that is of consequence to the average reefer, or is it more important to the ULNS system?? If so why, please?? :D

[zimreef]

Thanks for taking the time to post this Keith - should be very useful (if we can get hold of the test kit).

John

[KeithM]

aquadorge, Potassium deficiencies can cause coral colours to dull and growth rates to decrease. Continued deficiencies can cause tissue loss...Montiporas, Stylophoras, Pocilloporas & Seriatoporas are affected most...

Potassium deficiencies don't often show up until nutrient levels have reached those ultra low levels and usually only occurs in systems that have boosted bacteria growth...

As for the average reefer...well if you start seeing the symptoms and you can't explain by any of the usual tests then Potassium is something worth thinking about. There is also no harm in maintaining NSW levels of Potassium (providing your testing and dosing is accurate).

FWIW, IME, once you have reached the target range for Potassium you can maintain it with a decent Salt. It seems to depleat very slowly...

I have been informed that this kit (along with a few other new FM products) will be released after Glee Sept 2007

[aquadorge]

Thanks for the info, Keith - something else to bear in mind... :D

[jobr]

Keith, superb write up;)

[muzzy]

excellent job

[muzzy]

just want to revive this thread as i received my FM kalium test kit today and am just about to use it but thought id read this again.
cheers

[SCOOB]

never seen this thread before, nice work Keith!!!

[Kev s]

Looks pretty hard to actually see the difference between the colours!

Kev

[muzzy]

i found it quite easy in the end. i measured up at 380ppm as well :)

thats assuming the reference solution is correct?!

habib suggested that a sea water reference solution will be unstable after a short period, thats why the salifert reference solution for their dkh test kits is not a sea water solution, i dunno what it is, but thats what he said.

Now, the FM reference solution IS a sea water solution from what i have gathered, so we have to assume that the potassium level is stable and correct as thats what we are measuring the level in our tank against and not a colour key as with most test kits

oh well, no point worrying.. or is there?! :D

[muzzy]

Looks pretty hard to actually see the difference between the colours!

Kev

you arent comparing colours, you are looking at the cross underneath with the reference solution and your tank water and comparing the difference in opacity until they are alike

[~Tony~]

Excellent write-up Keith.
The comparative method does look easier to use.

[C. Schuhmacher]

HI

The reference solution is stable. this is one reason why it is maybe more expensive then other tests but we checked every batch.

The reason why we choose a saltwater base for the reference is that we make our measurements in saltwater not in freshwater
This can be a big difference for every test cause the chlorids level disturb the measurements

Greet claude

[muzzy]

ok thanks claude

by the way

what do you use to check your reference solutions?!

[C. Schuhmacher]

I use some guys from the University of Karlsruhe and their lovely machines ;-)

[Lost Boys]

Nice looking product, whats the cost likely to be?

[KeithM]

Glad you all finally found my thead!

I got my gf to do the test just now (remember its 1am on Saturday morning and we've just got home from town) and she still managed to do it without any probs! This was her first time using the kit and had no help from me. She doesn't come from any sciencey background but has done the odd dKH/Ca/Mg test for me (..oh and cleaned the skimmer cup).

Her comments, from a non reef perspective was that the kit is fiddley and require you to concentrate but it's not that difficult to use. She said that if she had practiced a couple more times then it would be pretty straight forward to use... reading between the lines...I think she wants to do all my tests :D :D

[nanonano]

Great thread keith, thanks for your time and effort on this.
Will be trying to get my hands on a kit asap, i hear they are in short supply at the moment.

Regards
paul

[muzzy]

Nice looking product, whats the cost likely to be?

i paid £30

im doing them through my testing site at £3 a go if anyone's interested

[nanonano]

Eventually got my hands on a FM potassium test kit so thought i would post my observations.

At £30 it isn't a cheap kit by any stretch of the imagination. Overall the kit is fairly straight forward and easy to use however considering the price there are a couple of things that i thought could have been done to enhance the product.
1) using a piece of plastic tubing attached to a syringe to draw up the supplied water gave the impression of cheapness and i am sure it would have been fairly simple and cost effective to find a more suitable attachment for the syringe.
2) Not supplying a plastic cap for each of the four glass vials is also a little on the cheap side, especially as the directions call for the solutions to be shaken and using the same cap will cause cross contamination even if minute.
3) The test card with the circle and cross would have given a more professional feel if it had been laminated (after all we are dealing with fluids and accidents do happen)
4) The test relies on the human eye to compare turbidity, which is a good idea, however as there is only one circle and cross on the card it also calls for accurate memory retention, and when we are dealing with extremely fine differences in turbidity this can cause interpritation problems, which in my opinion could have easily been resolved by having two circles and crosses on the card so that both samples could be compared at the same time. Perhaps even some form of glass vial holder like that used in the Merck D+D phosphate kit so that any difference in light direction and illumination could be eliminated.
5)It might have been a nice touch to have the graph printed on the reverse of the test card.
6) The instructions say to keep the kit refrigerated but as it is supplied in a cardboard box we all know how that will end up after a couple of months.

All in all a good piece of kit which with a few very minor adjustments would create the impression of being an exceptional piece of kit.

[muzzy]

i agree with all the above!

[KeithM]

Good points there! Hopefully Claude will take some of them on board

The manual also needs a little updating. The vials don't need shaking IME. Swirling (like you do with a wine glass) works just as well.

I totally agree with the comparison chart. Mine glossed not laminated which I thought was ok (same as the merck and saliferts) but two circles would have been much better!!

[muzzy]

ive spilt water on my circle and its already starting to go patchy.
as said, for a £30 kit you would think they would have supplied a laminated card with the orange circle on - 2 orange circles that is!

[C. Schuhmacher]

Hi

Some good ideas
At the moment we developed a test with colorchanges
so on this things we do our work.
for the next batch we try to change some things

1. Caps for glasses no problem
2. covered paper with chart on the backside will be possible
3. Hard Box also
4. the silicone tubing is necessary to get the water
in exact ammounts to the syringe
5. We must produce the test for a few Euros all other costs are transport and
margin
Even the reference and the bottle for the testfluid are very expensiv
but this is necessary to have exact results

Thanks fr your Feedback so we can good things make better :-)
claude

[nanonano]

Hi Claude

I am pleased that my comments were accepted in the constructive manner that they were meant.

I think that turbidity is a good and accurate way to test and often better than colour changes especially when the colour change is only slightly different.

I understand the need for measuring the exact amounts of water, however because the silicone tubing is flexible (and often curved) it is possible without realising to hold the syringe lower than the glass vial and the end of the tubing, this can result in pockets of air mixing with the water when depressing the plunger on the syringe which in turn can lead to incorrect amounts of water being dispensed (just my observation), a rigid tube would stop this being possible or even a mark on the glass vials so that the water could be dispensed direct into the vials without the need for a syringe might be two options to consider.

Thanks for a good product and keep up the good work

Regards
Paul

[dianepreid]

Hi Folks
Just bought and used this test kit. The reference test tube turbitity is such that I can't see the cross at all. If left to stand for a few mins the contents separate in to a milky liquid and lumpy bits - is this normal?
If I then complete the aquarium water test to the same level my results are 540. Can anyone help please?
Cheers Diane

[maestro]

Hi, im not sure exactly whats happened,

You do get some seperation, I can see the outside of the cross with my ref solution.

seems odd though, Id have though that if your ref solution was not right, i.e too stong (as you say you cant see the cross at all) then in turn you would have made your tank water appear lower than it is not higher.

how many mls are you added (when doing the tank water test) to get the same cloudiness?

[dianepreid]

Hi thanks for reply.
I added 2.6mls of tank solution.
I also repeated the test twice - same results both times with the reference and the tank!
Repeated again this morning in natural light - still can't see through reference sample. But noticed I read off the chart incorrectly - the 2.6mls reads off as 520.
Diane

[C. Schuhmacher]

Hi Diane


could you tell me which salinity you have ?
many greets claude

Did you do the check how the cross looks under 400 mg ?
Greets claude

[dianepreid]

Hi
Salinity is 1.025
When I do the 400mg reference - the problem is that I can't see the cross through the turbidity.
Thanks Diane

[C. Schuhmacher]

Thanks Diane

Please read the manual again
It is possible that you can see the cross different and you must
make the test under good light.
I make a check in the morning and i can see the cross, not strong but
it to see

make the test several time only with the reference solution and
you can also add 25 % deionic water
So you have less 25 % Pottasium in the test and you can calculate it if you have problems to see the cross.

Please try it again it must work :-)

greets claude

[furface]

Great Job Keith, This has to be better than comparing colours. Think this test kit maybe the way forward. :)

[dianepreid]

Thanks Claude
I did do the test in daylight by the window. I can only see the cross if I leave it to stand for a while and the contents begin to separate in to lumps and a milky solution.
I will try again and use 25% deionised water as you suggest. I will let you know how I get on.
Thank you for your help.
Diane

[dianepreid]

Hi Claude
I tried 25% extra then 50%, then again in the end adding 14ml of the water instead of 7mls (100% extra) in the reference sample before I am able to see the cross through the 3mls put into the small bottle.
I then used 14 mls of the water in the tank sample bottle and used the table as per the instructions to get a reading of 340 pottasium. Is this the correct way to adjust the test?
Thanks Diane :)

[C. Schuhmacher]

Hi

340 will be normal with the most salts
Try to do the test again with normal water value

Greets claude

[dianepreid]

I cannot see the cross if I use the normal 7mls of water - so I can't get a result. :confused:


Thanks
Diane

[C. Schuhmacher]

Hi

Hmm it is the first time that somebody told me not to see the cross
but you can work with the "more water test " ;-) which we dveloped special for you :-)

If you want send me 500 ml of your water in bottle without air then i will make a complete test series for you
greets claude

[dianepreid]

Thanks Claude
Will send water as suggested.
Is this the correct address?

Fauna Marin GmbH
Gottlieb-Binder-Str. 9
D-71088 Holzgerlingen
Germany

Thanks Diane:)

[C. Schuhmacher]

Yes

all correct
greet s

[dianepreid]

Posted today!!

Thanks very much

Diane :thanks:

[C. Schuhmacher]

HI

the package arrived today
we test it also
greets claude

[C. Schuhmacher]

Hi Diane

Yes we check your water
i remember now the Pottasium level which is 385 mg/l also it is absolut ok
the other parameters i must send you tomorrow
greets claude

[maestro]

Claude,

Why did you change the test kits so that now you have to test using the reference solution and then test your aquarium water, its almost impossible to remember exactly how cloudy the water was from the ref.

It was much better when you had 2 lots of test vials so you could compare them side by side.

[C. Schuhmacher]

Hi Maestro

What we changed ???

If you make a test then you can make a test with the reference and the Water side by side that is the reason why we have two orange fields on the cards
Greets claude

[maestro]

I bought the kit 3 weeks ago and theres only 1 set of test tubes and only 1 orange circle.

The instructions state to test using the reference, familiarise yoruself with the endpoint and then test your aquarium water

This is totally impracticle, cloudy water doesnt really have a endpoint which is possible to remember

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2008Q4/fauna3.jpg

[C. Schuhmacher]

Hi Maeastro

Wow iám surprised that you get a test with only one cycle
this was the first batch we produce last year.

Please send me your adress to info@faunamarin.de
i will send you a new test
greets claude

[maestro]

many thanks claude, ive sent you an email with my details on

[maestro]

Received the replacement pottasium test a few days ago, just wated to offer my thanks, very happy with the service

all the best

[tomcoleman]

i have the KZ test kit and thats hard to read, might give this one a try as well :)