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Re: Fe test observations



<Subject: Fe test observations
<From: Jeff Dietsch <dietsch at voicenet_com
>Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 08:12:26 -0400 (EDT

)Hello all,   I noticed an interesting occurrence the other night.
Recently I have noticed a slight increase >in my filament algae in my 1 yr
old tank and that prompted me to take a Fe measurement.  I use a red
>sea(Damn, I think) test kin and it takes 15 minutes to develop full color.
While I waited for the color to >develop I did some filter maintenance I
placed the vile between 2light flor tubes in my up turned hood.  This >was
a safe place where it was unlikely to be knocked over.  I left it there for
about 10 minutes and then >noticed it had a significant color change!  I
mean it registered .5ppm!  Iwas amazed, I have never seen the >vile that
color before:  Now of course Ido not really trust the result and set off
for a little double >checking.First a tap water test, it reads zero like it
always has.  The a retest ofthe tank.  This time I >leave the vile on the
kitchen counter for 15 min andthere is almost no color change(normal),
Hummmmmf.  Now I >take that 15 minold test and put it back between the
lights and Boom it starts darkeningafter a few 5-10 more >minutes.
Hummmmmmm  I will run more little tests onthis, but it was bed time last
night and I did do >everything I wanted to:So I was wondering if the heat
and intense light broke the chelate bond and allowed >the test to register?
If so, man I have been running a HIGH ironlevel for a long time:  any
thoughts?

 By the way, Jeff,thanks for the input on the praecox rainbows. I'll give
them a try. They should look wonderful with my cherry barbs. Also, I might
be able to comment on your Red Sea test kit for iron. I noticed about a
year ago that the results it gave were inconsistent with the Sera Fe kit I
had at the time and so took the advise found on the list and purchased a
Hach Fe test kit. Lamotte kits are probably just as good but I don't have
access to those in Toronto. The one that I have, tests in the range of 0-1
mg/l. I decided to compare the Red Sea test(I had forgotten to throw it
out) and the Hach test kits this morning after reading your post. The
results were that my plant tank has a 0 iron reading according to the Red
Sea Fe test and spot on .1mg/l for the Hach Fe test. My observation is that
the Red Sea test just isn't sensitive enough to even register that low a
level of iron. In my opinion they have no business selling them to that
end. I hope this will be useful.

Susan Romano