Help With Jbl Permanent Co2 Test Kit

[paulc]

Hi All

I have just received the JBL Permanent CO2 test kit and I am confused. From what I have read on forums, you needed to add 1.5ml of 4dKH water and then a couple of drops of the supplied regent. Now in the instructions on this kit it does not mention adding water AT ALL. Instead it says add 35 drops of the supplied liquid (which is dark blue in colour) and thats it.

I thought this was ok until I saw the colour charts provided. They have provided a CO2 and PH colour chart but a different chart for KH4, 5, 6, 7 all the way to 14.

This makes no sense to me as we are not adding any water!!!

Helllllpppppp - please

 

[ian]

Does it look like this?

 

[paulc]

Does it look like this?

That's it but the packaging is slightly different, it looks like this

 

[SO19Firearms]

Did it come with a syringe? The old instructions def say add 2 - 4 drops of re-agent.
It sounds like they've included a bromo+4dKH-in-one mix

EDIT: They have - JBL Permanent CO2 kit

Just follow the instructions.
Bit sneaky really as you'll use more of the re-agent.
Use 4dKH and pH solution after it's gone.

 

[paulc]

Did it come with a syringe? The old instructions def say add 2 - 4 drops of re-agent.
It sounds like they've included a bromo+4dKH-in-one mix

Thanks for your reply. No syringe supplied so I guess you're right. Trouble is, now I have to test my KH to get the right colour chart.

 

[SO19Firearms]

Trouble is, now I have to test my KH to get the right colour chart.

The instructions on the site are the old ones so I'm not sure. But if they've mixed the bromo blue with a solution it shouldn't be tank dependant. Does it come with new instructions or the old ones(PDF)

 

[paulc]

Trouble is, now I have to test my KH to get the right colour chart.

The instructions on the site are the old ones so I'm not sure. But if they've mixed the bromo blue with a solution it shouldn't be tank dependant. Does it come with new instructions or the old ones(PDF)

New ones but it contradicts it self:

Advantages
Many CO2 tests are filled with a mixture of aquarium water and indicator. This means that the KH has to be measured separately in order to be able to calculate the CO2.

This makes sense EXCEPT to choose the correct colour chart you have to measure your KH!!!!!

The old system seemed much easier - add d4KH water and reagent - job done

 

[SO19Firearms]

It does seem too, but measuring your KH isn't going to help anything. That's the confusing bit.
Does it not just come with 2 sets of charts - one for pH and one for CO2...? If it does, i'd imagine the CO2 one is calibrated for the new bromo mix.

EDIT: Use the CO2 scale that goes from 3 - 50 mg/l with the tick on - add the drops and you're good to go.

 

[paulc]

It does seem too, but measuring your KH isn't going to help anything. That's the confusing bit.
Does it not just come with 2 sets of charts - one for pH and one for CO2...? If it does, i'd imagine the CO2 one is calibrated for the new bromo mix.

yes their is one C02 chart but 11 PH charts (choose according to your ph).

Oh well, at least I know I'm using it right and wasn't going mad

 

[ian]

that is confusing...it's a better idea in some respects that they added 4dkh, but those instructions are terrible!

 

[Spurry]

Looks like the one I had, says add tank water and mine turned yellow at 15bpm and stayed at that for 2 days

But my ph was still 7ppm meaning one test had to be incorrect

Now I have 4Dkh ready made water I can add 60bpm and get a good green colour and my ph lowers to 6.6ppm

Which matches my 2kh and 7ph on the colour chart, all though if I new what I do now I would have not bothered with the kh test kit

I've sold my jbl one on eBay

 

[paulc]

Well after 4 hours the colour hasn't changed at all. It maybe that my CO2 levels are very very low. I am using the hagen yeast / ladder system on a 40g tank and I know this is not enough but it should have had some effect right?

Anyway, I have now refilled the drop checker with 1.5ml 4dkh water plus 4 drops of API PH low reagent. It is currently blue so will see if this reacts. If not time then its time to up the CO2 - a lot

 

[Spurry]

I don't think you get the 4Dkh water with the jbl kit I did not
How many bottle have you ? What does it say on the bottles ?

 

[paulc]

I don't think you get the 4Dkh water with the jbl kit I did not
How many bottle have you ? What does it say on the bottles ?

Hi Spurry

Its the later version with 2 bottles. I already have a bottle of 4Dkh and an API test kit so have made my own solution to see if it makes a difference. As pointed out above, I suspect my co2 levels are low but i would have thought it would have registered some change after 4 hours.

Funnily enough I just read your post about your boot fare find - how lucky was that!

 

[Spurry]

Yep you would expect so, mine took about 2hrs