# Salifert Potassium Test Kit



## rjordan393 (Nov 23, 2012)

Does anyone use this kit? Some mailorder companys are advertizing it can be used in fresh water. I believe it is a saltwater kit and cannot confirm it with the Salifert company as their website is being re-built. If the kit has a low error factor when used in freshwater, then I could adjust the test result for that error.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

Not sure about whether it would work in fresh water, probably yes, but like their calcium test, the range is way too big for fresh water. It uses steps of 15 ppm (potassium in sea water is around 400 ppm). Normal potassium levels in freshwater will be between 0-50 ppm, so it will be very hard to determine your potassium level. IMO a waste of money for freshwater.


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## rjordan393 (Nov 23, 2012)

Thanks,
I checked out the Lamotte site and did not see a potassium test kit. But on further searching the net, I found a company called "Thomas Scientific" that advertizes "LaMotte" potassium test kits for natural waters and brine. Apparantly, this must be one of the custom kits as noted on the LaMotte web site. (they do not say what custom kits are available).
The turbidity tube is calibrated for 6-8-10-20-30-40 and 50 ppm. A bit expensive to say the least.
Cost is $65.00 plus shipping to Levittown, Pa. from Swedsboro, N.J. And then theres tax.

So I decided to order it to find out how much Potassium my westeria and giant hygrophia need as I can see pinholes encircled by yellow on them. I plan to start out on a dosing regimin of 10 ppm and see what happens.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

I had pinholes in my Hygrophila (polysperma) as well and my potassium level was 70 ppm (measured in a laboratory). My thought on pinholes is that it might be caused by potassium emersed, but submersed it's usually not. It didn't solve the pinholes in 3 other tanks of clients (now I think of, in all three cases Hygrophila corymbosa was the worsed, so it might be a Hygrophila problem). I solved it with dosing more phosphate...


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## rjordan393 (Nov 23, 2012)

< so it might be a Hygrophila problem). I solved it with dosing more phosphate...>

Thats interesting. I have been keeping my phosphates on the low side at 0.25 to 0.3 ppm.
I'll adjust it to 0.7 to start and go from there.


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## Yo-han (Oct 15, 2010)

Might be worth a try, or add some root taps with phosphate in it to their roots (or better, both)


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