# Red Sea Plant lab CO2



## rsn48 (Mar 26, 2010)

I have the Red Sea Plant lab kit which enables me to measure Iron and CO2. I've used the Iron test kit and it worked, but the instructions for the CO2 test kit isn't that clear. Has anyone used this test and could you give me instructions on how to do it? Thanks in advance. :bathbaby:


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## Franzi (Dec 7, 2009)

Did you read the actual instructions in the little paper or just look at the "quick steps" on the back of the card?


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## rsn48 (Mar 26, 2010)

I read the instructions but they aren't clear on this test - to me at least. I routinely do Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH and Iron tests without problems but these instructions are different.:rain:


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## Franzi (Dec 7, 2009)

I haven't done the CO2 test in a while, but I think you're supposed to add one drop of the solution to however many ml of water (10 was it?). Shake it up and you have the "start" color. Then you keep adding one drop of the same solution until you get the "end" color. The crappy part of the Red Sea kit is that both colors look the same so it's hard to tell. 

I check my ph and kh from time to time to make sure everything is running smoothly. If you know those two values, you can figure out the CO2 easily by looking at the matrix which I think is in a sticky somewhere around here.


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## rsn48 (Mar 26, 2010)

Sorry for the slow response, but I appreciate your instructions on how to carry out the test, it makes sense now. I'll look for the sticky.

Maybe I'll sneak another question in here, using the same Plant Lab kit, when I test for Iron I get a zero reading. I does my tank almost daily with Seachem's Iron based on their "lean" dosing program for a planted tank. So even though the tank is receiving daily Iron (a number of red plants), shouldn't I get some kind of reading indicating the presence of iron?


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## Franzi (Dec 7, 2009)

My experience with the Red Sea iron kit is that it's complete garbage and doesn't work. I overdosed a small sample of water with iron, did a test, and it still red zero. Others have also stated that simple iron tests like these (not just Red Sea) are pretty bad.

I guess you need more sophisticated tests to measure iron.

Get yourself a ph and kh test. That's all you'll need. They last forever since the co2 one requires like, 30 drops if your co2 is at 30ppm. You run out of solution quickly and these tests aren't cheap. ph is only 3 drops and kh is only 4 (in my case). From there you can roughly measure your co2.

Good luck.


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

I threw both the iron and CO2 kits in the trash. They ought to be taken off of the market, IMO. They're a ripoff.


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## Rodan (Apr 19, 2010)

i thru mine away too. 

it is said that hobby grade iron test kits are highly inaccurate and, CO2 is allowed to escape when performing the CO2 test. 

that red sea plant test kit looks better in a hefty cinch sak.


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