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Measure Aquaponic Calcium with Taylor Test Reagents

This is adapted from the Taylor Test website, to better suit the needs of Aquaponics enthusiasts.

You can get the reagents you will need online, or from a local pool supply store. In the USA, Leslie Pools will have the reagents, but you can find better prices if you figure out where all the pool guys buy their supplies. On 12/14/2014, Leslie Pools online showed the price as $28.97 + tax + shipping for the reagents. I recall purchasing them a pool supply company for $16ish.

The reagents we need are all in dropper bottles.  Taylor Test uses a letter after the reagent to indicate the bottle size. A = 3/4 oz. C=2oz. E=16oz.  Because of the differing usage levels, I recommend buying the R-0011L in the A size. It matches up well with the other reagents in C size.

The Reagent Shopping List

  • R-0010-C Calcium Buffer. Good for 70 tests.
  • R-0011L-A Calcium Indicator Liquid. Good for 100 tests
  • R-0012-C Hardness Reagent. Good for 50-150 tests, depending on your calcium level.

The regular procedure has a resolution of 4ppm. The Alternate procedure has a resolution of 10ppm, but half as much reagent and uses an API test tube (which you already have) instead of a 25ml container (which you might need to buy).

One thing that can make the whole process easier is the Taylor Technologies 9265 Magnetic Mixer. It stirs the sample for you during the titration, uses LED lights to help you see the process, and includes a 25ml sample container + the necessary batteries. Not a must-have, but definitely a neat gadget that makes the process easier.

Procedure:

  1. Rinse and fill container with 25mL of water to be tested
  2. Add 20 drops of R-0010 Calcium Buffer. Swirl to mix
  3. Add 5 drops R-0011L Calcium Indicator Liquid. Swirl to mix. Sample will turn red if Calcium is present.
  4. Add R-0012 Hardness Reagent dropwise, swirling and counting from each drop, until color changes from red to blue. Always hold bottle vertically to ensure proper drop size.
  5. Multiply drop of R-0012 Hardness Reagent by 4. Record as parts per million (ppm) Calcium as Ca2+. You can also multiply by 10 for Calcium Hardness as Calcium Carbonate.

Alternate Procedure:

  1. Rinse and fill API test tube to the line (10mL) with water to be tested.
  2. Add 10 drops of R-0010 Calcium Buffer. Swirl to mix.
  3. Add 3 drops R-0011L Calcium Indicator Liquid. Swirl to mix. Sample will turn red if Calcium is present.
  4. Add R-0012 Hardness Reagent dropwise, swirling and counting from each drop, until color changes from red to blue. Always hold bottle vertically to ensure proper drop size.
  5. Multiply drop of R-0012 Hardness Reagent by 10. Record as parts per million (ppm) Calcium as Ca2+. You can also multiply by 25 for Calcium Hardness as Calcium Carbonate.

Testing for Manganese in Aquaponics

Manganese is an essential micronutrient for plants, participating in several metabolic processes – mainly photosynthesis. Of course, an excess amount is toxic.

Deficiency symptoms can include: Interveinal chlorosis on older leaves, light green leaves with dead patches ringed in yellow, few flowers or fruit. Interveinal Chlorosis and few flowers/fruit can have many causes, so testing is recommended to determine actual deficiency.

Hoagland suggests a Manganese level of 0.5ppm. While higher than the PNEC_Aquatic of 0.246, a review of common Aquaponics organisms suggests that levels <1ppm should be safe.

Unless you have a colorimeter, your best bet is the SenSafe Manganese test strips. These aren’t normal test strips, but the directions are clear.

  1. Hanna HI38042 (0-3.0mg/l, .2mg/L) DISCONTINUED
  2. LaMotte 3588-02 (0.05,0.1,0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0)
    $114/50=$2.28ea
  3. Hach MN-PAN (0.05 – 0.7; Resolution = 0.05)
    $179/50 = $3.58ea
    Hach_MN-PAN
  4. Hanna HI96709 Portable Photometer (0.0-20.0; Resolution .1)
    $183@TestEquipmentDept meter + $35.49/100 = $0.35ea
    DISCONTINUED.
  5. LaMotte Smart3+3658-01-SC (0.0-0.7, MDL .01)
    $61.05/50=$1.22ea
  6. Hach Colorimeter II Manganese LR (0.01 – 0.70; Resolution 0.01)
    $430meter + 50 tests. Uses 8149 Method.
    Hach_PCII_Manganese_LR + Hach8506
  7. Hach DR900 + 8149 (0.006 – 0.700; Resolution = .006)
    $51.95@Hach / 100 = $0.52ea
    HachDR900Hach8506
  8. SenSafe Manganese Test Strips (<0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 ppm)
    $26.99@Amazon / 24 = $1.25ea

Know of a different or better way to test for Manganese in Aquaponics? Let me know in the comments and I’ll update this post.