DIY Testing kit

I was shopping around looking for a master test kit whne it occured to me: "Why should I pay a bazzilion dollars when I (a man with almost a chem minor) could track down all the chemicals myself and save a bundle."

Then I asked myself(It was a late night, my wife was asleep, and the fish weren't answering), "I bet you if it could be done, it's been done on the forum and you should ask."

"Very sharp," I aswered back, "Let's post, it's free anway."

So, has anyone tried and/or done it?  What was your methodology?  I want the whole nine yards of a test kit, or maybe the first 3 I could save on.

-Keither

Doesn't Adam just use the Tang test?

If his wife's tangs start dying then something is wrong.  If they don't die then the water is fine.

Let me elaborate on what Jared brought up.  Think about it, if all your stuff is alive and doing well, do you really care what the test kits say?  Do you have reason to even test?
Second part.  If your fish are dying and your corals are bleaching wouldn't you do something, even if the test kits say everything is okay?  The levels may read perfect but not many people would say "oh well, I guess they are just dying, my levels look fine".

Adam

I'm very into this stuff also, jfinch.  I'm attending the U in Biomedical Engineering, and I almost had a chem minor(one class away) but I got bored with Biochem.  I like applied physiology, not just biochem. O chem and Gen Chem were more interesting.

I understand the techniques, but is it viable to build one yourself?  I mean they only give you small bottles of everything, would it be a worthwhile venture to go and find some of the chems you need in somewhat larger quantities, instead of a couple of mils, I'd get a couple deci liters or something.  (I'm still stuck in a biggie size mentality --Maybe I should sue)

Thanks for the suggestion Suzy, I like it.  Now I need a kit :)  I was doing some Ebay scouting and found a master kit for 40-50 buck.  I'd like to start out with a master kit.  I've been doing fish for 3 years and never had a test kit.  I always used the plants and fish to tell me what was going on--and Petsmart's free testing :)

--Keither

Keither, get this, I do have a minor in chem from the U, and I to had to sit through chem.  Gen chem was by far the best, be glad you didn't take that last class.

Okay, so Kris Fidone was in the biochem program at the U a few years back and he was making his own additives that he got from the Eyring Building's stock room.  I think?  He was also working up in R.P. so he may have gotten stuff there as well.  If I were you I would talk to him about making your own test kits.  If I remember correctly he had the same impression I had... it just wasn't worth the time and cost since you can go buy them.

Jon- there just fish and corals, you can always buy more. .  Okay so I'm kidding about that.  But hey, if you are doing water changes, then I still think testing is over-rated.

Adam

O chem and Gen Chem were more interesting.

you sick sick puppy .  There's a cure for that you know?

I mean they only give you small bottles of everything, would it be a worthwhile venture to go and find some of the chems you need in somewhat larger quantities, instead of a couple of mils, I'd get a couple deci liters or something.

Well it's not the reagent chemicals that are the problem, it's the indicator solutions.  Many are proprietary.  For example, the calcium test kit uses two reagents.  The first is just 8N KOH, no big deal, easy to get.  The second is a standard solution of sodium EDTA, again fairly easy to get.  But the indicator dye is usually proprietary (and in the case of hobby test kits, the dye is mixed in with the EDTA).  I use off the shelf KOH and EDTA, but use a calcium indicator powder from HACH chemical.  The HACH product isn't exactly cheap.  In place of the HACH indicator you could use (I think) ektachrome T, but the color change is more difficult to see.  Anyway if you're really serious go search around the EPA website for their standard testing procedures.  They'll list all reagents needed and methods behind them.  Or look through your analytical chemistry text book, there are many procedures listed there too.  I've gone through the same thought processes you're going through and my conclusion was to just buy the test kits .  But you might find a different route .

Chemicals are expensive.  I've been pricing salts to make my own B-ionic and the costs are excessive ($150 for 400 g of SrCl2 !!).

I think that testing is actually a fun part of the hobby. Every so often, I get to go down into my dimly lit basement, put on my smock and nerd glasses (with the tape on the bridge) don my crazy grey hair wig and play mad scientist for an hour or so.

  Me too... oh wait, I do it for more then a couple hours at a time