JeffB418
HYDROS Expert
Here are a few suggestions for those running the iV/X10 to improve performance based on my personal experience with the X10:
Having accuracy issues?
- Read the suggestions below.
- Make sure your dosing tubes are fully placed onto the dosing head nipples as far as possible! Prevents air leaks and issues.
- Make sure your schedule is testing atleast once a day, I recommend minimum of 4 tests a day.
- Run the "unkink tubing" from the pump status pop up on all iV pumps a few times to work new/ridged pump heads. This will help work brand new heads free after shipping or replacement.
iV Placement:
- For BEST performance, place the iV close to the X10 and the dosing pumps. This will help improve the accuracy of the dosers. The most important portion of the setup are the dosing lines from your reagent vessel, to the X10 and to the iV. Keeping these as short as possible will improve precision.
- I personally recommend placing the iV right next to the X10.
- Also keep the sample line as short as possible, but under 3ft.
Doser Calibration Recommendations:
- USE A SCALE! Biggest thing that can help you get the most accurate results is to use a precision scale and weigh your calibration fluids. I suggest using something like this scale wehre it has a 0.1G resolution: Amazon.com
- When using the scale, for reagent calibration use 1 gram = 1 mL, since the density of reagent is very close to the density of water.
- When using the scale, for calibrating the fill and drain dosers using tank water, you have to know the SG of your salt water to figure out the gram to ml conversion. If your saltwater is 1.025, then take the weight of your calibration sample and divide it by your salinity. IE: (weight of your sample in grams)/(SG of your tank)= volume in mL. Otherwise if you use gram = ml, your calibration will be off!
- Calibration of your reagent is the most important, followed by calibration of the fill doser. Calibration of the drain doser doesn't have to be perfect since it just drains, but it has to be in the ball park so it knows it actually clears the beaker fully.
- When setting up for the first time, you will need to recalibrate your dosers after a few days since the pumps/tubing need to break in. Then make sure to calibrate monthy after to maintain accuracy.
pH Probe Recommendations:
- The pinpoint probe works with the iV but I personally suggest using a glass probe like this model below. Seems to be more responsive and less affected by testing reagent:
Milwaukee MA991B/1 Glass pH Replacement Probe
- Calibrate using pH 4 and 7 solutions, 10 is optional.
- Calibrate after a week of initial setup since some probes need to break in
Doser Head Recommendations:
- Replace your X10 dosing heads every so often since they do wear down, depending on how often you test, but 6 months is a good interval.
Regent Mixing:
- ONLY mix reagent that says its "concentrated". Ready to use reagent does not need to be diluted, and concentrated reagent MUST be diluted.
- When making your own reagent from the concentrated version (Alkalinity Testing Machine Concentrated Reagent) precision in your measuring equipment is KEY!
- The MOST accurate method of dilution, is using a volumetric flask. These are available for cheap on amazon. Use a volume that is 1/5th of your target volume size. So if you want to mix 1 gallon of reagent, a 500mL volumetric flask. And use the SAME flask for the concentrate as the RODI. This will produce a reagent volume of 2500mL or 0.7 Gallons.
- Remember to dilute using 1 part concentrated reagent to 4 parts RODI water. When using your volumetric flask, you will fill it once with the concentrated reagent and then 4 times with RODI.
Reagent Testing:
- There is a way to use Salifert Alk testing kit to verify your diluted reagent.
- First test your sample water using the salifert kit as directed, note the ALK value produced by the test.
- Second, re-test again using fresh sample water but this time instead of using the salifert liquid reagent, use your mixed iV reagent in the syringe. Run the test the same as before, ended at the same color conversion. Then note how much reagent from the syringe was USED, IE if the syringe has 0.4mL left, you USED 0.6ml. Take the USED value and calculate dKH using this equation: dKH = iV Reagent Used (mL) x 250 x 0.056.
- Compare the ALK value generated by the standard salifert test and the second test with iV reagent. If your reagent is mixed correctly, these should be close. If your iV test dKH is really high or low compared to the salifert baseline, your reagent is mixed wrong.
Finally make sure to completely read the setup guide here: HYDROS Control - How To Add an iV Tester Output
Having accuracy issues?
- Read the suggestions below.
- Make sure your dosing tubes are fully placed onto the dosing head nipples as far as possible! Prevents air leaks and issues.
- Make sure your schedule is testing atleast once a day, I recommend minimum of 4 tests a day.
- Run the "unkink tubing" from the pump status pop up on all iV pumps a few times to work new/ridged pump heads. This will help work brand new heads free after shipping or replacement.
iV Placement:
- For BEST performance, place the iV close to the X10 and the dosing pumps. This will help improve the accuracy of the dosers. The most important portion of the setup are the dosing lines from your reagent vessel, to the X10 and to the iV. Keeping these as short as possible will improve precision.
- I personally recommend placing the iV right next to the X10.
- Also keep the sample line as short as possible, but under 3ft.
Doser Calibration Recommendations:
- USE A SCALE! Biggest thing that can help you get the most accurate results is to use a precision scale and weigh your calibration fluids. I suggest using something like this scale wehre it has a 0.1G resolution: Amazon.com
- When using the scale, for reagent calibration use 1 gram = 1 mL, since the density of reagent is very close to the density of water.
- When using the scale, for calibrating the fill and drain dosers using tank water, you have to know the SG of your salt water to figure out the gram to ml conversion. If your saltwater is 1.025, then take the weight of your calibration sample and divide it by your salinity. IE: (weight of your sample in grams)/(SG of your tank)= volume in mL. Otherwise if you use gram = ml, your calibration will be off!
- Calibration of your reagent is the most important, followed by calibration of the fill doser. Calibration of the drain doser doesn't have to be perfect since it just drains, but it has to be in the ball park so it knows it actually clears the beaker fully.
- When setting up for the first time, you will need to recalibrate your dosers after a few days since the pumps/tubing need to break in. Then make sure to calibrate monthy after to maintain accuracy.
pH Probe Recommendations:
- The pinpoint probe works with the iV but I personally suggest using a glass probe like this model below. Seems to be more responsive and less affected by testing reagent:
Milwaukee MA991B/1 Glass pH Replacement Probe
- Calibrate using pH 4 and 7 solutions, 10 is optional.
- Calibrate after a week of initial setup since some probes need to break in
Doser Head Recommendations:
- Replace your X10 dosing heads every so often since they do wear down, depending on how often you test, but 6 months is a good interval.
Regent Mixing:
- ONLY mix reagent that says its "concentrated". Ready to use reagent does not need to be diluted, and concentrated reagent MUST be diluted.
- When making your own reagent from the concentrated version (Alkalinity Testing Machine Concentrated Reagent) precision in your measuring equipment is KEY!
- The MOST accurate method of dilution, is using a volumetric flask. These are available for cheap on amazon. Use a volume that is 1/5th of your target volume size. So if you want to mix 1 gallon of reagent, a 500mL volumetric flask. And use the SAME flask for the concentrate as the RODI. This will produce a reagent volume of 2500mL or 0.7 Gallons.
- Remember to dilute using 1 part concentrated reagent to 4 parts RODI water. When using your volumetric flask, you will fill it once with the concentrated reagent and then 4 times with RODI.
Reagent Testing:
- There is a way to use Salifert Alk testing kit to verify your diluted reagent.
- First test your sample water using the salifert kit as directed, note the ALK value produced by the test.
- Second, re-test again using fresh sample water but this time instead of using the salifert liquid reagent, use your mixed iV reagent in the syringe. Run the test the same as before, ended at the same color conversion. Then note how much reagent from the syringe was USED, IE if the syringe has 0.4mL left, you USED 0.6ml. Take the USED value and calculate dKH using this equation: dKH = iV Reagent Used (mL) x 250 x 0.056.
- Compare the ALK value generated by the standard salifert test and the second test with iV reagent. If your reagent is mixed correctly, these should be close. If your iV test dKH is really high or low compared to the salifert baseline, your reagent is mixed wrong.
Finally make sure to completely read the setup guide here: HYDROS Control - How To Add an iV Tester Output
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