Salifert Calcium question

[tidepooldreamer]

Very basic question - I recently got the Salifert calcium kit and used it for the first (real) time today (my second test but misread the directions on the first so did it wrong). When I am filling the syringe to the 1.0mL mark, there was a fairly significant air gap; I would say I only got 0.8mL of reagent total. Is that normal?

 

The directions say to add 0.6mL reagent by bringing the stopper down to the 0.4 mark but if it only fills to 0.8 that would only add 0.4, hence my confusion!

If it is incorrect, is there a way I can calculate the correct value based on my actual starting point for today's test, and is there a technique for making sure it fills properly in future? The tip was definitely fully submerged in the reagent the whole time.

 

Thanks!

[W1ll]

The air gap is normal, it makes up for the small amount of fluid held in the pink tip of the syringe. 

[empresto]

Yes, like W1ll said, the air is the space in the syringe point when the plunger is all the way down. You should read the location of the end of the plunger in the tube, that is the actual amount of liquid in the syringe.

[Clown79]

Air gap is normal. That missing fluid is in the tip you attach to the syringe

 

You fill the syringe with liquid until the lower part of the black portion of the piston hits 1ml not the upper portion. 

 

 

[Murphs_Reef]

For 1ml. I would aim to have 8.5ml reagent in the syringe. 

 

Edit I meant 0.85ml 🤣

[tidepooldreamer]

Thanks very much! I did note that the instructions said there'd be an air gap, it just threw me off that it was such a significant one, especially considering it seems contradictory then with the values in the next step.