why arn't there any test kit standards?

[reefkeeper]

From what I have read here and elsewhere, many people including myself have problems with test kits trying to determine if the values we are getting are correct. This includes the various devises for measuring specific gravity. As a med tech I know the importance of running known standards whenever you are doing a test to determine accuracy of your technique and quality of your reagents. Does anyone know if there are standards you can buy for all the various tests we do for our reefs? I want to know if the numbers I am getting are correct and the only way to do that is with a standard or control.

 

[Anonymous]

Craig Bingman wrote an article about using Borax "the 20 mule team" as a pH standard.
http://fpage1.ba.best.com/~cbingman/

This doesn't help with the many other tests out there. But it is a start.

 

[reefkeeper]

Thanks but pH is about the only value I don't need a standard for. Ca, Mg, alkalinity and specific gravity are what I'm lookin for.