Co2 Drop Checker Help

[KevJ87]

Hey guys, so at the suggestion of a few of you guys I purchased a drop checker for the first time. I had always thought they were pretty inaccurate but I guess you guys swear by them.
 
This is my problem, I am not sure what color the mixture should be in the START to make sure it is working. 
 
I made 4*dKH solution following this guide http/www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=178491&page=2
 
People seem to credit it as being very accurate and I did it correctly however I don't have any more KH test kit left to test it at the moment.
 
 
I am using Up Aqua Long-Term CO2 Drop Checker from Amazon.
 
I placed 5 drops of the indicator solution it came with in and filled it to the fill line with the 4* dKH solution I made.
 
The part that confused me is it instantly turned green, I was under the assumption it should turn blue when you add the 4*dKH???
 
So since it was green from the start I was a little nervous but I am new to it so I put it in the tank and it changed to a little bit of a lighter green, towards yellow direction which makes me think my CO2 is ok. However, when I turned the air pump on over night which is what I do to compensate the CO2 (I leave the co2 in over night just turn air pump on).  It stayed the same color and when I woke up it was still the same greenish maybe a little darker hard to tell. When I turned the air pump off and came home from work it is still light green so I am not sure if I just ave my co2 dialed in perfectly or if there was an error made somewhere.
 
Although I did follow the 4*dKH guide very carefully.
Wondering if I should use my PH api test solution instead of the indicator drops the drop checker game with?

 

[elmo666]

I sympathise with you. I had the same issue using denerlle indicator fluid that is ready made up in vials, just have to break the tab and use it. Thing is, I only ever see a mid green colour most of the time, even when I tweaked it up too much and had my discus gasping at the surface, didn't see lime green or yellow as all instructions suggest. My personal opinion is that they are not as accurate as one may think. You probably haven't done anything wrong, I think they ate a bit hit or miss. I've tried mine in several positions around the tank and didn't see any improvement in its performance. I know this isn't gonna help you much but may help you realise they're an indicator more so than an exact science.

 

[KevJ87]

Thanks a lot, I just am not sure what to do. Was yours green right after you added the 4* dKH to it even before you put it in the aquarium?? I feel like it should be blue from the start.

 

[KevJ87]

Figured it out thankfully, apparently the Chinese brands of drop solution turn it green right off the bat from reviews I read. It is probably a scam to make people think they have good co2 readings

 . The second I used my api with my 4* dKH it worked like a charm and went blue. Thanks guys 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Figured it out thankfully, apparently the Chinese brands of drop solution turn it green right off the bat from reviews I read. It is probably a scam to make people think they have good co2 readings

 . The second I used my api with my 4* dKH it worked like a charm and went blue. Thanks guys 

 
Ugh
 
Hate when companies do this 

 
Would stick with known brands and sounds like your API indictor fluid is a better quality, stick with that for time being.
 
For your info I generally use JBL indicator fluid, never had issues and does seem fairly accurate imho as I move the drop checker to various areas in the tank and within an hour or 2 will change colour slightly probably due to flow or diffusion.