Reading Test Kits

[simer]

Hi

This is probably a stupid question, but this seems like a nice friendly forum populated by people who genuinely seem to want to help.

I'm having problems reading the colours of my test kits. If my nitrite test goes a colour slightly darker blue than the pale blue that represents no nitrite, but not quite as purple as the colour that represents 0.25 ppm, does that mean I'm somewhere in between (say 0.1ppm)?

And I don't know where to begin with the nitrate colour chart. All the colours look the same to me from 20ppm upwards!!

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

If it's darker than the light blue yes you have a nitrite reading, can you list the stages of colours by the result number.

 

[rdd1952]

That's the biggest problem with the test kits. Liquid are much more accurate than strips but still are hard to read (I always wondered how people that are color blind could tell them apart). As Wilder said, if you aren't at the color for 0 then you have some present. Fortunately, it shouldn't be anywhere near toxic unless you have delicate fish like neons. Just keep an eye on the reading and do small daily water changes to keep them at or near 0 until the tank cycles.

 

[simer]

Thanks.

My tests are liquid actually. I bought some of the tab ones, but they seem a bit rubbish actually - they say no nitrites at all.

To answer your question, Light Blue is 0ppm. A sort of dull purple is 0.25 and then it seems to go through brighter and brighter purply pink colours to a sort of claret (which I presume is panic stations).

I've had the tank some weeks now and it's been easy up till now as it's been zero on both ammonia and nitrites quite obviously even when I put a few mollies in at the weekend. However, this small rise in nitrites coincided with the birth of a load of tiny baby mollies yesterday. On a side note, what should I do about these little guys? I'd thought they'd all been eaten , but it turns out they've all been hiding around the bottom of my plants and under my bogwood. The thing is they're getting bolder and bolder and I don't have another tank to put them in. Should I buy one?

Cheers again!!

 

[laurasmithuk]

i think its also a case of practise makes perfect! i was crap at reading them when i first got a tester kit now i seem to be able to do it ok!

 

[OohFeeshy]

TBH I find unless theres a problem or you're cycling, theres no need to test anyway. If you've got a cycled tank, do regular water changes and don't overload the filter (more waste then the bacteria can keep up with), there shouldn't be any ammonia or nitrite anyway.

 

[@ombomb]

It sounds to me as though you have the API kit.

The way I tend to do it, is hold the test tube to the card, directly over the coloured bits and go somewhere with a strong light, either a lamp or direct sunlight. Makes it very easy to see even the smallest difference in colour.

I wouldn't worry about distinguishing between the colours above 20ppm, it it gets that high you should be panicing whatever the exact reading is!

 

[simer]

Thanks!!

How do I get my nitrates down then? The nitrates in my water supply are as high as they are in my tank. Although I can't be sure, I think it's around 40ppm. I've read elsewhere on this forum that this is an acceptable amount.

Cheers again

 

[@ombomb]

40ppm should be fine unless you have anything particularly sensitive in your tank. Live plants are a very good way to help control the level of your Nitrates.

 

[laurasmithuk]

moss balls are good for nitrAtes too. helped with lowering mine a great deal cuz my tap water is high anyways!