API Test Kit

[hibbydave]

Hi i am new to this forum

Has anyone had experience with the API test kit, i am having problems with the Nitrate test, when i test it i get 40-80 when i take it to my LFS they say it is 5 which is great, i am so confused as to how there is such a big difference,and don't know which one to believe, i am led to believe it depends on how you shake bottle 2 which to me is wrong hence different people get different results
Can anyone offer some advice

Dave

 

[treemanone2003]

Hi i am new to this forum



Has anyone had experience with the API test kit, i am having problems with the Nitrate test, when i test it i get 40-80 when i take it to my LFS they say it is 5 which is great, i am so confused as to how there is such a big difference,and don't know which one to believe, i am led to believe it depends on how you shake bottle 2 which to me is wrong hence different people get different results

Can anyone offer some advice



Dave

You need to shake the living daylights out of it. There's a better chance that your liquid kit is more accurate than the LFS as I'm sure they're only using strips to test, and they're just worthless. As well, you'll need two separate strips because the 6 in 1 doesn't have ammonia. A possibility does exist that your test is expired. Have you checked the dates ? Also, I'd check the lot/batch number with API to see if they've had problems reported with that one specifically. You should have multiple tubes with that kit. I would try two tubes simultaneously to see if it's human error after you shake the crap outta that bottle for a bit. On another note, what's the tank size and stock and how long has it been running since fully cycled ?


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[hibbydave]

API test kit

Hi

Pets at home use the same API liquid kit that i use, established for 2 years 280L with lots of floating plants that should suck up most of the nitrates

I watched a video on you tube Of API actually doing the test and they don't really shake it that hard

Expiry date on it is 2018

I e-mailed API but never got a reply

Dave

 

[Mebbid]

Why not take your kit in and have them test it with both to see if it's you, them, or the kit?

Usually, when it's done improperly then it gives a reading of 0ppm.

is this the video?

 

[hibbydave]

API test kit

HI

Yes i plan to do that

Yes that's the video i watched

Dave

 

[ScotJudd]

Mebbid is right, if the test is conducted incorrectly the reading is incorrectly low. One of the test liquids don't dissolve in water easily and can become crystalline, hence shaking the test liquid bottle and then the test tube.
Did you watch the LFS do the API nitrate test? Maybe they didn't do it correctly.


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[katiekelsey]

I called API once and they were very helpful. A lot of people on this site use API. Be sure to follow instructions and you'll get accurate results.

 

[Hholly]

You may need to bang the reagent bottle on the countertop to get it in solution before you add the drops. Especially the second bottle.

 

[RackinRocky]

I ALWAYS bang the first bottle and shake, but especially the second bottle. I bang it hard at least a dozen times. If it's not done correctly, you will certainly get inaccurate results!

 

[hibbydave]

API test kit

Thanks for all your replies

Yes that is the problem no 2 people do it the same way, i never seen the guy on the API video banging the bottle before doing test, so API have to come up with another solution to this problem so that everyone has a clear understanding of how the test should be done, some people may shake it harder than others

So depending how you shake the bottle could determine if the fish live or die and that's not really acceptable

Dave

 

[hibbydave]

What did you ask API when you called them, and what was the answer

 

[44Paps44]

Some of you are making this test way harder than it needs to be. There is no need to kill yourself shaking the bottle or go out to Home Deport and buy a paint agitator to do this.

Shake bottle for 30 seconds, then shake tube for 1 minute.

Validate your results buy using a second test kit if you have any worries that your current kit isn't giving you proper results. If results match, then you are either not following the instructions properly or the results are what they are.

 

[Dotrskeeper]

If you are not doing water changes it probably is that high


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[ExperimentLain]

You need to shake the living daylights out of it.

A possibility does exist that your test is expired. Have you checked the dates ?


Sent from my iPhone that doesn't like me. Or you !!

Yep On the shaking- my tests do vary with how hard I shake the bottle- though I don't throw my joints out doing it haha- that would just freak out the dogs

I will disagree on the out of date. I tested this theory as I had a kit 4 years OOD and a brand new one that would not be 'OOD' for at least 2 years and I got the exact same readings out of the same cupful of water. I did the test right back to back and did nothing different. (I didn't mix the test kits or bottles up lol the new test was still sealed in package)