what are the chemicals that make test kits work?

[tropicfishman]

so what is it in the test kits that make them react with thte water?

 

[Big C]

They are all different regents (chemicals), depending on the kit, that react with other chemicals in the water -not with the water itself. Some of them are quite harmful i.e. sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite are used to test for ammonia and hydrochloric acid to test for NO3. Most of them also use other chemicals to make the reaction visible, i.e. phenolphtaleina, and the like.

 

[TomK2]

Funny you should ask........


http://home.comcast.net/~tomstank/tomstank_files/page0018.htm

 

[Thebluyak]

They are all different regents (chemicals), depending on the kit, that react with other chemicals in the water -not with the water itself. Some of them are quite harmful i.e. sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite are used to test for ammonia and hydrochloric acid to test for NO3. Most of them also use other chemicals to make the reaction visible, i.e. phenolphtaleina, and the like.

AKA DONT DRINK IT!!!!!!

 

[TomK2]

And don't pour it into the tank!

 

[newfound77951]

One of the reagents in most ammonia test kits is phenol....very very bad stuff.....if you have kids or pets i would keep that test kit (and probably all the others as well) locked up. If you've tested for ammonia and wondered what the nasty smell was, it's the phenol.

 

[TomK2]

Yeah, there are the reagents that react and make color changes, then there is all the stuff in it that is needed to help the reaction along. Acids, bases, etc. Nasty stuff. But I think the nasty smell from the ammonia test might be chlorine too? The test adds chlorine and whatever is needed to help turn ammonia into monochloramine, then the monochloramine reacts with the indicators to turn color.

 

[QTOFFER]

Funny you should ask........


http://home.comcast.net/~tomstank/tomstank_files/page0018.htm

Great link Tom!

I like your webpage too - aquariums, trapshooting, and motorcycles are an unusual combination!

 

[TomK2]

Why thank you. Making a web site is my fourth hobby, and the only one that doesn't cost me money, since I do it with whatever software came with my computer.

 

[newfound77951]

could be chlorine too, but most ammonia kits do contain phenol. There are several different ways to test for each parameter, and the different methods use different chemicals. I test for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate at work so am used to what all the reagents smell like, the second I open each test kit I know which one it is!

 

[TomK2]

Got any lieterature or links on those tests? I found it rather difficult to get info on the test kits for my web page, so I bought a Hach co. workbook and looked at AP MSDS sheets to try and figure it out. Not an easy task, especially for someone whose chemistry days are decades past.

 

[tropicfishman]

wow thats crazy that all those chemicals are bad for you, I knew they were to an extent, I've spoilled some of them on me before but they never did anything to hurt me, at least that I know of, I hope I can still have kids lol

 

[newfound77951]

The worst that would happen from spilling some on your skin is that it might sting or burn a little (esp acids). The danger lies in a child or pet that doesn't know better, licking or eating the chemicals, that could be bad. Or getting them in your eye.

I've found the bottles usually don't say what's in them but somewhere on the direction sheet all the ingredients are usually listed. You can look up MSDS (material safety data sheets) for any chemical online. Best bet is to just be careful with them, wash your hands when you are finished, and put the kits in a safe place when they are not in use.