Trouble making out API test kit colors?

[liulady]

Am I the only one who has a terrible time with some of the colors on the API Master Test Kit chart? For example, the High PH colors are extremely difficult for me to read. My water is either 7.4 or 8.0 and I honestly can't tell which shade of brown it is closer to! Obviously, that is quite a difference!

I also feel that, on my color chart at least, the 2 orange blocks for either 10 or 20 ppm of nitrates are EXACTLY the same! Maybe I'm a tad bit color blind, but I can't tell them apart at all.

Tell me its not just me!

 

[aquandrew]

i have red/green colorblind and dont see shades very well so i have to have my girlfriend confirm all of the tests for me lol

 

[smartybones]

Yeah... I am slightly colour blind too... Mine is between shades of yellow and green...

Fortunately the shades on the colour chart for nh3/nh4 are far enough apart that I get away with it...

The no3 colours between 40ppm and 80ppm are very close to me too. The thing is, for either reading I would be doing a large water change anyway...

I too get my missus and daughter to both indpendantly verify the results.

I am thinking of making an android app that you photograph the test results and it would tell you the reading. Its not too difficult to do for one handset, but would have to devise some sort of calibration process for it to work on a wide variety of handsets.....

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Great idea!!!

 

[cheesy318]

I can't tell the differnce between the nitrates 10-20ppm.

The app would be great but it would have to be very detailed for different handsets and also the lighting the pictures is taken with and or if flash is used. Could skewer results

 

[cheesy318]

They should make a separate charts for color blind people

 

[smartybones]

Its not as hard as that...

Its just a matter of taking a picture of the test result and the colour chart in the same picture and comparing the test tube colour and results colour to the nearest match.

So long as the test result card and the test tube are taken in exactly the same lighting conditions then the comparison will be valid.

 

[cheesy318]

That makes a lot more sense! I was thinking taking a picture of just the tube

 

[jwh0818]

I too can't see color shades so it has always been difficult!

 

[smartybones]

Looks like its an app that a lot of people could make use of.....

I think I will set about putting it together... Sooner over later...

I wonder if api would stump up to cover some developer costs?

 

[jwh0818]

Looks like its an app that a lot of people could make use of.....

I think I will set about putting it together... Sooner over later...

I wonder if api would stump up to cover some developer costs?

Ill get it only if its free!

 

[Cactuspixie]

I'm not colour blind, and I often find interpreting the API test results a coin toss :-(

I try different lighting, holding the tubes different ways, squinting my eyes, and generally pulling all manner of faces in my efforts to somehow MAKE it obvious which colour matches my tube.

 

[Alyxx]

I have issues reading the charts sometimes and I can't get any help - my boyfriend is almost completely color blind. I would love an app like that!

 

[smartybones]

I tend to use the light on my phone to check the readings. The LED on the flash is quite an intense bright light it makes it easy.

I overlap the test tube with the colours on the chart and angle the light so the tube casts no shadows...

The colours are never going to match exactly. There are an infinite number of devisions between each colour. Its a matter of best judgement (best guess) for the actual result.