one more from the kid

[warped1]

Out of the mouth of babes comes wisdom in complexity. I'm truly sorry to bother you with this but I have another question from the kid. I am letting him do the readings for our tank while it is cycling. We use the API freshwater kit and in our excitement threw the instruction booklet away.
We know how to put the drops in and in the proper quantity but the kid raised a good question. Do we hold the test tube against the card when comparing readings or do we hold it away from the card. When I place it flush against the card I get a different reading as compared to about 1 inch away from the card. It's not much of a difference but it does change the readings ------ someone please also remind me to not have any more kids --- they hurt my brain

[Innovator]

I usually place against a white background in good lighting a couple inches away from the card so there is no color interference.

[SpeedEuphoria]

Well this color rendering that the test kits require is not an exact science. I guess the best thing to do is just be consistent in Your method.

I head some people like to do outside in good light, some look through the test tube, some put against the white on the card.

Personally I would agree with Innovator that I like to hold the tube a couple inches in front of the white on the card, with good lighting from my back/over shoulder.