Lady Cougrrr
Aquarium Advice Regular
I have the nitrate test tube kit from API, and I get different (I think false) readings from it when I follow the directions perfectly than when I miss a step.
Method 1: Add water to test tube. Add 10 drops from bottle number 1. Don't shake test tube. Shake bottle number 2 for at least 30 seconds and add 10 drops. Shake test tube for a minute and let sit for 5 minutes.
This method seems to give me the most accurate readings, although they are very high between 80-160. I have strip tests from API that I bought before I realized that they are more inaccurate than the tube tests, and doing a strip test gives me these same high readings. So I'm assuming this test is correct.
Method 2: Add water to test tube. Ad 10 drops from bottle number 1. Shake the test tube a couple of times as it says to do on the instructions. Shake bottle number 2 for at least 30 seconds and add 10 drops. Shake test tube for a minute and let sit for 5.
This method gives me very low readings of 10-20 ppm as opposed to the other 2 tests that give much higher readings even though I am following the instructions exactly. But if my first method and the test strips are right, then shaking the test tube after adding bottle 1 is a no-no and the instructions are wrong?
Why such a big difference just from shaking the test tube? And which is correct: the first method that matches the strip test or the second low reading? I'm really, really
Method 1: Add water to test tube. Add 10 drops from bottle number 1. Don't shake test tube. Shake bottle number 2 for at least 30 seconds and add 10 drops. Shake test tube for a minute and let sit for 5 minutes.
This method seems to give me the most accurate readings, although they are very high between 80-160. I have strip tests from API that I bought before I realized that they are more inaccurate than the tube tests, and doing a strip test gives me these same high readings. So I'm assuming this test is correct.
Method 2: Add water to test tube. Ad 10 drops from bottle number 1. Shake the test tube a couple of times as it says to do on the instructions. Shake bottle number 2 for at least 30 seconds and add 10 drops. Shake test tube for a minute and let sit for 5.
This method gives me very low readings of 10-20 ppm as opposed to the other 2 tests that give much higher readings even though I am following the instructions exactly. But if my first method and the test strips are right, then shaking the test tube after adding bottle 1 is a no-no and the instructions are wrong?
Why such a big difference just from shaking the test tube? And which is correct: the first method that matches the strip test or the second low reading? I'm really, really
