Reading water test results.

[ChileRelleno]

My most recent post has led me to another question.

(1)How do you read your test results, thru the side of the tube against the white background next to the color strip or straight down thru the tube against the white background

I seem to get two results depending on which way I read it.
I read on another test kit that reading it straight down thru the tube against a white background enables you to distinguish even minor color changes or tints, particularly when doing KH/GH test

 

[ChileRelleno]

My most recent post has led me to another question.

(1)How do you read your test results, thru the side of the tube against the white background next to the color strip or straight down thru the tube against the white background

I seem to get two results depending on which way I read it.
I read on another test kit that reading it straight down thru the tube against a white background enables you to distinguish even minor color changes or tints, particularly when doing KH/GH test

 

[An t-iasg]

For the ammonia test, I used to drive myself crazy by holding the tube against the white area beside the color bars. Is it yellow? Is there a tinge of green in there?

Then when I got a KH/GH test, it said to look down at the tube over a white background. It was much easier to read that way. I started reading the ammonia test that way too. Sometimes I thought that maybe there was a hint of green in there, looking sideways against the bars. But after looking down at it over my white sink, it was very definitely yellow. So now I read all my tubes from all my tests this way -- looking down thru the tube, over the white sink.

 

[Talon242]

When I first started using my test kit I used to second guess what I first thought each reading was. Now its easier to tell with just a quick glance, it gets easier after a good amount of readings. Oh yeah and I just hold the side of the tube next to the card, good lighting helps alot.

 

[oscarbreeder]

I have always read mine looking at the side of the test tube .

 

[cginflorida]

If you're using Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, you're supposed to hold the tube up against the white part of the card. I had a question about whether to hold it on the card or a little above it, so I emailed the company and that's what they said. And then the instructions say if you're having a hard time reading the GH/KH test, to look down into the tube.

 

[Aquafriend]

I have Hagen test kits and I emailed them once to make sure I was doing it right. They said the tube was to be held up to the white backgroound and looked through from the side.

 

[ChileRelleno]

bump