API phosphate tests

[buddha_red]

Anyone out there have trouble with api's kit? Im getting a faint blue/green reading that doesnt match the card. I have tested over and over and i get the same very faint blue'ish green color.

Should i switch tests?

 

[melosu58]

It does sound like a problem if that`s not the color that`s supposed to be there. Maybe take it to your LFS and see what he says.

 

[buddha_red]

I ordered a Salifert Phosphate Test Kit just in case. used a rebate card so it was free. didn't even cost me shipping! yea!

good idea about taking it to the local fish shop. Around here good ones are hard to find tho. the big chains have ran most of the lfs's out of business.

 

[austinsdad]

Funny, just had trouble with mine this weekend. Only tried once, but I got a yellowish color. I'll try again tonight. I think the kit is about a year old - at least since I had it. Never know how long it was on the shelf at the store.

 

[neilanh]

you know what's funny. I was looking online the other day for pictures of the cards to show someone. I found photos on APIs website, and they showed both the freshwater and saltwater cards side by side, well enough that you could see the difference in colors. But, my card, labeled saltwater, was a closer match to the freshwater card colors on my monitor.

I understand monitors don't necessarily depict true colors, but I thought it interesting that my saltwater card matched the freshwater labeled card pretty much exactly.

Then, I went digging for an old kit I had and found it's card. Also labeled saltwater, matched the saltwater card on my monitor.

Laid the 2 cards, both labeled saltwater, side by side, and they were different from one another.

Explain that one...

 

[Copepod]

Just ran a Phosphate test for the heck of it.....my color is like a very light cooking oil...closer to the 0.00ppm of the FW card...this API test came from F&S a couple of months ago.

----------------

Curly

 

[Copepod]

Sorry...I take that back...it came from LFS....code on bottom of box is:

17163 12063

And, saying that...coming from this particular store...it is probably very old.