How to Read Test Kit?

[SuperWade2]

I've got the SeaChem Basic Marine Test Kit and have started going through the basic Tests (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and PH)...

My Question is reading the Test Stipes... For Example the Pink color of the Nitrite/Nitrate Tests is virtually the same betwwne 1 and 2.5 for Trite and 2-5 for Trate... I can't really distingush when holding up next to the test sample.

Same for the PH leve, it was somewhere arround 8.0, but I couldn't tell between 8.0 and 8.1ish...

My Ammonia was still pretty low on the Yellow/Light Green side, so it was a little easier, but there doesn't seem to be much difference in the colors...

Maybe I'm a little color blind, or didn't get buy the easiest to read Test Kit...

Any Advice?

SW2

[dskidmore]

I often have my husband look at the test tubes for me, as I he can see color better than I. If you have a digital camera, you can cheat. Take a picture of the test tube next to the color chart. Use a good editing program to find out what the color levels in several pixels are and compare. Not sure-fire, the test tube and paper may reflect light diffrently, but it's better than failing at doing it by eye.

[malkore]

the seachem kit doesn't use vials...it uses a white card with 2mL wells in it.

my best advice is don't read them with a light directly over you, but make sure the room is well lit, and not using really yellow incandescent bulbs. use daylight bulbs, or natural daylight. i read mine in the kitchen where i have a 10,000k circline bulb overhead. the whiter light gives much truer color for the test sample.