The API Freshwater Master testing kit comes with four glass tubes for measuring the water. These are supposed marked as 5ml, but they are not, it is more like 4.5ml. Although this is a small difference, I guess it can affect the results. Should I be using 5ml of water, or the 4.5ml as marked on the tubes?
API Freshwater Master Testing Kit Wrong ?
- Thread starter F4A
- Start date
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The difference between 4.5 and 5mL won't make much of a difference concerning the accuracy you need for limnology in an aquarium... an error rate of 20% won't make much difference... especially when the most critical 2 tests are looking for 0ppm. If it reads anything higher than 0, it is wrong... the methods for correction are the same whether it is 0.5ppm or 0.75ppm... know what I mean?
If you were conducting scientific study, and collecting data for a historical or experimental purpose, I would say pick up some digital/electrical meters, or far more accurate titration tests. But for an aquarium, you can't beat the price, and the "good enough" accuracy of those API tests.
If you were conducting scientific study, and collecting data for a historical or experimental purpose, I would say pick up some digital/electrical meters, or far more accurate titration tests. But for an aquarium, you can't beat the price, and the "good enough" accuracy of those API tests.
dudeofrude
Aquarium Advice Addict
I've never head of any issues with them testing kits, they are one of the best available and I'm sure 0.5ml won't make any difference to the results.
OhNeil1969
Aquarium Advice Addict
How are you measuring the fluid? The meniscus (or lower part of the curve of the water level) should be at the line. You may be right, I've never checked that carefully before.
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
Like fort said, when you're testing to see if there is any, or there isn't any, exact measurements aren't necessary. IMO, it works better this way. If I test my tank and show .5 ammonia, I know I need to do something to get it down (pwc.. then figure out what in the world happened). Just because it reads .5ppm doesn't mean that is the case. It could be .1ppm. Who cares? There's ammonia present and there shouldn't be.
To address your comment on trying to get ammonia to 0... You will not have skewed results to falsify a 0ppm reading.
To address your comment on trying to get ammonia to 0... You will not have skewed results to falsify a 0ppm reading.
OhNeil1969
Aquarium Advice Addict
Good point!! When you get down to it zero is zero. How much more than zero isn't really important if zero is the ultimate goal.
