API Nitrate question

[prgmitchell]

Okay so I've been testing every day....I have ammonia and nitrite everyday so I've been doing water changes seeing as I am doing fish-in cycling.

I keep testing for nitrates and none show but for the first time when I left my 0-nitrate test tube over night I woke up and it showed orange...which is what it shows for nitrates.

I've done this and left it overnight before and never anything but this time there was....does that mean they're there or is it a weird effect of leaving it overnight?

Just tested for today and there's nothing but who knows it might show overnight.

 

[Bearchumjs]

API nitrate test you have to shake bottle #2 like crazy. Bang it on the counter, hake it really hard... Then you have to shake to test tube for a whole minute after you add the drops from bottle #2. Then read it at exactly 5 minutes after you finished shaking the test tube. I wouldn't trust a result left out all night.

 

[ocminpin]

I know the instructions state and I've been strictly told by API users here to shake the bottles for a good 2 mins and then drip into test tube.. Shake test tube 2 mins and let the test sit exactly 5 mins... No more and no less for an accurate reading. And if I don't do exactly that then I'm my getting an accurate reading.

I just set the timer on my phone while i'm shaking and sitting in front of the tanks and then read the test as soon as timer goes off.

 

[ocminpin]

API nitrate test you have to shake bottle #2 like crazy. Bang it on the counter, hake it really hard... Then you have to shake to test tube for a whole minute after you add the drops from bottle #2. Then read it at exactly 5 minutes after you finished shaking the test tube. I wouldn't trust a result left out all night.

Couldnt have said it better myself!