API test kit confusion

[SorryEh]

I am testing my tanks and tap water with my API test kit like I do and I am for some reason getting a red reading on high ph. There is no red in the colour chart which leads me to believe it is higher than 8.8 but in the manual it says that anything higher would be purple. Which has left me really confused at a very horrible time, I am just starting a new tank and am worried to put my cichlids into this water that I have no clue what the PH is

 

[Colin_T]

call the petshop and ask if they have Bromothymol Blue. It is the most common pH indicator solution and easier to read the colours.

The colours scale for Bromothymol Blue starts at yellow for acid (5.0). Becomes green at 7.0. And turns dark blue at 8.5.
It has various shades of yellow, green and blue in between those points but it is generally easier to read.

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Alternatively take your test kit back to the shop with a sample of your water and get them to test the pH. You should test the same sample with your test kit at the same time and see if the colours match. If they don't you could have a bad batch of indicator solution.

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All test ktis should be kept in a cool dark place so they don't expire as quickly. I usually keep them in a plastic icecream bucket with lid in the fridge.
Make sure children can't get to the test kits because most of the reagents are poisonous.
you should also rinse out phials before and after use, and wash hands with soapy water when finished testing.

 

[SorryEh]

call the petshop and ask if they have Bromothymol Blue. It is the most common pH indicator solution and easier to read the colours.

The colours scale for Bromothymol Blue starts at yellow for acid (5.0). Becomes green at 7.0. And turns dark blue at 8.5.
It has various shades of yellow, green and blue in between those points but it is generally easier to read.

----------------------
Alternatively take your test kit back to the shop with a sample of your water and get them to test the pH. You should test the same sample with your test kit at the same time and see if the colours match. If they don't you could have a bad batch of indicator solution.

----------------------
All test ktis should be kept in a cool dark place so they don't expire as quickly. I usually keep them in a plastic icecream bucket with lid in the fridge.
Make sure children can't get to the test kits because most of the reagents are poisonous.
you should also rinse out phials before and after use, and wash hands with soapy water when finished testing.

Well you got me thinking with that last part so I checked the expiry date on it, it expired 5 months ago, time for a new one.