Api Master Test Kit Info

[waterdrop]

Yes, sounds like the API ammonia kit may have been off. Unusual, I haven't heard of that much. WD

 

[BigbruiserAl]

On my 3rd api kit all mine read my tank and tank water as 0.25mm im almost certain it the kit. i even stand in the garden to use normal lightlol

 

[StandbySetting]

If you're in the UK, go for Saliferts instead of API when you next renew your test kit, they're more accurate and reliable, and are about the same price.

I think one of the problems with the API kit is that it is formulated to displace the ammonia as a green precipitate, ammonia is always present in tank and tap water in trace amounts, I guess in some circumstances even these could give visible readings.

 

[CrazyAirborne]

i always wonder if washing my test tubes out with regular tap water, (with .25ppm ammonia) will leave some residual effect on my next test with that tube. Do you guys dry out each tube physically? I usually let mine air dry. (after i shake them dry)

 

[StandbySetting]

If you let them air dry you will get residues, but really they shouldn't make much of a difference.

 

[london_kev]

I am having problems with Nitrite reading. I do a 90% water change however it is still comming up off the chart (purple) will test my tap will be shocked if it is the test kit! my ammonia is fine tho and no probs with that.

 

[waterdrop]

It is surprisingly easy to get a second "off-the-chart" nitrite reading even after a large or full water change during the nitrite spike phase of fishless. Significant amounts of nitrite can hang out in the substrate and filter.

On the ammonia tests, wonder if you guys are experiencing a run of a reagent being different, perhaps in UK distribution or something. Mine over here in the past have never seemed to have any trouble being sharply different between zero (very clear yellow) and somehing more (green.)

WD
edit: switched between talking about nitrite and then ammonia test and had to make that clear

 

[london_kev]

i have done a test on my tap water no nitrite at all. did another 90% water change and still getting readings of nitrites. do i continue to does ammonia...? very confused as i used a mature media but only some of it.

 

[waterdrop]

In fishless cycling, dosing has nothing to do with nitrite. Dosing is simply done as often as once each 24 hours, always at the same "add-hour" ideally (always dosing at the same time of day helps the "ripple" patterns you are measuring 24 hours later (and sometimes 12 later in cycling) to make more sense - ie. not a -necessary- requirement but a helpful thing.) Dosing is only done if the ammonia level reached zero ppm sometime within the previous 24 hours (allowing the ammonia level to reach and sit at zero for some of those hours is no only not -bad-, there is some evidence that it is -good- for growing bacteria more quickly and is called "pulsing" the dose.)

In our typical Add&Wait procedure, there are 3 phases of fishless cycling. Dosing starts off high, around 4-5ppm, then is dropped to low (2-3ppm) for the second phase and finally is carefully raised to 5ppm again at the very finish of the third phase. The middle phase is called the "nitrite spike" phase, whereas the other two are simply pre and post this nitrite spike (and it's not always clean like that, there can be more than one nitrite spike.)

Hope that helps a little,
~~waterdrop~~