Api Test Kit Question

[Lisa67]

Just a quick question... when I test for amonia the color gradually gets darker over 5 min if there is amonia present. BUT when I'm testing for nitrite it turns dark purple in the bottom of the tube as soon as I put the drops in. Then over 5 minutes the color lightens... so initially it looks like I have tons on nitrite but by the end of 5 min it looks like there is very little. Am I doing something wrong?

 

[sausagewinkle]

Just a quick question... when I test for amonia the color gradually gets darker over 5 min if there is amonia present. BUT when I'm testing for nitrite it turns dark purple in the bottom of the tube as soon as I put the drops in. Then over 5 minutes the color lightens... so initially it looks like I have tons on nitrite but by the end of 5 min it looks like there is very little. Am I doing something wrong?

very strange, i have the same test kit (i have the API master test kit) and i have no problem with this.
Yes my ammonia gets darker over the 5 minutes (im currently cycling another tank) but I dont have the issue with the nitrite, it always seems darker when the drops are added but then once the solution is mixed with the water it goes to the chosen colour then will get darker if needs be...

Sorry i cant help you out here
hopefully someone else can

 

[Lufbramatt]

im sure i've read that this occurs when there is so much nitite that it is "off the scale" i.e. there isn't a colour to indicate the level of nitrites present.

 

[Davo86]

can't quite remember with the api kit but I know in other kits with one test you have to wait 5 mins before taking the reading but on another test you take the reading instantly after mixing.

Think that might be the Hagen kit, but the same might also apply here

 

[Essjay]

Agree with lufbramatt, the nitrite is off the top of the scale. There's a note here to this effect, under the heading add and wait method, third paragraph. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

 

[anon02]

I think this happens when your filter produces nitrite in excess of the colour chart range. If you are dosing ammonia at 4-5ppm you can safely halve this to 2-3ppm. Excessive nitrite can produce conditions that can slow or even stall a fishless cycle. How long is it taking your filter to reduce the ammonia to zero and is your filter producing nitrAte ?

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, this is very common with the API nitrite(NO2) test. If the reagent turns in to a shiny purple blob in the bottom of the test tube as soon as it's dripped in, that means the nitrite is "off the charts" (higher than the range where the test can show you a numerical value accurately.) You don't even have to wait the 5 minutes, you can just log that your nitrite(NO2) is "5+" in your log entry. (In fishless cycling of course that probably means you are still in the "nitrite spike" phase of the overall process.)

Note that sometimes it gets even higher off the charts and the blob will not even look purple, instead it can take on a weird shiny greenish or aqua-ish or even grayish (all depending somewhat on the lighting angles) look. It still means the same thing: it's off the charts and you should just record "5+" in your log.

~~waterdrop~~