API test kit results don't seem accurate!

[Alis]

Hello! I bought an API test kit from Amazon, and it was shipped her. The results read:

PH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 0

This is not a new tank.

I find these results quite 'fishy' (haha!) because I know it is very rare to have 0 nitrates... and that would only occur in a very well planted tank. (The exact opposite of mine.) I noticed that the resulting color is the same color as the chemical... so the color never changes. When I preform the tests that require shaking, it spills a bit. That's the only error I can think of on my part. Any help?

The tank is currently housing a betta, two chili rasboras, a java loach, and snail.
(Yes, I know this is not stocked properly and is badly decorated. I am trying to save up for a 55 gallon. But first I need to balance this one... so I need something to test the water)

Am I making a mistake? What's wrong?
Thank you in advance!

 

[Metalhead88]

Be sure to follow the instructions exactly as directed.

The nitrate must be vigorously shaken at one point and also wait for color to develop

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Are you sure you followed the instructions exactly? The results will be messed up, if the tests were not administered correctly.

 

[Alis]

Be sure to follow the instructions exactly as directed.

The nitrate must be vigorously shaken at one point and also wait for color to develop

Thank you! I've been trying to follow them correctly! I did the shaking (the tube kept leaking, though!) I just checked the directions again and may have found my mistake! It says to "Vigorously shake the Nitrate Test Solution #2 for atleast 30 seconds." I didn't shake the bottle before putting it in with the water in the tube. After I added the drops, I shook it.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

There! Glad you figured it out.

Pretty much the only way the results can be inaccurate, without human error, is if the test kit if expired.

(Make sure you wait for color to develop, after you have done everything else. I’m pretty sure it’s 5 minutes for Nitrate)

 

[Alis]

There! Glad you figured it out.

Pretty much the only way the results can be inaccurate, without human error, is if the test kit if expired.

(Make sure you wait for color to develop, after you have done everything else. I’m pretty sure it’s 5 minutes for Nitrate)

I feel stupid now! Although I was kind of hoping that the ph results were wrong, haha.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

That is high pH, are you sure you did that test correctly? (Not meaning to tease, but it is possible)

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Thank you! I've been trying to follow them correctly! I did the shaking (the tube kept leaking, though!) I just checked the directions again and may have found my mistake! It says to "Vigorously shake the Nitrate Test Solution #2 for atleast 30 seconds." I didn't shake the bottle before putting it in with the water in the tube. After I added the drops, I shook it.

Mine leak a little when I shake them too, I hold the tube in a piece of paper towel white shaking, you don't want to get this stuff on your skin.

make sure you're watching a clock while you shake, 30 seconds is longer than you think when you're vigorously shaking something shake it for a bit longer than that too. Also don't forget to invert the test tube a couple of time after adding the drops from nitrate bottle number one, and before adding the (shaken for at least 30 seconds) nitrate solution number two drops, then shake for at least a minute. Give it the five minutes to develop.

 

[Alis]

Mine leak a little when I shake them too, I hold the tube in a piece of paper towel white shaking, you don't want to get this stuff on your skin.

make sure you're watching a clock while you shake, 30 seconds is longer than you think when you're vigorously shaking something shake it for a bit longer than that too. Also don't forget to invert the test tube a couple of time after adding the drops from nitrate bottle number one, and before adding the (shaken for at least 30 seconds) nitrate solution number two drops, then shake for at least a minute. Give it the five minutes to develop.

Thank you! I'll deffinitly try the paper towel! I'll try not to forget anything next time I test! I think I'm really bad at actually understanding what I read! Haha! I'll try testing it again tomorrow.

 

[Alis]

That is high pH, are you sure you did that test correctly? (Not meaning to tease, but it is possible)

I thought of something... . We have a little inflatable pool, so we have these test strips that are supposed to measure the chlorine. But they don't only measure that, they measure:
pH, Total alkalinity, total hardness, and cyanuric acid. I have like no idea what some of those are, but, yeah. So I was thinking of taking a sample from the tank and trying out one of those to compare! What do you think?

 

[Colin_T]

Check the expiry date in the test kit.

Test the tap water and see if there are different results.

Test some distilled water, there should be 0 ammonia, nitrite & nitrate, and a pH of 7.0.

Put a couple of flakes into a sample of water and water 30 minutes, then test it for ammonia. There should be a reading due to the rotting flake food.

Take a sample of your tank water to the local pet shop and get them to test it. Take your test kit and test the same sample at the same time. See if you get the same results.

 

[Essjay]

Tap bottle #2 several times on the worktop first, then shake it for longer than the instructions say before adding it to the tube. One of the ingredients settles on the bottom of the bottle and all that shaking it to get it back into the liquid.

I hold the tube with a finger on the lid and thumb on the bottom and squeeze hard while shaking. It oozes a bit rather than leaking.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Thank you! I'll deffinitly try the paper towel! I'll try not to forget anything next time I test! I think I'm really bad at actually understanding what I read! Haha! I'll try testing it again tomorrow.

It's easy to do when it's new to you, it's a lot of little steps, and a lot of shaking, especially the nitrate test. But it's all those steps and shaking that mean you get more accurate results than you can get with those little dip strip tests. Just read the instructions for each test over as you're doing it to double check, and within a few months most likely, it'll be a habit to you and won't even need to read the instructions anymore.

 

[BoomerXIV]

What about tetra test kit? Is anyone here using it?

 

[ClownLurch]

I’ve read and reread the instructions then converted them into my own words written onto an index card kept in the box. It’s a pain to be turning pages and rereading every time.
Plus I’ll never commit them to memory at my age....there’s no room left inside my head with virtually the sum total of the worlds knowledge in there already. Apart from anything useful obviously.