How do you clean out your tubes?? Staining? API test kit tubes that is.

[Essjay]

I completely forgot that some have additives I use asda basics ones so I forget that there are more expensive ones out there

 

[Slaphppy7]

I agree, tap water is fine but unless it's very soft I would dry it inside or there will be water deposits left behind when it dries. I use a paper handkerchief/tissue/kleenex (whatever they are called where you live) and push that down inside the tube.

Toilet paper...

 

[Essjay]

That would do as well - provided it doesn't contain aloe vera, shea butter or any of the other things added to toilet paper these days

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

I've only ever used the API liquid test - though I did have a tablet test when I first started keeping fish. I didn't like that one as the instructions said to start timing as soon as the tablet dissolved but it took up to 15 minutes for it to fully dissolve so I got a liquid test as soon as I could find one. No internet back then so I had to find a shop that stocked them and API was the one I found.


Don't forget my degree is almost 50 years old so things have changed a lot in best practice

A tablet? interesting! I found an ancient remains of an early test kit in the tank cupboard of the old tank my dad decided to kindly hand over to me. He'd bought the tank second hand like a decade ago, and I think the previous owner was also an old school keeper who kept anything that might be useful, just in case. Had to be at least 30 years old. Kinda wish I'd kept it now as a curiosity, but I don't want to turn into a pack rat and it wasn't complete anyway, so I threw it out. I love seeing these little glimpses of how the hobby has changed... and the world as a result of the internet, and we can order stuff like that at a moment online.


Your degree might be "mature" *cough* but it's still one in a hard science! And your brain is active and stays up to date with what's going on in the world and the hobby, so have plenty of faith in your knowledge. And you vindicated me today when meanies like @Slaphppy7 were teasing me and acting like I was mad, so you're my favourite right now

 

[Back in the fold]

I was wondering how you managed to stain GLASS test tubes, lol

Yeah , I was scratching my head on that one too.

 

[Essjay]

It's the word 'stain' that's a bit misleading as that implies something has got into the glass itself. The nitrite test leaves a deposit on the glass if it's not washed straight away and it doesn't wash out with just water. Only once did I leave the tube standing for some time then when I dried it with a tissue the deposit rubbed onto the tissue so now I know to wash the tube as soon as I've read the test.

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

It's the word 'stain' that's a bit misleading as that implies something has got into the glass itself. The nitrite test leaves a deposit on the glass if it's not washed straight away and it doesn't wash out with just water. Only once did I leave the tube standing for some time then when I dried it with a tissue the deposit rubbed onto the tissue so now I know to wash the tube as soon as I've read the test.

Yeah, I didn't really know how to describe it well! It's not that the glass itself looks blue, or has visual deposits on it. It's that no matter how much I tried to rinse, wash, or shake it out, there was always that tell tale light blue tinge to the remaining droplets of water at the bottom of the test tube, so I knew something wasn't quite right, but I didn't know how to get rid of it. You solved the mystery

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I honestly just rinse them out with hot water and let ‘em dry.

SO YES, I'M LAZY/EASILY DISTRACTED/A SLATTERN FOR NOT RINSING THEM RIGHT AWAY, BUT. BUT! I'M NOT IMAGINING THE BLUE TINGE AND YOU CAN STAIN GLASS!

Uhhh, maybe I should start thoroughly washing them.

 

[Essjay]

I just rinse them with water as well, but I do it straight away. It's leaving the tube to stand with test water in for a couple of hours that causes the nitrite test to leave a deposit on the glass. The other tests don't seem to do this, but if I'm rinsing one I may as well do them all.

 

[AmyKieran]

Eeek! I just looked up what that is and checked Amazon, and there are warning signs all over the page;

• Causes skin irritation.
• Contact with acids liberates toxic gas.
• May be corrosive to metals.
• Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
• Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
• Very toxic to aquatic life.
• Warning! Do not use together with other products. May release dangerous gases (chlorine).
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  Gotta admit, the fact they emphasised this twice makes me too alarmed to use this stuff!

Damn I’ve never even though of the impact to aquatic life, so I shouldn’t be putting it down the drain after a test?

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Damn I’ve never even though of the impact to aquatic life, so I shouldn’t be putting it down the drain after a test?

Oh don't panic! This warning is for the Milton's stuff we were discussing using, not the chemicals from the API kit

 

[davros]

Speaking of test kits- I was using a piece of wire bent into a handle for dipping the tubes for filling, then I got a nice "eye dropper" with the Tetra PH kit. Now I wonder why they all don't include one

 

[AmyKieran]

Oh don't panic! This warning is for the Milton's stuff we were discussing using, not the chemicals from the API kit

Oh okay haha

 

[AdoraBelle Dearheart]

Speaking of test kits- I was using a piece of wire bent into a handle for dipping the tubes for filling, then I got a nice "eye dropper" with the Tetra PH kit. Now I wonder why they all don't include one

Yes! Should be something like that included in the kit. I use a 10ml syringe I had, cleaned and kept just for this purpose.