Reading a Nitrate test

fishjamin

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It's me again!

I'm halfway through moving my fish into the new tank. I've reused the filter media and dunked half a bottle of safe start in and let it run for an hour. I've used a master test kit to test if the Nitrates have survived, and I'm getting a result like the pic below. I gather I want it to go red which it is at the top and bottom, but not in the middle.

Is this normal or have I screwed it up?
 

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It's me again!

I'm halfway through moving my fish into the new tank. I've reused the filter media and dunked half a bottle of safe start in and let it run for an hour. I've used a master test kit to test if the Nitrates have survived, and I'm getting a result like the pic below. I gather I want it to go red which it is at the top and bottom, but not in the middle.

Is this normal or have I screwed it up?

I don't follow this. Can you place the test tube beside the colour card so we can see the numbers? You want nitrates to be as low as possible for fish.
 
Right ok, so ... I've ready what it says wrong (read it as a minimum level not a maximum), either way is it red or orange? The main liquid is orange but the very top layer is red.

Card pic attached...
 

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Not sure what you are asking here...moving fish from one tank to another?
Are you cycling the new tank first?
 
Looks orange so probably 20ppm, less would be better (0-5 or 10 at most, assuming your source water is nitrate free). I think the OP wants nitrates as proof that the cycle hasn't crashed in the move? Fishjamin, you need to test and monitor ammonia and nitrite.
 
Right ok, so ... I've ready what it says wrong (read it as a minimum level not a maximum), either way is it red or orange? The main liquid is orange but the very top layer is red.

Card pic attached...

We need to see a photo of the test tube showing the result of the test, next to the card so we can see what number the test result is.
 
Looks orange so probably 20ppm, less would be better (0-5 or 10 at most, assuming your source water is nitrate free). I think the OP wants nitrates as proof that the cycle hasn't crashed in the move? Fishjamin, you need to test and monitor ammonia and nitrite.
Yep this is what I was going for. Ammonia and Nitrite are fine but as you say, I was looking for Nitrates as an indication the cycle was still fine, but maybe I've misunderstood?

The question was really about why it's a different colour on the top than throughout the rest of the bottle, is this usual?
 
Yep this is what I was going for. Ammonia and Nitrite are fine but as you say, I was looking for Nitrates as an indication the cycle was still fine, but maybe I've misunderstood?

The question was really about why it's a different colour on the top than throughout the rest of the bottle, is this usual?
After the TT sits for a while, yes, it is normal
 
Yep this is what I was going for. Ammonia and Nitrite are fine but as you say, I was looking for Nitrates as an indication the cycle was still fine, but maybe I've misunderstood?

The question was really about why it's a different colour on the top than throughout the rest of the bottle, is this usual?
You said you think it should be red, that is harmful to fish. Aim for less than 20 ppm at all times.
If it's not mixed well just invert the capped test tube a couple of times. Check the colour in natural daylight where possible.
 

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