Poorly goldfish
17 posts • Page 2 of 2
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Alasse - Posts: 993
- Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
- Location: QLD Australia
I have the API liquid kit, havent had an issue with it not picking things up. Is the kit out of date?
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natalie265 - Site Admin
- Posts: 746
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm
No. It's less than a year old. I actually have TWO API kits. One for my home tank and one for my work tank. Neither kit has ever picked up any nitrates, even when i neglected my work tank over summer break. I guess it's possible they were already expired when i purchased them, but whatever the reason, i don't entirely trust them. Plus i think they're kind of a pain in the ass. :)
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yasherkoach - Posts: 1306
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm
personally I have API liquid kits for years, very accurate...but there is much more professional kit:
saltwater:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... atid=14692
freshwater (and saltwater):
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... 5477&r=848
by Red Sea product line
saltwater:
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... atid=14692
freshwater (and saltwater):
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... 5477&r=848
by Red Sea product line
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Alasse - Posts: 993
- Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
- Location: QLD Australia
Are you doing the test correctly? Just asking, cause i got it wrong the 1st time and it gave an incorrect reading.
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natalie265 - Site Admin
- Posts: 746
- Joined: Sat Nov 01, 2008 9:48 pm
Well, i'm pretty sure i am. What could i be doing wrong? I shake the chemicals really well before i drop them in. I put in the correct number of drops. I shake. I wait a couple of minutes before reading my results.
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yasherkoach - Posts: 1306
- Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm
I use the same kit that Alasse uses, the API
except for (high) ph which is a Red Sea brand...it may be a little high in price but it is very accurate, more so than API
also I do agree that the liquid test kits' directions must be followed exactly as stated...for instance, on the API nitrate, on the second bottle, one must shake it for 30 seconds, then after putting in the drops into the glass vial, one must shake it for 60 seconds
I am sure some may skimp on this process; also the water line in the glass vial must be exact...again, I am sure some will not think this really matters
One ppm is equivalent to 1 milligram of something per liter of water (mg/l) or 1 milligram of something per kilogram soil (mg/kg).
ppm = parts per million...so even a small amount of water off the glass vial line can wreck havoc with the reading
we must be accurate as possible while water testing...test strips are less accurate; API are more accurate and Red Sea is much more accurate...all depends on how accurate we want to be
(((just thought)))
except for (high) ph which is a Red Sea brand...it may be a little high in price but it is very accurate, more so than API
also I do agree that the liquid test kits' directions must be followed exactly as stated...for instance, on the API nitrate, on the second bottle, one must shake it for 30 seconds, then after putting in the drops into the glass vial, one must shake it for 60 seconds
I am sure some may skimp on this process; also the water line in the glass vial must be exact...again, I am sure some will not think this really matters
One ppm is equivalent to 1 milligram of something per liter of water (mg/l) or 1 milligram of something per kilogram soil (mg/kg).
ppm = parts per million...so even a small amount of water off the glass vial line can wreck havoc with the reading
we must be accurate as possible while water testing...test strips are less accurate; API are more accurate and Red Sea is much more accurate...all depends on how accurate we want to be
(((just thought)))
