When reading API liquid test kits...

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FreakIndeed

FreakIndeed

Yo yo yo!
Oct 7, 2006
233
0
0
45
Columbus, OH
Do you put the tube directly against the white area of the chart or do you hold it slightly away from the white area of the chart? The perceived color difference is substantial on tests like nitrate and ph and I'm wondering the correct way to do it.

For over a year now I've been holding directly against the white area.
 
Weezer

Weezer

Plastic Plant's Live Longer
Mar 2, 2007
3,398
1
0
"Minnesota - It Gets Chilly Here"
Against the white card as the directions state, thats what we do, under bright light......:)
 
FreakIndeed

FreakIndeed

Yo yo yo!
Oct 7, 2006
233
0
0
45
Columbus, OH
Well, that's how I took the instructions too. It's just today when I was checking PH my color wasn't matching up well to anything directly against. When I held it out a bit it looked just like 6.4. That's when I started wondering if the instructions actually meant "literally" against. :p
 
Weezer

Weezer

Plastic Plant's Live Longer
Mar 2, 2007
3,398
1
0
"Minnesota - It Gets Chilly Here"
Yep the difference is very noticeable depending if its held against the card or not......:)
 
H

Hooked Newbie

Today will be yesterday tomorrow
May 25, 2007
5,314
1
62
Georgia
Real Name
Len
I wondered this very thing! I was holding it AGAINST the card originally. I noticed that the difference between against and in front of were extreme so I took my readings on 2 tanks both against and in front of and then took samples into the LFS (a good one). The values they reported were closer (not exact) to in front of values. They recomended holding the tube 1/2" in front of the card for the most accurate results. Still not sure, but I've been following that advice...
 
maxthedog123

maxthedog123

Can't have too many Tiger Barbs...
Jun 6, 2007
604
0
16
Cincinnati, OH
In front of the white gives the best results. Also, I tend to do my tests when I'm home on a weekend and I can do it in daylight near a window.
 
1

1boatnut

AC Members
Oct 3, 2006
247
0
0
Hooked Newbie said:
They recomended holding the tube 1/2" in front of the card for the most accurate results. Still not sure, but I've been following that advice...
Click to expand...
Thats not what API reccomends. I called tech support when I 1st got my kit and was told flat against the card.
 
F

FancyFins

one of "those" people...
Aug 12, 2007
15
0
0
Arkansas, USA
I have the hardest time telling some of those colors apart - particularly on the nitrates.
 
kimmisc

kimmisc

is in your closet.
Mar 12, 2007
963
0
0
49
Florence, SC
I do both back and forth until I can determine what hue it matches best with. Since the colors on the charts don't go simply from light to dark... the actual color hues change on many of them. For instance the nitrite test goes from aqua to a blue-purple to a deeper purple (less blue) and so on. Nitrates change from yellow to red. Ammonia = pale yellow to dark green. The nitrate is the hardest one for me, but as long as it's kept low it doesn't matter what exactly it is. If it's starts getting hard to tell, the tank needs a PWC.
 
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