api kh/gh tests... what color are your liquids?

[mellowvision]

I just started to test some water for kh and gh with an api test kit... I haven't really used it much in the past. it's been a while since I opened the bottles, maybe 6 months.

KH instructions said that the test was complete when the liquid turned yellow from blue. right out of the bottle, the solution was a rich orange. one drop in the water looked yellow. I never saw any blue.

GH was similar. it said it would turn blue from the orange, but the solution wasn't orange.

what color are your solutions straight from the bottle? is there an easier, but accurate test than the api?

 

[RDaneel]

With my API GH/KH test kits it's:

KH = blue to yellow

GH = orange to GREEN.

This is what mine do when testing.

 

[mellowvision]

I wonder if my chemicals have gone bad.

 

[injunear]

I wonder if my chemicals have gone bad.

If there's no change in color it means you have extremely soft water.....Do you have a home water softener? If not, then it's just soft, period....

I had the same results when my water was sourced from the output of my Softener.

 

[legendaryfrog]

I seem to have the same problem as OP. The test water would always turn orange right after the first drop.

I think its the fact that we're using old water testing chemicals. mine are from 1998.

 

[mellowvision]

my chemicals were purchased this year. I don't know when they were purchased. But my main concern is that the chemicals were already the colors listed. the KH chem is orange right IN THE BOTTLE... the GH is blueish IN THE BOTTLE. what colors are your chems before you test anything?

 

[RDaneel]

... the KH chem is orange right IN THE BOTTLE... the GH is blueish IN THE BOTTLE. what colors are your chems before you test anything?

----in bottle ---- 1st drop -------Last drop
GH = Green --Orange/Yellow ----- Green
KH = Orange -----Blue ---------- Yellow

(kits made in 2006)

 

[mellowvision]

thanks R. I'd say my kits are either spoiled or mislabeled.