Question for someone familiar with API test kits

R

roghib

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Oct 26, 2006
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Central Oregon
I have a question in regards to the nitrite section using liquid test kit
Quick history:
Doing a fishless cycle on 90 gallon for about 6 weeks...I watched as Ammonia shot through roof...about three weeks ago ammonia drops to 0 - 24 hrs after dosing with ammonia....seen Nitrites sky rocket til it was darkest color on scale....3 or so days ago I noticed after 5 minutes nitrite test now showing an aqua color...not as brite as 0 but certainly not dark purple colors of high nitrite..my nitrates are now through the roof...(still dosing daily with ammonia til I get fish). When I first drop nitrite dops in vial it does turn purple but changes to the aqua after about 3 minutes...since it isnt the bright blue of 0 nitrites I am starting to wonder if I am not yet cycled and just so far off scale on nitrites I have a color not on card...in past the high end scale color was as far is it would go....dont want to go get fish this weekend if I am wrong and still in the middle of nitrite cycle...

By the way if I go to my 10 gallon and pull nitrite test it stays the bright blue indicating 0...never ever turns the darker color....

Has anyone else ever seen the more aqua test results on the nitrite liquid test?
 
roghib said:
I have a question in regards to the nitrite section using liquid test kit
Quick history:
Doing a fishless cycle on 90 gallon for about 6 weeks...I watched as Ammonia shot through roof...about three weeks ago ammonia drops to 0 - 24 hrs after dosing with ammonia....seen Nitrites sky rocket til it was darkest color on scale....3 or so days ago I noticed after 5 minutes nitrite test now showing an aqua color...not as brite as 0 but certainly not dark purple colors of high nitrite..my nitrates are now through the roof...(still dosing daily with ammonia til I get fish). When I first drop nitrite dops in vial it does turn purple but changes to the aqua after about 3 minutes...since it isnt the bright blue of 0 nitrites I am starting to wonder if I am not yet cycled and just so far off scale on nitrites I have a color not on card...in past the high end scale color was as far is it would go....dont want to go get fish this weekend if I am wrong and still in the middle of nitrite cycle...

By the way if I go to my 10 gallon and pull nitrite test it stays the bright blue indicating 0...never ever turns the darker color....

Has anyone else ever seen the more aqua test results on the nitrite liquid test?
Click to expand...

Does it look like a seafoam green or a peppermint color?
 
fill your test tube half with tank water and half with tap, and test it. if your nitrites are actually sky-high, then you will get a reading of 1/2 the actual amount, which should be within the color limits of the card.
 
oooooo tooo smart

Oh too cool.....tis why I come here.....very good advice and makes sense....Common Sense is a highly overlooked commodity these days and I seem to have been found lacking!!!! TY.....will check it out..if it doesnt give me an answer I will go ahead and snap a picture and go through trouble and post it :)
 
I'm pretty sure I'm very familiar with your readings - I watch it happen to my tank every day.

A moderator actually told me the way to do a dilution reading is a little different. Here's what he had me do:

1 Tank sample + 9 tap water samples (without any water conditioners). Mix and then take your sample from that. (You'll probably see it be that dark pinkish/fuchia color.) Then multiply by ten. My green reading comes out to 20-30 ppm depending on the shade of the purple.

The fact that it starts turning purple almost on contact means yes, there is a high concentrate of NitrItes.
 
aye

Sadly tis true....and here I thought I was finally done....still did it at half tap half tank...but when reduced to around a 1/4 tank and 3/4 tap hit 5ppm.....so sad...no fish this weekend...sigh....now I wil have to wait til end of month before I can trek back to where I was gonna buy my fish ( SUCKS living in the middle of NOWHERE sometimes ((G)) ) maybe I will get lucky and it wil start to swing the otherway by Saturday but as high as it is now I highly doubt it..not gonna short cut at this point :(((
 
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