water testing question

H

honghong322

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Sep 2, 2007
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This is in regards of testing my water parameters...

When I test for NitrITES I fill the tube... add the solution, it IMMEDIATELY turns purple and then 5 minutes later it will be blue saying nitrITES are zero. This happens with my ammonia test too.

Should I be worried that when I first drop the solution into the water it turns to a dark purple? I know you have to wait 5 minutes to get the reading... I just need some words of comfort! Thanks.
 
test kit is brand new ordered from Petsmart. I'm filling up the testtube to the line. not all the way up
 
R u shaking the tube after adding the solution's drops to it ?
 
I do not worry about the color at first. After all, it does say to wait. I don't know jack about chemistry, so I can't tell you what the initial color means.
 
If it is immediately turning purple when you first add the drops then more than likely the nitrites are so high that there isnt a color for it on the test chart. I remember mine doing this too and would turn a color after 5 minutes that I thought was a kinda blue color ...was kinda grayish blue looking.

The way I figured out what mine really were was to dilute a sample of tank water ...I would get 1 sample of tank water and mix it with 9 samples of tap water and do the test with it.....Then whatever the result was I would multiply it by 10 and it will give you a pretty good idea how high the nitrites really are.
 
yep that did the trick. except i filled half the tube up with tank water and then half with tap water. nitrites are still sky high!
 
honghong322 said:
yep that did the trick. except i filled half the tube up with tank water and then half with tap water. nitrites are still sky high!
Click to expand...

Then try to do like 50-75% water change, without losing the functionality of the tank's filter, and start taking the money right from the bottom using a siphone or what ever.
 
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