25 replies to this topic

[Cicolid]

I will certainly be buying API from now on, especially as you can buy the reagents separately.

This annoys me :-
Reagent #1...you need 2 drops. to register, for instance a gH or kH of 8 you need 8 drops. But both reagent bottles contain 15mls.

You don't have to great at maths to work out that you will run out of reagent #2 4 times quicker than reagent #1.
this made even worse if your water is about gH or kH 14.

That's my whinge for today.

Thanks for all the replies.

Col

[fishyyyyyy77]

I will certainly be buying API from now on, especially as you can buy the reagents separately.

This annoys me :-
Reagent #1...you need 2 drops. to register, for instance a gH or kH of 8 you need 8 drops. But both reagent bottles contain 15mls.

You don't have to great at maths to work out that you will run out of reagent #2 4 times quicker than reagent #1.
this made even worse if your water is about gH or kH 14.

That's my whinge for today.

Thanks for all the replies.

Col

with the api master kit i have col. different tests (nitrate or amonia etc.) have differnt drop rates.. but the tests with multiple chemicals.. the drop from each bottle is same eg i got
Nitrite - 1 bottle 5 drops per test (37ml bottle)
Nitrate - 2 bottle 10 drops of each per test (2 x 30ml bottles)
Ph - 1 bottle 5 drops per test (37ml bottle)
Ammonia - 2 bottles 8 drops of each per test (2 x 37ml bottles)
so you may run out of Nitrate tests before Ph but that can be replaced easily its just if bottle 1 runs out before 2 you got a problem but then if your drops are accurate and even you wont
Its also possible that the hole oin the bottles are different widths to control droplet size but youd think it more economic to manufacture with same lid for all and different number of drops on the label?
hope it helps...
PS a qoute from the booklet
"This test kit reads total nitrite (NO2) level in parts per million (ppm) which are equivalent to milligrams per liter (mg/L) from 0ppm to 5.0 ppm, in either freshwater or saltwater aquariums. Other nitrite test kits that measure 'nitrite-nitrogen- (NO2N) will give readings 3.3 times LESS than this test kit." <-- something to consider maybe

[Cicolid]

Any comments on the paragraph below which I found on another good site ?

Col

To make the gh & kh kits last longer you simply need some distilled water and mix it 50/50 with the tank water with a syringe from the chemist and wen you do the test you will use 50% less solution. you simply double the count and you have an accurate test.

[4x4xfar]

Any comments on the paragraph below which I found on another good site ?

Col

To make the gh & kh kits last longer you simply need some distilled water and mix it 50/50 with the tank water with a syringe from the chemist and wen you do the test you will use 50% less solution. you simply double the count and you have an accurate test.

In theory that may work. Although I doubt it.

Anyone tried this?

[Trekrider]

Any comments on the paragraph below which I found on another good site ?

Col

To make the gh & kh kits last longer you simply need some distilled water and mix it 50/50 with the tank water with a syringe from the chemist and wen you do the test you will use 50% less solution. you simply double the count and you have an accurate test.

Alternatively you could just use half the quantity of tank water for the sample and double the result but like the method you have found you are simply decreasing the accuracy. With the correct quantity the count is the number of drops with a resolution of one, but doubling by eaither reducing the sample or adding distilled water the count effectively goes up in multiples of 2. I guess it all depends on the accuracy you are looking for.

Barry

[Blackcats]

Does anyone use the API test strips? How do you find them? I find the pH is not very accurate.

Aaron

I got an unusually high reading for Nitrate (80 mg/l) using the API test strips on a non planted Malawi tank.
I checked it with a brand new API reagent kit and the reading was low (10 mg/l) and this is what I expected it to be with a mature filter and regular water changes ( NH3 was 0 & NO2 <0.3).

I am now unsure of the accuracy of these test strips ........ something to think about.

Harry