API test kit?

[Pogthefish]

It says wait 5 mins but i usually leave it out for more before i remember, oh i did a test! and come an hour later to check. do you have to wait exact 5 mins or is more ok?

[Tikibirds]

I know if you leave the ammonia one out overnight, it will turn to a funky color but Im not sure how long the test results stay accurate.
Are you talking about the test tube ones or the dip stick tests?

[LionCalie]

I would follow the directions. It is the only way you can assure the most accurate readings.

[Pogthefish]

:/ ok and i mean like an hour or 2 at most but ill try to tick to 5 mins, i just wanted to no if u had any personal experiences with this. btw what is the highest aminia level fish can tolerate? i gt impatient and put pog in an uncycled tank, so ima aim for less that that :P

[Thunderloon]

The Freshwater Master Kit:

Some of the tests need to be allowed to cook longer in cold water but generally you're looking at 5 to 8 minutes on each.

If you didn't mix up the #2 bottle of the Nitrate test really well it can take up to 15 minutes for it to finish reading.

If your Nitrates are rheeeeeally high, like 300 or so, the Nitrite test can take a long time to react. If your Bottle #1 on the Nitrate test turns the test water dark in color then don't bother finishing the test - CHANGE THE WATER NOW!

Often if you've got Prime (etc) in the tank then the ammonia test can take a little longer to cook up.

The benefit of the Master Freshwater is you can reduce the number of drops and the water used for the test if you get a child's medicine dropper with milliliter and ounce markings. Nitrite with 1ml and 1 drop. Nitrate with 2ml and 2 drops each chemical, etc. In my experience if you only have one or two tanks the chemicals will become crusty and old before you use them up. Keep some paper towel on hand to daub the dropper tips off when you're done with each bottle to keep the chemicals from coating the outsides of the bottles and keep the whole kit stored someplace cool but not refrigerated.

Since I use a dropper to take water from the tank for the tests I went ahead and got some nice high borosilicate Erlinmeyer 10ml flasks. Cost about $28.00 for 12 of them but they rinse very clean, stand up on their own and you can swirl them to do the mixing instead of shaking and having the chemical reaction squirt chemicals out on your hands. Since they're conical they'll roll in a circle and you get a nice visual depth through them from side to side. Haven't broken one yet in two years.
http://www.coleparmer.com/Product/Er...pk/EW-61000-81

[Pogthefish]

lol interesting :D

but will leaving them for about twenty minutes or an hour make the color change and mess up the results?

and what do they mean when they say dont cover the open end of tube when shaking, arent both ends closed?

[Oldfishlady]

It is important to follow the direction to the "T" in order to get accurate test results...this includes time-line of reading the results....as well as using the proper amount of tank water to reagent per directions....

Its chemical reaction with what is in the water to the reagents that provide the test results......

And yes, the #2 nitrate reagent tends to settle and can give skewed results if not shaken well enough before use.

[Pogthefish]

this is hard.. i have ADHD lol seriously, i leave the test alone 30 secs an remmber 20 mins later or more...