API nitrAte test...off the scale?

J

Johnnyr

AC Members
Nov 15, 2006
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Hey guys,

I'm doing a fishless cycle, and my ammonia is being processed fairly quickly, with my nitrites being off the scale, and earlier today, nitrates were at 40ppm. Now, when I add the first agent for the nitrAte test, the tube will immediately turn brown. Normally it is just yellow. Does this mean my nitrates are off the scale? If I do the rest of the test, it just comes out to this brownish yellow color. Anyone have this experience?

I know about the NitrItes being off the scale, when the drops hit the water and turn purple (which is happening) but I haven't heard anything about the NitrAte test.
 
I assume you know to carefully follow the directions with the nitrate test (shake bottle two minimum 30 seconds and then test tube for 1 minute, or something like that). If you dont follow the instructions not only will the current test be off but every future test as well. The other thing is that its been said the nitrate tests are often very inaccurate even when following the directions, some have been like -50%/+200% off. Its been recommended to 'calibrate' the test kit with a known nitrate level.
 
I picked up a tank a couple of weeks ago that suffered from 'Old Tank Syndrom" - the NitrAtes were off the chart - but my API test did not turn color until the second chemical was added.

Shake up the bottles - really, really well - and then shake them some more.
I think you will see much different results - either that or your test kit is too old...I ran into that one as well.

Thankfully you are doing a fishless cycle.
 
No, the test kit is brand new, I followed the direction exactly...and it has been working fine for the past 2 weeks while i've been fishless cycling. It started at 0, and as my nitrates rose, showed 20ppm, then 40ppm, and then the next day this happened. I did another test on my tap just to be sure, and as I thought, the test shows 5-10ppm correctly (I have nitrates in my tap). So it's not the test.

Oh well. I'm n ot too worried about it, after i'm done cycling I'll do a water change and do another test for nitrates, and if they look good, I won't worry about it. Like I said before, the API tests can act very strange when reading s are too far off what the test is designed to test for. Thanks guys.
 
If I recall my nitrates would do the same when they were extremly high...after putting the first agent it it would turn a brownish color...then after the second agent it would show a color that looked between 5-10ppm. But it wasnt the case....I did a test only putting acouple drops of tank water in and then the rest just tap water and then it would show a color that was readable on the color chart...so I knew my nitrates were so high that it was off the color chart.

Might want to try this if you want to know what your exact reading is....take like nine of the 5ml test tube samples of tap water and mix it with one 5ml tank sample.....then fill a tube with the mixed water and test it....whatever reading you get multiple it by 10 and it should get you close to the true nitrate level in your tank.

I was like you though and really didnt worry about the level until time to put my fish in....I did two 90% water changes to get it down to 10ppm then in the fish went.

When I do tests now after the first agent is added it stays yellow then changes color after the second agent is mixed for the 1 minute
 
Thanks, thats what I thought.
 
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