Api Nitrate Test - Seriously?!

okay i'm annoyed...I understand why regent #2 has to have the will to live shook out of it....but the next part of the directions are to 'vigorously shake the test tube for 60 seconds.' emphasis on very important.

my test tubes leak! no matter how tight I am gripping it in between my thumb and index finger, it still leaks...all of my test tubes leak drops of water if I shake vigorously.

does anyone else have this issue? I feel like the drops that leak out make for an inaccurate reading. because I just did two tests back to back. the first one tested higher than the second one and I was very careful.

 

Yes I totally have that issue, it's super annoying and if the liquid stays on your hands for a few minutes it ends up burning for an hour.
What I do is fold up a paper towel and wrap it around the lid and bottle, hold that in place and shake it
There are also lots of tubes on Amazon with 5ml lines that don't leak

 

Yes I totally have that issue, it's super annoying and if the liquid stays on your hands for a few minutes it ends up burning for an hour.
What I do is fold up a paper towel and wrap it around the lid and bottle, hold that in place and shake it
There are also lots of tubes on Amazon with 5ml lines that don't leak

boom....going straight to my cart after this and adding some. Amazon is actually my LFS, lol. we don't have one here in tulsa. thanks! I would of never thought of that. I will attempt the paper towel method in the mean time. i'm just afraid it'll leak out into the paper towel.

yeah I am super concerned about these chemicals. I wash my hands about three times during testing. all the warnings that come with them....genetic defects, carcinogens. ugh. glad I am not alone.

I attempted to just gently turn it over for well past a minute but it still leaked.

 

Unpopular opinion here, but this is why I started using Tetra strips. I’ve compared accuracy and see little to no difference when you use them right. With 8 tanks it’s pretty annoying using the liquid.

The last straw was the liquid splashing into my eye. Which isn’t as harmful as they make it sound. It’s for legal reasons.

 

Lol yeah, I've heard the screw cap ones are pretty good. And it does burn for a good bit, but doesn't leave a mark so that's something

 

Unpopular opinion here, but this is why I started using Tetra strips. I’ve compared accuracy and see little to no difference when you use them right. With 8 tanks it’s pretty annoying using the liquid.

The last straw was the liquid splashing into my eye. Which isn’t as harmful as they make it sound. It’s for legal reasons.

I’m actually getting my 2nd tank soon. I’ve already thought about how bloody annoying it’s going to be. I may get the tetra strips for nitrates....and do several comparisons to see how I feel. The ammonia and nitrite tests don’t bother me. I suppose once you’re tank is cycled and stable....as long as you’re livestock stays the same and you’re doing weekly water changes, you could get away with only testing nitrate once a week or so? I don’t know.

I really feel obligated to test my water daily. It’s a responsibility.

 

From a financial standpoint, you’re saving a lot with the liquid. But to me, it’s just not worth it. I should’ve specified that I use the strips just for nitrates. If anything looks out of the sorts on ammonia and nitrite strips, I double check with liquid. Now with things like GH, PH, and KH, the liquid isn’t so hard to use as it’s only a concern for 3 of my tanks.

 

Unpopular opinion here, but this is why I started using Tetra strips. I’ve compared accuracy and see little to no difference when you use them right. With 8 tanks it’s pretty annoying using the liquid.

The last straw was the liquid splashing into my eye. Which isn’t as harmful as they make it sound. It’s for legal reasons.

The test strips are accurate until they absorb humidity so they last a month or two tops (less if you're in a humid area). That's the reason why the drops are much more accurate.

I use #000 rubber stoppers from Amazon on my API test tubes. Prices went up a bit since I bought them.

5 for $9

25 for $14

 

You can get the tubes DarkOne recommended and get a pipette so you can still measure out the same amount of water.

Edit: Whoops, I thought they were completely different test tubes without the line. Welp, too late now.

 

I just ordered some glass test tubes with threads and plastic caps. They have a 4 star rating. But the second review was 5 Star by someone that uses them for their aquarium water. It was $6.90 for 10. I’m so glad I posted this!!! They don’t have the line. But I use a glass 1ml dropper to soak my pellets before feedings...and also to carefully transfer water into the tubes carefully so as not to make contact. I also have a 50ml graduated cylinder so that’ll work perfect for measuring and pouring!

So glad I posted this!!! I posted it and then almost felt stupid.

 

I hate that. It leaks all over my hands every time I test for nitrate.

I keep telling myself that I'll buy test tubes with screw on caps but have never gotten around to it.

 

I actually found a 25-30ml teeny tiny little screw top jar that was filled with syrup I got with an order of pancakes somewhere, sometime. What a run on sentence. But it’s been washed severa times and I gave it a go. SO MUCH BETTER....just measured 5ml of water in the test tube and poured it in. Worked perfectly.

This will work till the test tubes come in.

 

This has been covered before but the test tube is a certain diameter to allow the color to match up to the card. Not that the current color matching is accurate but introducing a wider (or thinner), cloudy jar or different test tube diameter would make 10 yr old test strips look accurate.

But whatever...

 

The test strips are accurate until they absorb humidity so they last a month or two tops (less if you're in a humid area). That's the reason why the drops are much more accurate.

I use #000 rubber stoppers from Amazon on my API test tubes. Prices went up a bit since I bought them.

5 for $9

25 for $14


View attachment 473385

I’ve had mine for around 6 months and they’re still not ruined. People always reach into them with wet hands and leave the cap off too long.

 

This has been covered before but the test tube is a certain diameter to allow the color to match up to the card. Not that the current color matching is accurate but introducing a wider (or thinner), cloudy jar or different test tube diameter would make 10 yr old test strips look accurate.

But

I poured it back in the original test tube. Obviously that’s common sense.

 

I really get annoyed at these liquid tests. Not fun, especially with the GH, KH tests when you have to shake after each drop. With my tap water it's a mess after 12-15 shakes. Cork stoppers work much better, but those rubber ones look good.

Strips I've found to be fairly accurate, except for API nitrate pad. It kept reading my nitrates at 80 ppm, but the liquid test said 10 ppm, which is normal. Then I started thinking maybe the liquid test is wrong. If they can't even make an accurate test strip, would the reagents be trustworthy? Maybe I should shake the bottle for TWO minutes. lol