Question for any chemists out there

API test kits are hard to come by here in Spain, would it be feasible to test 2.5 ml of water with half the appropriate drops of solution.and get the correct readings?. If so, the kit would obviously last twice as long. Might sound like I am being 'miserly' but common sense says this should work.

 

Compare this method with the full recomended amount of solution once if you get the same results then it should be safe to do that, and sorry for the unavailability of the kit that's really lame.

 

i've tried that, and it does work.

 

Then its settled. You can definitely use the kit at half scale, hope you read this and post what happens, hope it all works out with keeping your fish happy and healthy.

 

thanks for that. I know I am reading the colour charts correctly but the readings show nothing happening at all. I think the cycle must have happened in the period 14/1 - 25/1 when I couldn't test for ammonia and was using those *** test strips. I have had 7 fish in the tank since 1st Feb so I can't believe the ammonia hasn't spiked yet. the nitrite and nitrate readings on 26th may have been miss interperated... Does anyone agree that the cycle may have occcured. Readings in red were with strips, in black with interpet master test kit. Readings taken on 10/2 are exactly the same though the nitrite is definitely getting paler and may be approaching zero.
My concern is the 0 reading nitrate, I should be seing something surely.

 

your kit may have expired you should check the date on your kit or in the chemical vials to see if your chems are expired, that could cause bad readings.

 

You should definitely be seeing some Nitrates if the cycle is over.
Sorry your having such a hard time getting testing supplies. Your solution should work, my testing kit lasted a long time anyway.
carol

 

first time I tested Nitrate I got ZERO...that can't be right. I read this thread, followed the suggestions and immediately garnered correct readings.



You have to be extremely precise when using the solutions at half scale. I wouldn't use anything less than a glass pippet to measure volumes at the scale.

 

Like Tavel said, you've got to be really careful with your readings. A small mistake with that amount of liquid could make the results seem darker than they should be. Otherwise, it should work fine.

I agree that the numbers look odd. What are you using for a water conditioner? Some conditioners mess with certain test kits.

 

I have actually now achieved 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite and about 10 Nitrate so I reckon the job is done. Doing weekly water changes so see how things go.