Welcome to Aquadesk!
HomeSearchArticlesTanksEventsAbout Us
Sign In

Testing fish tank water parameters (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH)

0 12819
#api master test kit #API test kit #api freshwater master test kit #freshwater test kit #api kit #water testing #diy water testing

API Freshwater Master Test Kit




How to use the API water test kit  

Use the glass test tubes that come with the solutions. 


Tip #1. You need to fill the test tube with tank water up to the 5ml marking. If you buy a needleless syringe (20ml or more) from a pharmacy or online, it will be much easier to fill the test tube with water. 



Tip #2. The nitrate solution can harden and sink to the bottom of the bottle if you haven’t used it for some time so if you haven’t used it for longer than 2 weeks, shake the bottle vigorously BEFORE starting the test. The manual says to read the results 5 minutes after the solution is added and nitrate should be shaken for 30 seconds before using. If you don’t shake it before, the 5 minute testing time can drag out. 


Tip #3. If you are performing multiple tests at one, it is best to start with nitrate. One of the steps for nitrate testing is to shake the test tube for 60 seconds, whereas other tests are only for 5 seconds. So starting it first can save you some time. 


Tip #4. Before starting, prepare gloves or paper towel so that you can wrap the test tubes while shaking. There are times when the solution in the tube leaks while shaking. If you don’t clean up the leak right away, it can stain your clothes and/or surfaces and it does not come out easily. 


Tip #5. When dropping the solution into the tube, make sure the solution bottle is completely vertical. If it is not vertical (straight upside-down), each droplets can contain different amounts of the solution. (stated in the manual).






Color chart


Performing a water test

  1. Nitrate (NO3-) test
  2. Put 5ml of tank water into the glass tube (using a syringe would make this easier to do)
  3. Put 10 drops of nitrate solution #1 into the tube. (make sure it is completely vertical)
  4. Put the lid on the test tube and invert the tube gently a couple times (do not shake vigorously) 
  5. Shake nitrate solution #2 vigorously for 30 seconds. (very important, can result in faulty results if not followed properly)
  6. Take off the test tube cap and put 10 drops of the nitrate solution #2. (make sure it is completely vertical)
  7. Place the cap back on the test tube and shake for 60 seconds.  
  8. After 5 minutes, compare it to the color chart on the back of the manual and find the closest color it corresponds to.


  1. Ammonia (NH3/NH4+) test
  2. Put 5ml of tank water into the glass tube (using a syringe would make this easier to do)
  3. Put 8 drops of ammonia solution #1 into the tube. (make sure it is completely vertical)
  4. Put 8 drops of ammonia solution #2 into the tube. (make sure it is completely vertical)
  5. Place the cap back on the test tube and shake for 5 seconds.  
  6. After 5 minutes, compare it to the color chart on the back of the manual and find the closest color it corresponds to.


  1. Nitrite (NO2-) test
  2. Put 5ml of tank water into the glass tube (using a syringe would make this easier to do)
  3. Put 5 drops of nitrite solution into the tube. (make sure it is completely vertical)
  4. Place the cap back on the test tube and shake for 5 seconds.  
  5. After 5 minutes, compare it to the color chart on the back of the manual and find the closest color it corresponds to.


  1. pH test (can only read between 6.0 ~ 7.6, redo test with high range pH solution if pH of 7.6 comes out)
  2. Put 5ml of tank water into the glass tube (using a syringe would make this easier to do)
  3. Place 3 drops of the pH solution.  (make sure it is completely vertical)
  4. Put the lid on the test tube and invert the tube gently a couple times (do not shake vigorously) 
  5. Compare it to the color chart on the back of the manual right away and find the closest color it corresponds to.


  1. High range pH test (can only read between 7.4 ~ 8.8; redo test with pH solution if pH of 7.4 comes out)
  2. Put 5ml of tank water into the glass tube (using a syringe would make this easier to do)
  3. Place 3 drops of the High range pH solution.  (make sure it is completely vertical)
  4. Put the lid on the test tube and invert the tube gently a couple times (do not shake vigorously) 
  5. Compare it to the color chart on the back of the manual right away and find the closest color it corresponds to.


API Test Manual

Page 1


Page 2


Page 3




Page 4


Page 5



Feel free to ask me any questions. 

Thank you.








Comments

    No comments.

Back

More to read

    Correct way to cycle a tank, How to diagnose a broken cycle
    fishkeepingwater checkwater qualitynitrogen cycle
    Summary: Water cycling doesn’t automatically happen just because a certain amount of time passed. A complete cycle is when tank water has stats below. Ammonia = 0ppm Nitrite = 0ppm Nitrate > 0ppm (greater than 0). What is the best environment for fish? How can we determine with o
    Nitrogen cycle and water change
    BeginnerGuidefishkeepingwater changeNitrogen cyclecycling
    We will be going over the most important thing in fish keeping, the nitrogen cycle, and why it is important to perform water change. “The filtration cycle must be complete before putting fish into the tank. Usually the cycle takes a couple weeks but there are a lot of products on the market t
    How to cycle a first fish tank, cycling tutorial
    fishkeepingcycling a tankbeginnernitrogen cycle
    For those that are interested in why cycling a tank is necessary, click here.  There are different ways to cycle a tank. Let’s go over it one by one so that you can find the best method for you. This article is best for people that are in the process of setting up their first tank and they do n
    Making correct analysis before managing water quality
    water qualityfishkeepingadvanced fishkeepingwater check
    I see many people concerned about their pet fish’s disease so I wanted to write an article about my thoughts.  There are my personal opinions so please take that into consideration.    I have been living in America for a couple years now and have just started fish keeping again.  Before, when
    What is wrong with my tank?
    beginnerguidefishkeepingsick fishfix my tank
    Is your fish, shrimp or snail suddenly acting weird? Is it showing the following symptoms? Is the fish rubbing its body on the substrate, plants or tank wall? Is the fish trembling or suddenly and rapidly swimming off? Is the fish breathing rapidly with only one side of their gills? Is the body whi
    Are your fish dying one by one?
    fishkeepingtroubleshooting
    Summary: Fish keeping is a hobby that requires a lot of basic knowledge to start to save money and time. Click to learn more. Reasons why the fish are dying Possibility #1 An uncycled tank can cause fish death. Cycling the tank can take a long time. Also, all tanks are a lit
    Beginner's guide to fishkeeping
    FishkeeperBeginnerGuide
    A lot of people start fish keeping by chance. Most of the time, people believe that their fish died without a reason because they did not have any prior knowledge. Even though the fish died due to inexperience (lack of knowledge), people misconstrue it by thinking that the life span of a fish is nor

Back