Seachem Marine Basic Multi-Test - Bad Results

[Uncle Albert]

I purchased this kit recently and did the 1st test yesterday with odd results. *crazysmil

Marine ph - came out clear almost no change after adding the drop

Alkalinity - again hard to tell .. but I think it turned color at 8 drops - 4.0

Total and Free Ammonia - no change to clear water color after 10-15 minutes

Nitrite - no change after 15 min

Nitrate - perhaps a slight blue hue around the disc after 15 min

I did triple check the instructions to ensure I did it right ... after these results, I did the reference test for the ph (using their reference "water"), and it did indeed turn blue.

I'm a bit upset since I paid about $30 for the kit and it seems useless .. the cheapo test strips were a lot less hassle and at least produced some result
that was (or appeared to be) meaningful ..

Comments welcome

Thanks,

UA

 

[bmoraski]

Sorry about your test kit
all i can say is ive used the API Master kit for a while and have never had any problems.
What ever you do dont use the strips because ive read they are not that accurate.
i think i paid $30.00 for the API kit
and if you did the tests correctly maybe defective product ?
sorry i cant be of more assistance
good luck

 

[OrangeCones]

Are you testing a salt-water tank?

 

[DesignsOnYou]

That was my question. I don't think the marine tests work for freshwater, or at least not all of the parts anyway.

 

[Uncle Albert]

Reply

Yes, it's freshwater

HELP !!

UA

 

[OrangeCones]

Seachem has a toll-free number on the test kit somewhere. 1-888-SEACHEM if you are in the USA.

The kit you bought is for a saltwater tank. The nitrates and ammonia MAY be an accurate reading if memory serves. But the rest of the tests' reagents will not give an accurate reading for a freshwater tank.

I've kept both over the years, and always have to keep two seperate test kits.

Sorry to say but you have the wrong kit for a freshwater aquarium.

 

[Chris_A]

The ammonia will also work for FW but you won't se a change in colour of the water (for either FW or SW), it's the yellow disc that changes colour. Also I would worry less about using the Total Ammonia reagent and more about using *just* the disc for Free Ammonia. That's the toxic stuff .

As has been said already, the pH will not work in FW and the while the alkalinity will, it's in a scale that has little meaning to FW hobbiests so you would need to convert it. IE: 1 meq/L = approx. 2.8 dKH.

I'm pretty sure the NO2/NO3 work with FW... but don't quote me on that lol. I'd have to double check.

All in all, these are GREAT kits when used the way they should be.
Chris

 

[Lotus]

I seem to remember that while a nitrite kit will work in fresh and saltwater, the color chart reading is slightly different. To be honest, if you get a positive result for nitrite, it's always a bad thing... and that's about all you need to know.