What is Optimal Chemistry for AP using API kits?

[aquaarche]

I have been trying to find out if anyone has a average/optimal/general of the Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia levels using the API test kits.

today 7.0pH, Ammonia 0.15, Nitrite 0.14, and Nitrate 10.

does this seem normal?

reminder my Nitrite and Ammonia will go down my this evening close to 0, and so will the nitrate a little.

[Oliver]

Your ammonia and nitrite numbers look good, which says that your system is cycled.

Your Nitrate number is low. You would like to see it up around 40 to 80 in order to grow plants well.

The lowest that a API test kit will show above zero is 0.25 for ammonia and nitrite, so I am wondering how you came up with the numbers you gave.

Oliver

[aquaarche]

Your ammonia and nitrite numbers look good, which says that your system is cycled.

Your Nitrate number is low. You would like to see it up around 40 to 80 in order to grow plants well.

The lowest that a API test kit will show above zero is 0.25 for ammonia and nitrite, so I am wondering how you came up with the numbers you gave.

Oliver

By charting the color that falls in between, i.e. If the color is half way between say 0.0 and 0.25 =12.5. of course this is not an accurate measurement but it beats recording color falls between 0.0 and 2.5.

as an example if my nitrate was more than 10 in color shade but lighter than 20 it could be 15 more towards 20 would be roughly 17 or more towards 10 would be 12.

My art teacher in college was amazed at my ability to see even slight differences in color to the point he had me be part of a study back in the early 80's where I was able to choose 80% of a shade of green that to many looked the same. I don't know why but my brain is able to see it.

But like I said it is not an accurate science but it is better than saying it is more red that orange of 10 but less than red of 20. I just charted for myself numbers in between each color so I could have a more accurate measurement that the API kits allow.