SeaChem Test Kits - Question

al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Hi everyone, kind of a weird or stupid question perhaps. On the seachem test kits it tell you to fill the pipette to the bottom of the base - now it looks like there is a line in the plastic that is above the base of the pipette bulb - so is it the top line or the bottom line as per my picture. Thanks
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
Sorry bud, not much help here. I couldn't find anything specific online but if it were me I'd probably just split the difference. Filling to the bottom line might just simply mean that the color comes out a little bit darker than the top line. Never used those tests before so I'm not sure what the color cards on them look like.
 
bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
The pipette is just used to collect the aquarium water in order to easily put it into the test container or vial that you actually add the test material to. You don't test the water INSIDE the pipette. You squirt the water from the pipette to the external test vial or container. You could use a small cup to collect your water, and you'd get the same results. The important mark you need to look at is on the vial or container you're adding the water to with the pipette.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
LOL...Al&Burke it isn't a stupid question...I have the same kit. I fill only the pipe to the base of the bulb your bottom line in the picture. Fill the pipette to the top line and release the water to be tested until it goes to the base (bottom line) that way the entire pipette is filled with no air bubbles. Squirt your pipette amount into the pallet and add the right amount of test material following instructions and read the results.
The kit comes with a sample to double check that you did the test correctly. I really like these test kits.
Bionicarm.....Seachem test kits actually use the pipette for measuring the amont of test water to be put in a little 6 cup pallet, so it isn't like other test kits that fill to a certain line in a test tube. It takes less tank water to test, and it's very easy to read. I don't think I will ever use a different type of test kit myself. I have turned against API for all time, my goodness the grief API nitrate test kits have caused me.
 
bionicarm

bionicarm

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/386862/seachem-test-kits-question#post_3400180
LOL...Al&Burke it isn't a stupid question...I have the same kit. I fill only the pipe to the base of the bulb your bottom line in the picture. Fill the pipette to the top line and release the water to be tested until it goes to the base (bottom line) that way the entire pipette is filled with no air bubbles. Squirt your pipette amount into the pallet and add the right amount of test material following instructions and read the results.
The kit comes with a sample to double check that you did the test correctly. I really like these test kits.
Bionicarm.....Seachem test kits actually use the pipette for measuring the amont of test water to be put in a little 6 cup pallet, so it isn't like other test kits that fill to a certain line in a test tube. It takes less tank water to test, and it's very easy to read. I don't think I will ever use a different type of test kit myself. I have turned against API for all time, my goodness the grief API nitrate test kits have caused me.
Really. I've never used a Seachem test kit before, but when I looked up the manual for their kits, I saw the litle 6 cup pallet you described. I just assumed they used the pipette to fill it up to a line in the cup like I do on the API and other kits I've used. Thanks for the info.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by bionicarm http:///forum/thread/386862/seachem-test-kits-question#post_3400183
Really. I've never used a Seachem test kit before, but when I looked up the manual for their kits, I saw the litle 6 cup pallet you described. I just assumed they used the pipette to fill it up to a line in the cup like I do on the API and other kits I've used. Thanks for the info.
What this site is all about...learning new info to help us in our hobby.
I used API for quite a while but it said my nitrates were at deadly levels and I was going crazy trying to fix it. Daily water changes...all kinds of different methods to drop nitrates for 2 years I was trying to bring it down, I even got rid of my canister system and went to a sump/refugium.... all to no avail...turned out the kit was bad.
Seachem has a sample to be able to double check that the kit is reading correctly...worth it's weight in gold to me.
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by bionicarm http:///forum/thread/386862/seachem-test-kits-question#post_3400179
The pipette is just used to collect the aquarium water in order to easily put it into the test container or vial that you actually add the test material to. You don't test the water INSIDE the pipette. You squirt the water from the pipette to the external test vial or container. You could use a small cup to collect your water, and you'd get the same results. The important mark you need to look at is on the vial or container you're adding the water to with the pipette.
Yes I do use the test trays - just thought the little bit of difference in the collected amount would make a difference. Thanks
 
al&burke

al&burke

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///forum/thread/386862/seachem-test-kits-question#post_3400180
LOL...Al&Burke it isn't a stupid question...I have the same kit. I fill only the pipe to the base of the bulb your bottom line in the picture. Fill the pipette to the top line and release the water to be tested until it goes to the base (bottom line) that way the entire pipette is filled with no air bubbles. Squirt your pipette amount into the pallet and add the right amount of test material following instructions and read the results.
The kit comes with a sample to double check that you did the test correctly. I really like these test kits.
Bionicarm.....Seachem test kits actually use the pipette for measuring the amont of test water to be put in a little 6 cup pallet, so it isn't like other test kits that fill to a certain line in a test tube. It takes less tank water to test, and it's very easy to read. I don't think I will ever use a different type of test kit myself. I have turned against API for all time, my goodness the grief API nitrate test kits have caused me.
Thanks Flower, I really do like these test kits - I checked my parameters last night and I couldn't believe that my nitrates were so low, so i did a test on the reference liquid that comes with the kit. Sure enough with the reference I got the same reading. Thats for replying.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I've tried filling to both spots in the pipette, you'll never notice the difference in the readings, even if you test it against the tester solution.
Filling the trays without the pipette is messy, tried it a few times, it just isn't as accurate.
 
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