API Copper Test - what the **** is this ****

[PotatoPig]

So. I got my quarantine gear before I found this forum. I got Copper Power, which as far as I can tell is fine. But went with the API copper test kit at the LFS.

Per bottle dose is supposed to be 2.5ppm and 1fl.oz in 20 gallons hits this. I have 9 gallons water in a 10 gallon tank. So work out I need just over 13 ml.

Add half yesterday. Add second half today. Pop open the test kit the first time and see it has fine tuned graduations that stop right before the ******* therapeutic dose. Why??? The final two color circles are “not enough” and “he’s pining for the fjords”.

Anyway… guess I’m gonna get the Hanna checker. Gotta learn the lesson to buy once cry once.

/sorry if this is the wrong forum to vent on/at

 

[vetteguy53081]

So. I got my quarantine gear before I found this forum. I got Copper Power, which as far as I can tell is fine. But went with the API copper test kit at the LFS.

Per bottle dose is supposed to be 2.5ppm and 1fl.oz in 20 gallons hits this. I have 9 gallons water in a 10 gallon tank. So work out I need just over 13 ml.

Add half yesterday. Add second half today. Pop open the test kit the first time and see it has fine tuned graduations that stop right before the ******* therapeutic dose. Why??? The final two color circles are “not enough” and “he’s pining for the fjords”.

Anyway… guess I’m gonna get the Hanna checker. Gotta learn the lesson to buy once cry once.

/sorry if this is the wrong forum to vent on/at

View attachment 3033922

Which is why we recommend Hanna brand. API is less than reliable often producing false test results
It’s therapeutic level 2.5 for a full 30 days

 

[gbroadbridge]

So. I got my quarantine gear before I found this forum. I got Copper Power, which as far as I can tell is fine. But went with the API copper test kit at the LFS.

Per bottle dose is supposed to be 2.5ppm and 1fl.oz in 20 gallons hits this. I have 9 gallons water in a 10 gallon tank. So work out I need just over 13 ml.

Add half yesterday. Add second half today. Pop open the test kit the first time and see it has fine tuned graduations that stop right before the ******* therapeutic dose. Why??? The final two color circles are “not enough” and “he’s pining for the fjords”.

Anyway… guess I’m gonna get the Hanna checker. Gotta learn the lesson to buy once cry once.

/sorry if this is the wrong forum to vent on/at

View attachment 3033922

Yes, Hanna is the best test for Copperpower dosing for sure.
You need to be accurate with any form of Copper treatment.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

So. I got my quarantine gear before I found this forum. I got Copper Power, which as far as I can tell is fine. But went with the API copper test kit at the LFS.

Per bottle dose is supposed to be 2.5ppm and 1fl.oz in 20 gallons hits this. I have 9 gallons water in a 10 gallon tank. So work out I need just over 13 ml.

Add half yesterday. Add second half today. Pop open the test kit the first time and see it has fine tuned graduations that stop right before the ******* therapeutic dose. Why??? The final two color circles are “not enough” and “he’s pining for the fjords”.

Anyway… guess I’m gonna get the Hanna checker. Gotta learn the lesson to buy once cry once.

/sorry if this is the wrong forum to vent on/at

View attachment 3033922

One trick is to take an amount of treated water (say 10 ml) and add exactly the same amount of tap water (10ml). Then run the test. Get you best guess result and then double it - that will be close to you actual reading.

The API kit is terribly difficult to read. The chemistry behind it is sound though - I made up a chart that allows me to read the results on a $6k spectrophotometer and it is spot on, but my eyes sure can't tell the color differences!

Jay

 

[Gtinnel]

When I started to qt with copper I bought the Seachem copper test, which I figured would work well because I was using Seachem cupramine for copper. I could not distinguish the very slight variations in the shades of blue. I had my teenage daughter tell me the readings, because she either could tell…or she was just guessing.

I ended up getting the Hanna checker, and now I would never use any other copper test kit.

Also, API doesn’t have the best track record with usable scales for their tests. I once bought a phosphate test kit and the lowest value on the scale was 1, when I was aiming for .05.

 

[PotatoPig]

The API kit is terribly difficult to read. The chemistry behind it is sound though - I made up a chart that allows me to read the results on a $6k spectrophotometer and it is spot on, but my eyes sure can't tell the color differences!

Jay

LOL - story of my life with DIY projects!

It doesn’t help that the color swatch is matte while the test sample is gloss on account of the water.

Thank you for the suggestion of diluting the sample, looking at it that would put the results right in the middle of the sensitivity range. I’m going to try that method while I get a Hanna checker. Is there a reason to use tap water vs RODI? Just concerned with other stuff in the tap water messing with the results.

Tempted to make a test sample - add to a clean mix saltwater at 1.25ppm per measurement and then photograph the result alongside the test guide and then use that as comparison with test results from the QT tank.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

LOL - story of my life with DIY projects!

It doesn’t help that the color swatch is matte while the test sample is gloss on account of the water.

Thank you for the suggestion of diluting the sample, looking at it that would put the results right in the middle of the sensitivity range. I’m going to try that method while I get a Hanna checker. Is there a reason to use tap water vs RODI? Just concerned with other stuff in the tap water messing with the results.

Tempted to make a test sample - add to a clean mix saltwater at 1.25ppm per measurement and then photograph the result alongside the test guide and then use that as comparison with test results from the QT tank.

Tap water if fine, there isn't anything in normal tap water that would change the results.

Jay