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JMcGarva
03/06/2015, 08:32 PM
Does API sell extra Test Tubes for their master salt water kit. I went on their site today and didnt see any. I also called but no one answered. If not, can I use just any test tube as long as I'm using 5mL of water?

Thanks

BarryV
03/06/2015, 08:34 PM
Try ebay they have them.
Barry

Kyle461
03/06/2015, 08:58 PM
I "borrowed" a set of test tubes from work. Just fill them up with 5 mL and mark a line on the test tubes if you can get them.

Kyle461
03/06/2015, 08:59 PM
Oh and make sure to get something to cover them with like rubber stoppers or corks.

Frozenguy
03/07/2015, 01:03 AM
Yes the size matters.

You are using color to indicate concentration.

If you change the dimensions, you'll be looking through less or more solution making the color appear darker or lighter.
Not what API intended.

itzonlithai
03/07/2015, 01:52 AM
Your local pharmacy will give away free 5 mL droppers or syringes. Just use one of them and anything that holds that amount of water.

Kyle461
03/07/2015, 08:28 AM
The color would change with dilution or saturation of the solution which is volume dependent. Dimensions of a test tube would not affect that. But you do want test tubes that would show a decent representation of 5 mL. You wouldn't want to try and view the color of 5 mL in a 500 mL beaker.

Frozenguy
03/07/2015, 09:29 AM
The color would change with dilution or saturation of the solution which is volume dependent. Dimensions of a test tube would not affect that. But you do want test tubes that would show a decent representation of 5 mL. You wouldn't want to try and view the color of 5 mL in a 500 mL beaker.

No.

(Do not change the size of the test tube!!!)
Ever look into the toilet after you pee?

The deep part is yellower than the shallow edges before the bowl drops down.

Your pee isn't yellower in the center, you're just looking through more of it.


If you change the test tube size and you start looking through a bigger radius test tube, you will see the color lighter.


Look at the salifert tests. If you read instructions for Salifert tests it will explain their low and mid range for nitrate. All you do is look through the thin vs thick parts of the tube to go from medium to low.

Kyle461
03/07/2015, 11:58 AM
Deep yellow pee is due to density of different waste and the type of waste you are expelling.

I'm not promoting using ignition tubes or anything (which I use with my chemistry students and color does not fade or increase with change in size, only different dilutions). My point is if you have test tubes of similar size there should be no issue as long as you have 5 mL.

I'm happy to perform a few experiments and post results! (Not with pee of course)

Kyle461
03/07/2015, 12:06 PM
By the way. I am not arguing the fact that depth does affect color (we can prove that by looking at the ocean). I'm just basically saying that different size test tubes just don't provide enough depth to show a difference in color.

Frozenguy
03/07/2015, 05:52 PM
But they do. You would be surprised at the difference after looking through at test tube and then another but with 25% larger radius. It doesn't take much.

If you find a test tube with same diameter but different height the is ok because with API you look through the side.

noj3333
03/07/2015, 06:48 PM
http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquarium-saltwater-test-kits/11442-502568/api-api-doc-wellfishs-replacement-test-tubes.html

ReefsandGeeks
03/07/2015, 06:54 PM
+1 on constant diameter needed. otherwise as long as you use 5ml you're good. If you have at least 1 test tube you can always use, rinse, test something else, rinse...etc. How much test solution do you have left? you could always buy another test kit to get the tubes, or individual tests, which come with 1 tube.

FraggledRock
03/07/2015, 09:31 PM
i sometimes use my elos tubes for api tests.

the color isnt that way different.

the difference is a 1/4" but spread around in diameter, so color inst truly visibly affected to a major degree that the test isn't readable or applicable to the color chart. just my experience

Frozenguy
03/07/2015, 10:32 PM
i sometimes use my elos tubes for api tests.

the color isnt that way different.

the difference is a 1/4" but spread around in diameter, so color inst truly visibly affected to a major degree that the test isn't readable or applicable to the color chart. just my experience

You do the test at same time in both API and elos to compare? 1/4" doesn't sound that different. Just make sure you have baseline to compare

FraggledRock
03/07/2015, 11:26 PM
You do the test at same time in both API and elos to compare? 1/4" doesn't sound that different. Just make sure you have baseline to compare

ive yet to see any real difference in color for chart comparison...

5ml in the api tube is 3/4 up. 5ml in the ELOS tube is 50% up.

the light captures and passing through is minimal in colro alteration.

however if he used very large test tubes from chemistry sets then he may have an issue as they are usually 100ml tubes and not +/-10 -15 ml tubes =P

kmbyrnes
03/08/2015, 06:07 AM
Try your LFS. They probably go thru tons on API Ammonia and Nitrate kits. Can't imagine they would use good kits for those when doing tests for customers.
One by me has them on the counter for $1.

Kyle461
03/08/2015, 10:12 AM
however if he used very large test tubes from chemistry sets then he may have an issue as they are usually 100ml tubes and not +/-10 -15 ml tubes =P

I go big......all the time :eek: j/k

I've used a range of 10mL to Ignition tubes (which run around 25 mL). As long as the 5 mL was enough to let the light pass through a decent amount, it hasn't affected the color with visible deviation when running baseline tests on freshwater. The ones I brought home are 10 ml tubes and compares nicely to the API test tubes. I can imagine this wouldn't be true for all test kits though. Just my experience with API.

Frozenguy
03/08/2015, 10:49 AM
I don't want to sound annoying, but to anyone that is still wondering, do NOT change the test tube dimensions!

As you can see here, it is an exponential decay function and even a small increase in path length (test tube dimension!) Will result in a fainter color, skewing your results.
%T is percent light transmitted
http://teaching.shu.ac.uk/hwb/chemistry/tutorials/molspec/Tvpath.gif



Beer-Lambert law states you can't. It is what they use to build spectroscopes and calorimeters. Precision equipment to measure concentrations by means of light through a colored solution.

Kyle461
03/08/2015, 12:37 PM
Wish we could each have spectrometers in the household. Would make things much easier and more accurate.

:beer:

bklynreef123
03/08/2015, 04:37 PM
lots of LFS have extras.

Kyle461
03/09/2015, 12:07 PM
So I stand corrected! :headwally: I'm just one of those types that needs to see it physically and here it is (photo attached). I got some of my students to run a quick test with a single concentration of food coloring and water with different size tubes. There is a visible difference when you make the jump to larger test tubes!! The smaller test tube on the left has a diameter very similar to the API tubes so that would be the closest if you had access to them (if you choose to do so). These are the ones I was truly making a case for on this thread.

Sorry for the battle FrozenGuy. I tend to be stubborn and set in my thoughts sometimes.

FraggledRock
03/09/2015, 12:12 PM
So I stand corrected! :headwally: I'm just one of those types that needs to see it physically and here it is (photo attached). I got some of my students to run a quick test with a single concentration of food coloring and water with different size tubes. There is a visible difference when you make the jump to larger test tubes!! The smaller test tube on the left has a diameter very similar to the API tubes so that would be the closest if you had access to them (if you choose to do so). These are the ones I was truly making a case for on this thread.

Sorry for the battle FrozenGuy. I tend to be stubborn and set in my thoughts sometimes.

the difference i was talking about would be between using the api, which the left most looks most like it and the second from left like the ELOS. which is still minimal... albeit different

=P

Marchillo
03/09/2015, 05:51 PM
They sell them on Amazon. I just picked up 24 I think because I dropped and smashed one. Those tubes don't measure at 5 ml if I use other syringes. I would only use Api test tubes personally. Good luck!

kmbyrnes
03/09/2015, 06:28 PM
^^^ truth!

ghellin
03/09/2015, 06:50 PM
i just tossed out like 100 of them from my freshwater days. I would ask a LFS they probably toss them as well. Or even better, upgrade to a more reliable test like salifert, hanna, or even red sea.