Help SN test - help reading results?

[heysunshine]

Hey all! First, thank you for all the support and advice that people have shared with me. It's been so great to be in a space where people are compassionate and understanding. <3 Thanks in advance for any advice you have.

So, I received my SN. I got enough to run some tests. I've done two rounds of them so far, but the first round a couple days ago wasn't giving me great results (around 5mg/l). Admittedly, I didn't follow Vizzy's instructions completely when testing the first time and maybe things were a little inaccurate. I decided to relax and hope for the best, but now I'm feeling really cagey. I'm being monitored and accompanied a whole lot more by my partner. People are starting to clue in to my odd behavior, and ask questions, and i'm worried about how much longer I have before my plans are discovered. I want the option to CTB asap, if necessary, so I decided to try testing again and follow all the instructions. I'm still getting weird results though. Would someone be willing to help me interpret these SN aquarium test strip results? I did several strips because I realized I was getting so many different readings. Unfortunately, most of the results seem a little low, but some others are right on target. This is confusing for me. Any thoughts about what this could mean for this batch of SN? Is it not strong enough? On the bag it claims to be Reagent grade, 99%, but these results don't seem to fit with that.

I used two different types of test strips and encountered varying results with both. Most of the strips seem to fall closer to the 5mg/l, ppm color or slightly between 5 and 10. A couple were right at 10. I feel like 5mg/l seems like a really bad result. Isn't it supposed to be at 10? Would I still be able to CTB with 5mg/l?

Spoiler: Test strips, A

The strips do darken quite a lot after a couple of minutes. If I went by the older tests, nearly all the tests would be perfect. However, wouldn't 3-5 minutes be much too long to wait to read the results, though? Or is this like pregnancy test rules or something and the result is just the result no matter how long of a time passes? I'm not sure how these strips work and how long the reading is good for. I tried to read the results between about 30secs-2 minutes, but still encountered varying results. So, I did more tests!

1. These are examples of the lower results. You can see that the color seems to fall around 5, or somewhere between 5 and 10.
   
   Spoiler: Strip 1 - Low

   
   Spoiler: Strip 2 - Low

   
2. These next results seem much more close to 10, but I get only a few instances of this color within the 1 minute window. It usually takes 2-3 minutes to reach this color for the majority of strips, but some don't ever reach this color.
   
   Spoiler: Strip 3 - Target

   
   Spoiler: Strip 4 - Target

   
3. After about 3-5 minutes, the colors all become much darker. Not all the strips, but most. Here are all of the strips. You can see that the ones on the right (the oldest tests) are very dark on the nitrite square. The ones on the left were just done a minute or two before the picture was taken. Still, there's a lot of weird variation between results. You can also see some discoloration in the other testing panels.
   
   Spoiler: Test strips, B

   
   Is that discoloration indicating that the results are no longer valid? I thought I followed the instructions well. Am I missing something in reading these results? Or is this just bad SN? Ughh, I will be devastated if it is. I thought this source would work for me.

I got desperate, so I even tasted it. I just got a bit of SN on the tip of my finger, licked it off, and dared the universe to go ahead and strike me down. It was a little salty, but not that bad. Nothing really happened physically except a super peaceful, relaxed feeling after a few minutes. Like being pretty dazed/out of it, or maybe a little stoned. But who knows, maybe that was just in my mind or something? Stress? No stomach pain or headaches or anything. **EDIT** I felt/am feeling a little woozy, and my chest/throat burns a little... maybe like heartburn? I'm not sure as I don't think i have had heartburn before. It's almost like I have the tiniest of hangovers, but no headache, and it's a little burny in my chest. It's been a couple hours since I tasted it, so that may be unrelated, (again, stress or something??) but wanted to mention it in case anyone is curious.

Idk what to think about this, but I'm especially worried considering DMC isn't selling atm and maybe won't be able to in future. Any thoughts on these results? Is my SN a flop?

 

[heysunshine]

Replying to boost. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Id really appreciate any advice!

 

[Endisclose]

I haven't done any tests on my SN. I tend to do it just before CTB as opening it beforehand could compromise it's integrity. I am not sure which product you have used here. I remember reading somewhere on this forum that the Salifert nitrite test kit was the recommended one. Think I'll be going for that.

 

[heysunshine]

I haven't done any tests on my SN. I tend to do it just before CTB as opening it beforehand could compromise it's integrity. I am not sure which product you have used here. I remember reading somewhere on this forum that the Salifert nitrite test kit was the recommended one. Think I'll be going for that.

I'm sorry that life has brought you here, but thank you for your reply. I got two bags from the supplier. One is for testing+ extra for just in case, while the other is for my ctb. I still plan to test the other right before ctb, but I had some worries about the quality and wanted to go ahead and give myself a chance to test the company's claim of 99% purity right from the start. I just used some plain aquarium test strips, but one of the brands (the strip with two purple squares) was recommended on SaSu for being pretty great quality for this specific test. I'll check out Salifert as well, I hadn't heard of that before, but I just looked it up. Because of the way it works it is likely a little more sensitive than the aquarium strips!

 

[Relic]

There is a minimum time you need to wait before reading a strip. Different tests from different manufacturers may take more time to react with the chemicals in your sample. The strip test is not meant to be accurate, there is no numerical value and there are many variables that have an effect on the outcome. What was your SN stored in, and for how long?

 

[Endisclose]

I have 3 packages of SN in total, one from an international MNC and 2 from local brands. I trust the MNC one would be good as it should be manufactured to a good standard.. I dunno what testing it on receipt would do for me anyway.. I am paranoid about the SN going bad by the time I CTB.. so the only thing that'll reassure me is right before.

Not sure where you are from.. I am from India, so we might be looking at different brands.. The Salifert one luckily is available on Amazon here though, and I intend to order that soon.. There's one called the API nitrite kit and QPETS which looks like the strips you've used.. Guess I'll be using one among those three.

There is a minimum time you need to wait before reading a strip. Different tests from different manufacturers may take more time to react with the chemicals in your sample. The strip test is not meant to be accurate, there is no numerical value and there are many variables that have an effect on the outcome. What was your SN stored in, and for how long?

Exactly.. I asked an AI chatbot about this and it said that these aquarium test kits are not reliable or accurate and suggested I test it in a laboratory.. Right! Like I have access to that..

 

[heysunshine]

There is a minimum time you need to wait before reading a strip. Different tests from different manufacturers may take more time to react with the chemicals in your sample. The strip test is not meant to be accurate, there is no numerical value and there are many variables that have an effect on the outcome. What was your SN stored in, and for how long?

Thank you for your reply! I waited the min. time for both. One was 30 secs, the other was 60 secs. I am keeping everything except an emergency stash of 50g. in the original bags, however, I have those original bags (even the open one) wrapped in ziploc bags, then I put each of those in a vacuum-sealed bag, then I put the opened SN bag inside of a dark glass jar with an airtight seal. This opened bag is the bag that I test from. The emergency 50g is being stored in another glass jar with a (i think) airtight lid that I poured some candle wax around the seal to keep it airtight, and so I would know if someone tried to open it.

Would you know if the readings become invalid after a few minutes? Or does the reading settle into something that is more accurate as the water dries? Most of them eventually became a little darker, indicating more nitrite. But i'm unsure if that is a true reading.

I have 3 packages of SN in total, one from an international MNC and 2 from local brands. I trust the MNC one would be good as it should be manufactured to a good standard.. I dunno what testing it on receipt would do for me anyway.. I am paranoid about the SN going bad by the time I CTB.. so the only thing that'll reassure me is right before.

Not sure where you are from.. I am from India, so we might be looking at different brands.. The Salifert one luckily is available on Amazon here though, and I intend to order that soon.. There's one called the API nitrite kit and QPETS which looks like the strips you've used.. Guess I'll be using one among those three.

Exactly.. I asked an AI chatbot about this and it said that these aquarium test kits are not reliable or accurate and suggested I test it in a laboratory.. Right! Like I have access to that..

Ha! Test in a laboratory, if only!! I'm in the usa, and they do have some on amazon, thank goodness. I am really worried about the SN going bad as well. I hope that I put enough precautions in place to preserve it, but I am thinking that I am going to use whatever I have and try and make several drinks instead of just the one. That way I can take more if it doesn't seem to be working. My fear is drinking the SN, falling asleep, but waking up a few hours later feeling awful and failing to ctb. I'm so afraid of that, I just want it to work. I feel super anxious about everything being ready to go so that I can grab it and go once the time is right. Thank you for giving me this information. I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose to do!

 

[Relic]

I am keeping everything except an emergency stash of 50g. in the original bags, however, I have those original bags (even the open one) wrapped in ziploc bags, then I put each of those in a vacuum-sealed bag, then I put the opened SN bag inside of a dark glass jar with an airtight seal.

Normally I would say that a plastic bag is not enough, but you have kinda overdone it. Should be fine for a while.

Would you know if the readings become invalid after a few minutes? Or does the reading settle into something that is more accurate as the water dries? Most of them eventually became a little darker, indicating more nitrite. But i'm unsure if that is a true reading.

The readings don't become invalid, I found that there are a few pads that break down when dry, but nitrite and nitrate pads are fine.
What was the amount you were measuring, 5 or 10mg?

 

[heysunshine]

Normally I would say that a plastic bag is not enough, but you have kinda overdone it. Should be fine for a while.

yeahhhhh, i'm an extremely anxious and obsessive person. If I didn't overdo it, I would worry all the time about it becoming compromised. It's to quiet down some of my anxiety. I know it's ridiculous.

The readings don't become invalid, I found that there are a few pads that break down when dry, but nitrite and nitrate pads are fine.
What was the amount you were measuring, 5 or 10mg?

I believe I was measuring for 10mg. I measured 2.5g and put it in 500ml of distilled water. Stirred. Then added 1ml of water from that cup to a separate cup of 500ml. It is great to hear that the readings don't become invalid. It gives me some hope that maybe the tests take a while to fully read the Nitrite/nitrate? Like I said, and you can probably see in the photos, a lot of the strips seemed to get a little darker with time. I'm really hoping to not have to find another sn source. I don't want to have to go with another method either, so I'm a little concerned about the readings.

 

[Relic]

You can repeat the tests after a while, with the SN that is not in the nuclear blast proof packaging and compare the nitrate readings. Mark the strips with dates taken to avoid any Vietnam war flashbacks later.

Like I said, and you can probably see in the photos, a lot of the strips seemed to get a little darker with time.

The reaction is not instant, so this is normal. The fastest test is the reagent, but usually even there is a wait time. It has been a long time since I had aquariums, so I don't remember how much.

Overall your results seem fine, the nitrate reading could be a bit lower, but should not be a big deal. It won't degrade much further in the near future in what you have it right now.

 

[heysunshine]

You can repeat the tests after a while, with the SN that is not in the nuclear blast proof packaging and compare the nitrate readings

Thank you so much for the advice!! Yeah, that's what I will do. That way I have a chance to forget it for a while. When you say try the other sn, you mean the unopened bag? They're all basically in blast proof packaging lmao

Overall your results seem fine, the nitrate reading could be a bit lower, but should not be a big deal.

On some of the tests (little purple ones) the instructions indicated that when testing for nitrite, the nitrate coloration was not an actual measurement and to disregard it. There is some nitrate in the other testing strips though. I wonder if this is because of the packaging? When it arrived, the sn was inside a bag. But the bags had/one still has air inside. The bags themselves didn't have holes or anything, just had some air. Could this be affecting the nitrite, do you think? Would it be smart to relocate the unopened bag to a vacuum sealed on instead?

It won't degrade much further in the near future in what you have it right now.

I hope not! Thank you for helping me understand these results!

 

[Relic]

When you say try the other sn, you mean the unopened bag?

The unopened bag you can leave alone. But even when vacuum packing is more acceptable, it doesn't last indefinitely. You should monitor it for vacuum loss to prevent surprises. No need to install a camera, but once a month visual inspection would be good. The open bag you took your samples from, that one you can pack lazy if you're interested in monitoring stability.

On some of the tests (little purple ones) the instructions indicated that when testing for nitrite, the nitrate coloration was not an actual measurement and to disregard it.

Different manufacturers use their own blend of reactants, but probably there will be some response from all the nitrate pads when testing for nitrites.
In my case that response was weak and when the strip dried, it returned to zero. Nitrite pad remained the same.

There is some nitrate in the other testing strips though. I wonder if this is because of the packaging? When it arrived, the sn was inside a bag. But the bags had/one still has air inside. The bags themselves didn't have holes or anything, just had some air. Could this be affecting the nitrite, do you think? Would it be smart to relocate the unopened bag to a vacuum sealed on instead?

Nitrites react with oxygen and gain the extra atom. The air is mostly nitrogen, but that 21% of oxygen would be better off elsewhere, not around nitrites. As long as there is not too much of it in the bag, you could leave it for a while. But if you can't get it out of mind, find some glass bottle/jar you can fill completely and wax seal it. So you could have some different nightmares for a change when you sleep.
Basically it all depends, for how long you need to keep it. A year, five, ten, or more. A plastic bag is always meant to be a temporary storage, a cost saving for the manufacturer.

 

[restless.dreams]

I agree with what what @Carcass said, and please be careful about taste testing the SN! Seems risky...

 

[Unsure and alone]

Normally I would say that a plastic bag is not enough, but you have kinda overdone it. Should be fine for a while.

What is your suggestion for storing SN ?

I'm storing it in the original bags .
Then in a plastic container.

Inside another plastic container that keeps it dark and hidden.

Although I am opening the second plastic container for other reasons. SN isn't the only thing being stored in that container.

One of the original bags was opened so I could test it .
The other bags have not been opened ever.

 

[Relic]

What is your suggestion for storing SN ?

I'm storing it in the original bags .
Then in a plastic container.

Inside another plastic container that keeps it dark and hidden.

Although I am opening the second plastic container for other reasons. SN isn't the only thing being stored in that container.

One of the original bags was opened so I could test it .
The other bags have not been opened ever.

Hermetically sealed glass bottle/jar, filled up to the top.
The original bag, is it vacuum or regular?
These containers won't give you much, as there is air between every layer.
It all depends on for how long do you need to keep it.

 

[Unsure and alone]

Hermetically sealed glass bottle/jar, filled up to the top.
The original bag, is it vacuum or regular?
These containers won't give you much, as there is air between every layer.
It all depends on for how long do you need to keep it.

I think vacuum.

I'm not sure what a hermetically sealed jar is or how to get one .

I don't know how long I need yet.

So I'm wanting to preserve it to it's full lifespan just in case.
Okay well now I feel a bit dumb for not realizing Hermetically sealed means airtight.

But I guess better to be learning about this now than even later.

I should have thought about how to remove the air before this anyways .

I guess I better try and hurry on that now.

I did try and test the plastic container though

 

[Relic]

preserve it to it's full lifespan

When correctly stored, it's indefinite.
If you don't want this on your mind all the time. just use brown glass container, seal it with wax, and done.
Just ensure no contact with metal, if the cap/lid is made of any.

 

[lilin]

When correctly stored, it's indefinite.
If you don't want this on your mind all the time. just use brown glass container, seal it with wax, and done.
Just ensure no contact with metal, if the cap/lid is made of any.

Could you recommend any online tutorials on how to properly seal a bottle with wax? Are there any good videos on youtube? Also, do you think that if I have a glass bottle that is only half-filled with sn and then seal it with wax + vacuum seal in a foil, will it still last forever or will the air in the bottle slowly degrade sn? Sorry for bothering you with those questions but you seem like a really knowledgeable person

 

[Relic]

Could you recommend any online tutorials on how to properly seal a bottle with wax? Are there any good videos on youtube? Also, do you think that if I have a glass bottle that is only half-filled with sn and then seal it with wax + vacuum seal in a foil, will it still last forever or will the air in the bottle slowly degrade sn? Sorry for bothering you with those questions but you seem like a really knowledgeable person

I used candle wax out of necessity decades back when silicone sealants were not available, and discovered that it works well for that purpose. Since then, every time I thought I could use some of the commercial options, all the stuff I had around the house was already dried/solidified. These are also not neutral since most of them contain acetic acid, so it still needs to be sealed with wax first.

But It's rather simple, just melt some candles, or if you're really into it, either beeswax, or some wax designed specifically for sealing bottles, and dip it. Well, with paraffin wax it should be several layers, as it's brittle when cold. Everyone has probably some candles lying around, more specific stuff needs to be bought. There are many guides online, just search Google for "how to seal bottles with wax".

 

[lilin]

I used candle wax out of necessity decades back when silicone sealants were not available, and discovered that it works well for that purpose. Since then, every time I thought I could use some of the commercial options, all the stuff I had around the house was already dried/solidified. These are also not neutral since most of them contain acetic acid, so it still needs to be sealed with wax first.

But It's rather simple, just melt some candles, or if you're really into it, either beeswax, or some wax designed specifically for sealing bottles, and dip it. Well, with paraffin wax it should be several layers, as it's brittle when cold. Everyone has probably some candles lying around, more specific stuff needs to be bought. There are many guides online, just search Google for "how to seal bottles with wax".

Thanks! Do you think that sealing wax (the one that's also used for stamps) is chemically neutral and it's safe for sn? If somehow tiny bits of it get into the bottle. Is it as safe as melted candles?

 

[Relic]

Thanks! Do you think that sealing wax (the one that's also used for stamps) is chemically neutral and it's safe for sn? If somehow tiny bits of it get into the bottle. Is it as safe as melted candles?

It should work well when heated until it's thin enough. It needs to fill all the gaps. You should place a plastic film under the cap anyway, small enough so all of it fits under the cap. Nothing should be in the bottle with the SN.

 

[Unsure and alone]

@ Carcass thanks so much for taking the time to answer these questions.

Do you think it would be a good idea to leave the SN in the original vacuum bag to put it in the glass jar ?

How does the bottle being brown affect it ?

Less light ?

 

[_Broken_alice]

Too mentally drained to read all of this atm, but you really need to follow the strip instructions precisely. Submerge the test pad in the solution for as close to the specified time as possible (use a timer), and tap it on something to remove any excess solution at the end of that time. If you leave it for longer, that result is worthless. Timing is absolutely critical due to how the strips work.

 

[Relic]

Do you think it would be a good idea to leave the SN in the original vacuum bag to put it in the glass jar ?

For how long you want to store it? The vacuum does not last forever, and you won't even notice it's gone because the salt forms a brick and everything looks fine at first glance.

How does the bottle being brown affect it ?

Less light ?

Blocks UV light like others, but also all other light under 450nm. While nitrites and nitrates are photosensitizers, there is evidence of nitrite photooxidation in aqueous solution. Nothing more than a precaution and replicating the storage conditions of the SN that was tested for purity after three decades. It is just done to not think about about what if's. People who do not care about keeping it for a longer period of time should not worry about it.

 

[lilin]

For how long you want to store it? The vacuum does not last forever, and you won't even notice it's gone because the salt forms a brick and everything looks fine at first glance.


Blocks UV light like others, but also all other light under 450nm. While nitrites and nitrates are photosensitizers, there is evidence of nitrite photooxidation in aqueous solution. Nothing more than a precaution and replicating the storage conditions of the SN that was tested for purity after three decades. It is just done to not think about about what if's. People who do not care about keeping it for a longer period of time should not worry about it.

I have transparent glass bottle. Will it work if I wrap it into black paper or something like that? Do you think it will protect it enough?

 

[Relic]

I have transparent glass bottle. Will it work if I wrap it into black paper or something like that? Do you think it will protect it enough?

It will. The main focus is on the oxygen and ensuring that the container is airtight.

 

[Birdola]

Hey all! First, thank you for all the support and advice that people have shared with me. It's been so great to be in a space where people are compassionate and understanding. <3 Thanks in advance for any advice you have.

So, I received my SN. I got enough to run some tests. I've done two rounds of them so far, but the first round a couple days ago wasn't giving me great results (around 5mg/l). Admittedly, I didn't follow Vizzy's instructions completely when testing the first time and maybe things were a little inaccurate. I decided to relax and hope for the best, but now I'm feeling really cagey. I'm being monitored and accompanied a whole lot more by my partner. People are starting to clue in to my odd behavior, and ask questions, and i'm worried about how much longer I have before my plans are discovered. I want the option to CTB asap, if necessary, so I decided to try testing again and follow all the instructions. I'm still getting weird results though. Would someone be willing to help me interpret these SN aquarium test strip results? I did several strips because I realized I was getting so many different readings. Unfortunately, most of the results seem a little low, but some others are right on target. This is confusing for me. Any thoughts about what this could mean for this batch of SN? Is it not strong enough? On the bag it claims to be Reagent grade, 99%, but these results don't seem to fit with that.

I used two different types of test strips and encountered varying results with both. Most of the strips seem to fall closer to the 5mg/l, ppm color or slightly between 5 and 10. A couple were right at 10. I feel like 5mg/l seems like a really bad result. Isn't it supposed to be at 10? Would I still be able to CTB with 5mg/l?

Spoiler: Test strips, A

View attachment 131454

The strips do darken quite a lot after a couple of minutes. If I went by the older tests, nearly all the tests would be perfect. However, wouldn't 3-5 minutes be much too long to wait to read the results, though? Or is this like pregnancy test rules or something and the result is just the result no matter how long of a time passes? I'm not sure how these strips work and how long the reading is good for. I tried to read the results between about 30secs-2 minutes, but still encountered varying results. So, I did more tests!

1. These are examples of the lower results. You can see that the color seems to fall around 5, or somewhere between 5 and 10.
   
   Spoiler: Strip 1 - Low

   View attachment 131450
   Spoiler: Strip 2 - Low

   View attachment 131451
2. These next results seem much more close to 10, but I get only a few instances of this color within the 1 minute window. It usually takes 2-3 minutes to reach this color for the majority of strips, but some don't ever reach this color.
   
   Spoiler: Strip 3 - Target

   View attachment 131452
   Spoiler: Strip 4 - Target

   View attachment 131453
3. After about 3-5 minutes, the colors all become much darker. Not all the strips, but most. Here are all of the strips. You can see that the ones on the right (the oldest tests) are very dark on the nitrite square. The ones on the left were just done a minute or two before the picture was taken. Still, there's a lot of weird variation between results. You can also see some discoloration in the other testing panels.
   
   Spoiler: Test strips, B

   View attachment 131455
   Is that discoloration indicating that the results are no longer valid? I thought I followed the instructions well. Am I missing something in reading these results? Or is this just bad SN? Ughh, I will be devastated if it is. I thought this source would work for me.

I got desperate, so I even tasted it. I just got a bit of SN on the tip of my finger, licked it off, and dared the universe to go ahead and strike me down. It was a little salty, but not that bad. Nothing really happened physically except a super peaceful, relaxed feeling after a few minutes. Like being pretty dazed/out of it, or maybe a little stoned. But who knows, maybe that was just in my mind or something? Stress? No stomach pain or headaches or anything. **EDIT** I felt/am feeling a little woozy, and my chest/throat burns a little... maybe like heartburn? I'm not sure as I don't think i have had heartburn before. It's almost like I have the tiniest of hangovers, but no headache, and it's a little burny in my chest. It's been a couple hours since I tasted it, so that may be unrelated, (again, stress or something??) but wanted to mention it in case anyone is curious.

Idk what to think about this, but I'm especially worried considering DMC isn't selling atm and maybe won't be able to in future. Any thoughts on these results? Is my SN a flop?

I think you will drive yourself crazy trying to match the colors exactly. In the testing of nitrite that Dr. Nitchke's video showed, I thought the results were too light in color (closer to the 5) but he said it was pure. He also said he didn't know of any company selling bad SN. I'm going to test my 2 different SN and see what I find. If it looks like Dr. N's example I will trust it. You can't tell anything relevant by observing the color at 2 or 3 minutes. The result will just get darker. I've used these strips for the past 2 years regularly to check results for urinary tract infections. The color darkens after the time of 30 seconds.

 

[heysunshine]

I think you will drive yourself crazy trying to match the colors exactly. In the testing of nitrite that Dr. Nitchke's video showed, I thought the results were too light in color (closer to the 5) but he said it was pure. He also said he didn't know of any company selling bad SN. I'm going to test my 2 different SN and see what I find. If it looks like Dr. N's example I will trust it. You can't tell anything relevant by observing the color at 2 or 3 minutes. The result will just get darker. I've used these strips for the past 2 years regularly to check results for urinary tract infections. The color darkens after the time of 30 seconds.

Very interesting. Do you have a link you can share of this video by Dr. N? I haven't gotten to see it.

One of my tests wasn't ready to read until after 30 sec, and another wasn't ready until after 1 minute or more, so I don't know if disregarding results after 30 seconds, like you mention, would be reasonable to accurately judge the strips I got. That's what I did at first, but I found it rarely provided results that seemed to fit. Perhaps (I hope ) the test strips are different across brands or depending on use. Were you using aquarium strips to check for uti? Or uti test strips? Also, wouldn't the result getting darker within a couple of minutes still be within a timeframe acceptable for reading the result? I would assume letting too much time, like hours or days, would skew results, but just a few minutes? On my testing strips, there's no instruction for how long the strips are accurate for. Sorry if I seem like I'm grilling you, I don't mean to. Your response is sort of freaking me out, because it's different than what I am being told by others, and I feel so much uncertainty about the tests I've performed and I can't fail. I'm not a pro with the test strips. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

 

[Birdola]

Very interesting. Do you have a link you can share of this video by Dr. N? I haven't gotten to see it.

One of my tests wasn't ready to read until after 30 sec, and another wasn't ready until after 1 minute or more, so I don't know if disregarding results after 30 seconds, like you mention, would be reasonable to accurately judge the strips I got. That's what I did at first, but I found it rarely provided results that seemed to fit. Perhaps (I hope ) the test strips are different across brands or depending on use. Were you using aquarium strips to check for uti? Or uti test strips? Also, wouldn't the result getting darker within a couple of minutes still be within a timeframe acceptable for reading the result? I would assume letting too much time, like hours or days, would skew results, but just a few minutes? On my testing strips, there's no instruction for how long the strips are accurate for. Sorry if I seem like I'm grilling you, I don't mean to. Your response is sort of freaking me out, because it's different than what I am being told by others, and I feel so much uncertainty about the tests I've performed and I can't fail. I'm not a pro with the test strips. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

I understand the big fear of failing!! I worry also, but not so much about the SN. I worry that the sleeping med I ordered. I fear it will never come or will not be real if it does come. Would be $338 wasted. I don't know how to send links. The video is in the appendix (I think) of the PPH. I, personally, I won't take any result after 45 seconds to be reliable.

 

[grahf]

Hello can someone help me with reading this test, are my nitrates upper is high
1 nitrates
2 nitrite