Nitrate Test Kit

Booswalia

Booswalia

AC Members
Apr 16, 2003
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Prince Edward Island
www.sonnys.ca
Hi,
What would people recommend for a nitrate test kit. I've tried AP's test and Hagen's test. I find both of them impossible to read. The colours are just too close between 10 and 20 and barely distinguishable between 20, 30 and 40.
That's not much good when the water out your tap reads 10ppm.

Does anyone know of a better kit?

Thanks.

PS: Kinda new to the group here. "Hello" to everyone. :)
 
I use tetra test and it works fine for me. Above 25ppm the colors start to blend a bit, but you shouldn't let it get over 12.5 anyway. If it's coming out of your tap at 10ppm you may never have to dose KNO3. Just do a weekly water change.
And welcome to our little asylum!!!
Len
 
I have been using AP's Nitrate test kit, lately. It seems to work fine for me. I think maybe you are doing what I seem to like to do....which is micro-manage parts of your tank. I wouldn't worry about minor differences in colors. It doesn't have to be very accurate. If you want a perfect color for your plants choose a light orange-ish color (between 5 to 10ppm) if it is darker than a regular orange color, lay off the KNO3 ferts or do a water change, if necessary. You should never let your colors get red, even without plants, IMO (40+ppm). I keep mine around 10ppm in all my tanks (adding it to my planted tank, of coarse!)

My advice, is to not get too caught up with exact values. It isn't that precise of a science. Better to watch your plants' response anyways!

HTH.

Edit: I use the AP liquid Nitrate test, though.....is that what you are using? I also have tried the pricey Salifert test kit, and I REALLY don't like that kit......very hard to read (all different shades of red)
 
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The problem is this....

Nitrate is coming out of my tap at dark orange, according to AP test, and it's quite normal for my tank to read higher than that. It's not possible to keep my tank out of the red zone and once it's red, I can't tell if it's low red or high red.

My plants don't seem to using up the nitrates like they used to. Again... I'm suspect of the substrate.

I'm thinking a tear down and build again route. After 6 years, I would think it's time. Don't you think?

Shirley
 
Originally posted by Sumpin'fishy
I also have tried the pricey Salifert test kit, and I REALLY don't like that kit......very hard to read (all different shades of red)
Click to expand...

I used the Salifert test kit yesterday for the first time to test NO3 (had it lying around since my reef isn't up and running yet), and I was quite pleased with how easy it was to read. But then again, I'm comparing it to Dry-Tab test kit.
 
What are those test strips like? Are the colours any easier to distiguish from one another?

I think I have a black cloud over me lately. Now one of lights isn't workin. :(

Shirley
 
Six years is probably time to re-do at least part of the tank. Take out 1/4 to 1/3 of the tank and Completely vaccum the gravel and then replant fresh plants (or ones still vigorously growing) Then wait 3 to 6 months and do the next area. This way in 9 months to a year and a half, you will have a fresh tank. You may also need to add some substrate ferts. I don't know what kind of substrate you are using, but many will wear out over time. It may just be easiest to re-do the whole tank, though!

Sometimes, it's nice to start from scratch!
 
I do what S.F. suggest.
I do it to maintain or slightly change the gravel slope etc.
A good cleaning helps every so often.

One thing that really increases NO3 uptake is adding PO4.
If you have good CO2 levels, 20-30ppm range during the entire light period, you add K+, Traces and have NO3's, then adding this is likely the hold up.

PO4 will really drive carbohydrate and amino acid synthesis much faster.
I have about a 10 :1 ratio of PO4 uptake to NO3 uptake.

So a 0.2 ppm PO4 will eat about 2ppm of NO3.

I'd do a the old 50% water change, add some K2SO4, traces, PO4 and see if the kits reads less after 3 days. Add more K, PO4, traces again at the 3 rd day. Measure on the 6th day. If there's no movement, I think it's time to retire the test kit.

You can also make a known standard to test and compare the test kit against.

Most kits are terrible and/or not in the right rnage for planted tanks. The only ones I've found that are good run 55-90$ by Lamott and Hach etc.

But you can guess and also call the tap water company and see what the levels delievered to you are and compare those to your test kits and make adjustments.

Do you have a high fish load or CO2 etc?

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
Thanks PlantBrain. I'll have to brush up on my chemistry a bit to figure out all those "Brain twisters" ;) , but I think I can do it.

I have pmdd dry ingredients, perhaps I'll put on my lab coat and mix up some o' that there P04 seperately.

It will be a few weeks before I can re-do my tank. I will have to order some things in. Like a good substrate.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Shirley
 
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