Any one knows what chemicals the Nitrate test kit use? I have the Freshwater
Master Test kit, it uses 2 different bottles chemicals. #2 bottle need 1
minute to shake before use, than another minute to shake the mix another 5
minutes to develop the color. So it takes all most 10 minutes to read the
Nitrate.
Why is Nitrate test is so complicated?
I also use the Jungle 5-in -1 Quick dip tester, it gives a Nitrate reading
in 1 minute, seems just as accurate.
Thanks, Julius

Most Nitrate kits that I have come across are similar and some are prone to
requiring too much operator interpretation which tends to make them worse
than useless unless you only require a guide number. I have not had good
experiences with the quick-dip testers, their accuracy is not very
consistent for nitrates (and IMHO are suspect generally).

I have just done two nitrate tests on my reef aquarium. One (Red Sea) said
25 ppm the other (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) said 15 ppm - both are too high
I know but the difference in kits and the result interpretation issues make
them difficult and time consuming to use.

Anyone know of any accurate and quick kits?

Mark

wrote:
Most Nitrate kits that I have come across are similar and some are prone to
requiring too much operator interpretation which tends to make them worse
than useless unless you only require a guide number. I have not had good
experiences with the quick-dip testers, their accuracy is not very
consistent for nitrates (and IMHO are suspect generally).

If you just want a quick "am I in a safe zone" check, then the dip strips
will serve this purpose. If you want "how many ppm do I have", then that's
where the dip strips are suspect. I've found them great as a "presence of"
indicator but very poor as a "how much" measurement. I have gotten good
with the Jungle 5-in-1 dip strips at interpretting its shades of pink as
under 10ppm (safe), 10-20ppm (my tap water levels, ugg) and 20-40ppm (my
cichlid tank thanks to the high tap water levels), but nothing more
definative than that. And those judgements were made not off its color
scale printed on the label but by comparing it to liquid kit results. Most
of the dry tab and liquid test kits do require shaking and waiting, but
it's the only way to get a good reading on exactly how many ppm you have.
As for the differing results, read the documentation. Some have different
ways of expressing their scales.

wrote:
Most Nitrate kits that I have come across are similar and some are prone to
requiring too much operator interpretation which tends to make them worse
than useless unless you only require a guide number. I have not had good
experiences with the quick-dip testers, their accuracy is not very
consistent for nitrates (and IMHO are suspect generally).

I have just done two nitrate tests on my reef aquarium. One (Red Sea) said
25 ppm the other (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) said 15 ppm - both are too high
I know but the difference in kits and the result interpretation issues make
them difficult and time consuming to use.

Anyone know of any accurate and quick kits?

Mark

LaMotte is supposedly very accurate, but I've never shelled out for one
so I don't know how fast it is. My Seachem kit has a 10 ppm standard
you can run to compare, but it's slow and the dropper bottle for one of
the reagents is difficult to use - hard to get a the required single drop.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Elaine T wrote:
wrote:

Most Nitrate kits that I have come across are similar and some are
prone to
requiring too much operator interpretation which tends to make them worse
than useless unless you only require a guide number. I have not had good
experiences with the quick-dip testers, their accuracy is not very
consistent for nitrates (and IMHO are suspect generally).

I have just done two nitrate tests on my reef aquarium. One (Red Sea)
said
25 ppm the other (Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) said 15 ppm - both are too
high
I know but the difference in kits and the result interpretation issues
make
them difficult and time consuming to use.

Anyone know of any accurate and quick kits?

Mark


LaMotte is supposedly very accurate, but I've never shelled out for one
so I don't know how fast it is. My Seachem kit has a 10 ppm standard
you can run to compare, but it's slow and the dropper bottle for one of
the reagents is difficult to use - hard to get a the required single drop.


Ahh, those dropper bottles. I keep getting bubbles of reagent issuing
forth instead of a complete drop of reagent. The bubble-drop then bursts
and random amounts of reagent drop into the sample. Means restarting
with fresh sample.

Nikki