API Nitrate test kit, not good for salt water.

[Sean Clark]

If you don't like API nitrate test kits then do not use them... Seams pretty simple to me.

 

[anthonygf]

I have the Hanna HR nitrate and the salifert. The Salifert agrees almost exactly from 2-20ppm - at least the batch I have.

Maybe I have a bad batch? I also used a new unopened kit from API and is the same.

 

[polyppal]

Whenever API sees their name mentioned on R2R

 

[anthonygf]

Whenever API sees their name mentioned on R2R

It's sad because I think they are the best for fresh water testing.

 

[anthonygf]

Oh, I read all of the posts (including your moderated posts), I am not sure why you have been so hostile to everyone that responds. Have a wonderful evening.

I'm sorry if I am being hostile but it doesn't help me when some people belittle me and say things that are not in line with the post. I suffer from a mild case of depression and when someone puts me down or says something negative or hurtful it hurts, imagine someone with severe depression, this can leed to suicide. I truly am sorry if my words hurt you, I was not raised this way. I grew up in a Catholic household and my parents never hurt anyone and taught me to respect everyone and love thy neighbor. Yuo have a great evening also.

 

[52728299]

Hello fellow reefers. I use API master test kit for my fresh water cichlid tank. Just for curiosity sake I used the API Nitrate test for my reef and got zero, no nitrate. I have been using Salifert Nitrate test kit for my reef and my nitrate levels have been pretty steady around 25ppm for a couple years. What do you think about that? I hope new reefers see this and realize just because it says for fresh or salt water on the kit don't believe it. API is very good for fresh water but I would never use API for salt.

I will test this tomorrow. I will test at home with pictures then take a sample to an lfs with no api testing equipment, I'm sure I can find one there's 4 stores relatively close by. This will be good research for me personally and possibly for others. If its unreasonably inaccurate I will be purchasing another test kit.. my reef test kit cal, mag etc.. is salifert and my phosphates test is red sea but I have been using the saltwater master test kit from api so I would very much like to know how off it is for me.

 

[Reef.]

I wouldn’t have thought that API makes a separate nitrate test for their master test kit, both are likely the same test just labelled differently.
I think the reason some think the API is not accurate is because it’s hard to read the colour chart, just this second did a side by side test with the Hanna and API, HanNa was 19.1, API was near enough at the 20 mark, no way near the near step down which is 10.

 

[Reef.]

Hello fellow reefers. I use API master test kit for my fresh water cichlid tank. Just for curiosity sake I used the API Nitrate test for my reef and got zero, no nitrate. I have been using Salifert Nitrate test kit for my reef and my nitrate levels have been pretty steady around 25ppm for a couple years. What do you think about that? I hope new reefers see this and realize just because it says for fresh or salt water on the kit don't believe it. API is very good for fresh water but I would never use API for salt.

Sorry I didn’t address your post directly, I think it’s either a bad batch or you could be carrying out the test steps incorrectly, I have the API very accurate.

 

[anthonygf]

I will test this tomorrow. I will test at home with pictures then take a sample to an lfs with no api testing equipment, I'm sure I can find one there's 4 stores relatively close by. This will be good research for me personally and possibly for others. If its unreasonably inaccurate I will be purchasing another test kit.. my reef test kit cal, mag etc.. is salifert and my phosphates test is red sea but I have been using the saltwater master test kit from api so I would very much like to know how off it is for me.

I have 2 or 3 different brands for each test and on occasion will compare.

 

[anthonygf]

Sorry I didn’t address your post directly, I think it’s either a bad batch or you could be carrying out the test steps incorrectly, I have the API very accurate.

Well I know for a fact I do it correctly, I have 40 years experience with API on all my fresh water tanks. I opened a new kit and the same results. If the readings were off a little (even by 10ppm)I would be okay but to actually get zero is a little concerning.

 

[anthonygf]

I will test this tomorrow. I will test at home with pictures then take a sample to an lfs with no api testing equipment, I'm sure I can find one there's 4 stores relatively close by. This will be good research for me personally and possibly for others. If its unreasonably inaccurate I will be purchasing another test kit.. my reef test kit cal, mag etc.. is salifert and my phosphates test is red sea but I have been using the saltwater master test kit from api so I would very much like to know how off it is for me.

I have been comparing test kits for 40 years, most are off a little. there is not one test kit that will have such a big difference and never have seen one so far off.

 

[Reef.]

Well I know for a fact I do it correctly, I have 40 years experience with API on all my fresh water tanks. I opened a new kit and the same results. If the readings were off a little (even by 10ppm)I would be okay but to actually get zero is a little concerning.

My last batch of Hanna po4 gave a reading of zero, so it could very well be the reagents…as Sherlock Holmes says

When you have eliminated all which is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

 

[52728299]

For what it's worth. Lfs gave me the following numbers for ph, nitrates and ammonia:

Ph 8.0
Nitrates 3.0
Ammonia 0.1

Now here are my test pictures from home

Make your own conclusions i guess

 

[Reef.]

For what it's worth. Lfs gave me the following numbers for ph, nitrates and ammonia:

Ph 8.0
Nitrates 3.0
Ammonia 0.1

Now here are my test pictures from home

Make your own conclusions i guess

I would agree with all apart from ammonia, which looks zero to me.

I would like to see your nitrates in the orange, 3 is low.

 

[anthonygf]

For what it's worth. Lfs gave me the following numbers for ph, nitrates and ammonia:

Ph 8.0
Nitrates 3.0
Ammonia 0.1

Now here are my test pictures from home

Make your own conclusions i guess

You should try another kit Salifert to see if that number is correct. If that is the only test you have done then you are cheating yourself. It may very well be higher, you don't. One test is no proof that is what the actual number is. If you do test with Salifert and it is in fact around 3ppm then I will believe it. I Just don't tust that number, get it verified for reef's sake. Thank you for sharing.

 

[52728299]

I would agree with all apart from ammonia, which looks zero to me.

I would like to see your nitrates in the orange, 3 is low.

Yea may start feeding more.

You should try another kit Salifert to see if that number is correct. If that is the only test you have done then you are cheating yourself. It may very well be higher, you don't. One test is no proof that is what the actual number is. If you do test with Salifert and it is in fact around 3ppm then I will believe it. I Just don't tust that number, get it verified for reef's sake. Thank you for sharing.

Yea it's a fairly new tank (1 month) and I've done like 3 water changes in less than a week which may be the reason. But I'm not opposed to getting a new kit.

 

[anthonygf]

I wouldn’t have thought that API makes a separate nitrate test for their master test kit, both are likely the same test just labelled differently.
I think the reason some think the API is not accurate is because it’s hard to read the colour chart, just this second did a side by side test with the Hanna and API, HanNa was 19.1, API was near enough at the 20 mark, no way near the near step down which is 10.

Maybe my Salifert is wrong and API is correct? I would trust Salifert over API for salt but API is my best kits for fresh.

 

[Reef.]

Maybe my Salifert is wrong and API is correct? I would trust Salifert over API for salt but API is my best kits for fresh.

When I moved from salifert to Hanna my salifert was giving a much lower reading.

 

[52728299]

I ordered the salifert ammonia and nitrate tests so I will try it out later, sposed to come in later today

 

[anthonygf]

When I moved from salifert to Hanna my salifert was giving a much lower reading.

I have the same issues with the other test kits for alk, cal etc. As long as they are in the same general safe range it will be okay to maintain a safe number, how can you use a product when it gives you a reading so far off, you can't use it to maintain a certain parameter.