Hanna vs salifert nitrate results

[Solasis]

I just tested my nitrate with the salifert test and it told me the tank was between 25-50 ppm. This was looking top down. I checked with my hanna LR checker and it told me 2.23 ppm. Am I just horrible at reading color charts, or screwed up my hanna test massively? Not sure who to trust. I didn't do the dilution process on the hanna test.

 

[Garf]

I just tested my nitrate with the salifert test and it told me the tank was between 25-50 ppm. This was looking top down. I checked with my hanna LR checker and it told me 2.23 ppm. Am I just horrible at reading color charts, or screwed up my hanna test massively? Not sure who to trust. I didn't do the dilution process on the hanna test.

I expect you will never know the answer to this unless you make a solution out of known chemicals to make a calibration solution. Most would probably disregard the Salifert and trust Hanna however.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I expect you will never know the answer to this unless you make a solution out of known chemicals to make a calibration solution. Most would probably disregard the Salifert and trust Hanna however.

I find the Salifert exactly matches the Hanna HR Nitrate for me over the last 2 years.

I don't have the Hanna LR Nitrate so I can't comment about that test.

 

[Garf]

I find the Salifert exactly matches the Hanna HR Nitrate for me over the last 2 years.

I don't have the Hanna LR Nitrate so I can't comment about that test.

API seemed more accurate (nitrate) than Salifert to me but I appear to have trouble with shades of pink and blue (nitrate and phosphate). Wasn’t till I made calibration solutions that the truth came into focus, not that I think either are that important at the levels I’ve got, lol.

 

[MrGisonni]

The words of our tech guys that I always default to come to mind here.
" user error" I have botched plenty of tests BTW. Now when I use my Hannah, I pulverize the powder packet really well clean the curvette with a dust free cloth, use a lab measuring device for my sample, pay attention to how I line the curvette up, use a small funnel to add my powder, open the packet to ensure all powder is out, shake for a timed 2 minutes then add the curvette back lined up the same way from before. FWIW try the test again.

 

[Solasis]

Alright, little update. I went out today and bought a hanna nitrate HR since that one is much faster to use with less user error possible. It told me exactly 5.0 ppm, so I'm assuming that 2.23 ppm from the LR is the accurate number. Not sure what is up with the salifert test..