Nitrate Test Kits - Easy to read low readings

[reeftank21]

Looking for a Nitrate test kit that is easy to read low or very low levels of Nitrate. Before a buy a different kit I would appreciate some advice. Looking for easy to read below 5. Some kits are just too hard to determine very small changes in color.

thanks

 

[Dylan]

Salifert?

 

[Ike]

All of them are difficult to distinguise at low levels... Here's an interesting comparo from RC... Elos may be your best bet.

A test of Nitrate Test Kits - Reef Central Online Community

 

[mike68]

i like elos the best.

 

[TonyB]

Hands down answer is Seachem. Will read to .1 and includes a 10ppm reference solution. Accuracy is spot on as I've verified them with tests performed by awt.com

 

[reeftank21]

The link that Ike has is very interesting. I'm torn between Elos and Seachem. Seachem is about a third of the price but if its not accurate its not worth anything. Maybe I will try both. then again.
I just think that my Nitrates might be a bit higher than what I think. The API kit reads more like between 5 and 10 but maybe its 0. The colors are hard to determine. The reason I think nitrates are not 0 is that most everything else in my tank is fine but my sps just don't thrive like I think they should. I think its worth looking into.
Thanks

 

[Ike]

Just curious, why do you want such high resolution when testing nitrates? The difference between 5ppm and 10ppm isn't going to matter when it comes to inhabitants, nor will either really harm SPS. With the API if it's not clear you've got some nitrates, just like every other kit I've used... So, why would you think it's possible that your nitrates are udetectable id here's some color in your sample?

 

[reeftank21]

I'm having a hard time determining the colors of the scale on the API. The sample is yellow but it might have the slightest discoloration. I'm testing a sulfur denitrator to see if it works or not.

 

[shaggy420]

i would not recommend salifert. i really like most of their test kits, and maybe i just got a bad nitrate kit, but the test i have reads over 100ppm which i know is false. i still have sps and inverts alive and doing well. i took it to the lfs and had it tested and their reading came out to 10 on one test(after over 3 minutes when it only required one) and 15 on another.

 

[Sikryd]

Hands down answer is Seachem. Will read to .1 and includes a 10ppm reference solution. Accuracy is spot on as I've verified them with tests performed by awt.com

+1

Cheap too

 

[Ike]

I'm having a hard time determining the colors of the scale on the API. The sample is yellow but it might have the slightest discoloration. I'm testing a sulfur denitrator to see if it works or not.

That's right, sorry about that, I forgot the API was yellow at 0.