No idea what my Nitrates are???

[jackson6745]

I've been using Salifert for quite some time and have been very happy with their nitrate testkit. When my last kit ran out, I ordered a new one and noticed it came with a new color card. This color card had different a different hue to the colors. So, with the new card my result was 50ppm, and the old card it looked like 25ppm. I don't think the reagent formula was changed to make different colors.

To make thinks more confusing my buddies salifert no3 kit said 10ppm, and another buddy checked with his API kit and got a result of 5ppm.

I am carbon dosing my tank and really need to know the no3 level so I can adjust my dosages. In desperation I ordered an Elos kit and a Nyos kit to compare results and possible get a average nitrate level.

Here are the results. I'll let you be the judge. The pics were taken in daylight and white balance is set perfect. I'm going with 25ppm because salifert and Nyos both say 25 If NYOS is correct it is by far the easiest to read. Only one of the color results on the chart looked close.

SALIFERT (25 or 50?)
IMG_6625 by rich colombo, on Flickr

NYOS (result reads 25)
IMG_6643 by rich colombo, on Flickr

Elos (maybe 10??)
IMG_6642 by rich colombo, on Flickr

 

[deerhunter06]

I would just call it 20-30

 

[Sabellafella]

I've been using Salifert for quite some time and have been very happy with their nitrate testkit. When my last kit ran out, I ordered a new one and noticed it came with a new color card. This color card had different a different hue to the colors. So, with the new card my result was 50ppm, and the old card it looked like 25ppm. I don't think the reagent formula was changed to make different colors.

To make thinks more confusing my buddies salifert no3 kit said 10ppm, and another buddy checked with his API kit and got a result of 5ppm.

I am carbon dosing my tank and really need to know the no3 level so I can adjust my dosages. In desperation I ordered an Elos kit and a Nyos kit to compare results and possible get a average nitrate level.

Here are the results. I'll let you be the judge. The pics were taken in daylight and white balance is set perfect. I'm going with 25ppm because salifert and Nyos both say 25 If NYOS is correct it is by far the easiest to read. Only one of the color results on the chart looked close.

SALIFERT (25 or 50?)
IMG_6625 by rich colombo, on Flickr

NYOS (result reads 25)
IMG_6643 by rich colombo, on Flickr

Elos (maybe 10??)
IMG_6642 by rich colombo, on Flickr

I like the nyos kit for nitrates quick and easy and the accuracy falls in the same category as the redsea nitrate test kit(high range) yours looks to be around 20 according to my googley eyes

 

[jackson6745]

20-30 sounds good to me

On the Elos kit do you supposed to look from the top of the vial? I didn't read that in the directions so I checked from the side.

 

[Sabellafella]

20-30 sounds good to me

On the Elos kit do you supposed to look from the top of the vial? I didn't read that in the directions so I checked from the side.

On their other test they ask to move the vile up 3 centimetre to ensure accuracy so maybe?

 

[jackson6745]

On their other test they ask to move the vile up 3 centimetre to ensure accuracy so maybe?

Ok thanks bro. I'm gonna be moving this kit 3cm from the garbage in a minute

 

[Rybren]

There is a thread on this very issue over on RC. Habib stated that he hasn't changed his reagents in a while. It looks like some of the cards came back from the printers with bad colours.

I've sent Habib a note asking for a new card (my Salifert test is reading much higher than API and a friends Salifert with the older card)