Red Sea NO3 test kit concern....

[Fish Werx]

So, I have a brand new Red Sea pro NO3 test kit. I have probably tested with it 5 or 6 occasions doubling up on the tests on some of them.

Exp date is late 2018, so I think Im good there. I follow the instructions and measurements exactly, I actually use a stopwatch to time each step including the agitation of the reagents.

Every time I end up with a little bit of what I can only describe as precipitate (sp?) of the powders in the final solution after waiting the required 9 minutes...
I make sure it is all shaken and mixed well before the 9 minute wait time. But each time there is some little dark colored "clumps" floating around in the vial when it comes time to read the results.

Is this normal? Or is it messing up my readings on my tests? I am having a bit of a PO4 jump in my tank due to dosing the Fluconazole and all my equipment offline, but the No3 hasn't risen at all according to this test kit.

Thanks for any help you may have.

 

[saltyhog]

Following as I have the same problem.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

Yes, that is normal, especially if you are running the higher range tests. When my nitrates were >10ppm, I would get the precipitate and so would my reefer buddy. Once nitrates were <4 ppm, the black flecks went away.

 

[saltyhog]

I'm running the low range and the "precipitate" I'm having is light gray....almost like the "B" reagent.

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I'm running the low range and the "precipitate" I'm having is light gray....almost like the "B" reagent.

hmmmm...haven't seen that one before.

 

[cmcoker]

I'm interested to see what Randy says. I just assumed this was part of the reaction that takes place. .
I kinda was thinking it was unreacted reagent or something

 

[Fish Werx]

I should have stated that my NO3 is reading less than .25ppm but not quite a true clear 0.00
If this clumping is normal and part of the process then that is totally fine. I just wasnt sure if I had a faulty test kit or what because like I said, my Po4 has more than doubled in the time that I have been using this Fluconazole method to fight bryyopsis and GHA. The No3 and it hasn't budged at all. I find that kind of hard to understand.

 

[cmcoker]

I should have stated that my NO3 is reading less than .25ppm but not quite a true clear 0.00
If this clumping is normal and part of the process then that is totally fine. I just wasnt sure if I had a faulty test kit or what because like I said, my Po4 has more than doubled in the time that I have been using this Fluconazole method to fight bryyopsis and GHA. The No3 and it hasn't budged at all. I find that kind of hard to understand.

Did you use the capsule or tablets. I know the tablet has phosphates in the binders.

 

[Fish Werx]

Did you use the capsule or tablets. I know the tablet has phosphates in the binders.

Capsules. I turned off my gfo and carbon as well as turned my skimmer down to not actually skim just in case it stripped the medication out of the system. So, I was looking for an increase in the levels. I was just wondering if the kit was working correctly is all.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm running the low range and the "precipitate" I'm having is light gray....almost like the "B" reagent.

Sorry, I don't know anything about that.

 

[cmcoker]

Sorry, I don't know anything about that.

Hey Randy the msds says the reagent A is sulphuric acid and reagent B is Zinc powder.

From a quick read these would produce a precipitate wouldn't they?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Zince sulfate is quite soluble, but there could be more than can dissolve.

 

[adadwa]

I believe that the zinc reduces the nitrate to nitrite and the nitrite is what's actually being measured. It's a variation of the cadmium reduction method of analyzing for nitrate with the zinc replaces the cadmium. Red Sea also has a nitrate/nitrite kit and to measure nitrite no Reagent B is added. The instructions are available on their web site. The precipitate you are seeing is most likely just a little bit of undissolved zinc and should have no effect on your results. I see the same thing when I do this test