Red sea test kit readings

Sarah1990 · Feb 1, 2020

Does anyone else have trouble reading the red sea test kit results? I find it so hard to tell what reading it matches most sometimes and I'm worrying I may not be reading things as being as high as they really are.
Is there a test kit with easier to determine results?
What would you read these as? I'm thinking maybe just over 20 nitrate and 8pH??
Also regarding nitrates when does it become a dangerous amount? I only did a 15% water change 3 days ago and a 25% water change a week before that

Crabs McJones · Feb 1, 2020

I would say around 35 nitrate and 8.3 ph

Quietman · Feb 1, 2020

The scales get pretty big on all of them I've seen on nitrates above 20-30ppm. So yeah...above 30 ppm or so. Maybe the Red Sea Pro will be better for you?

Always had a problem reading purples for pH...you're close to 8.20 I'd say. One of first things I bought was pH meter (then I dropped in it sump) so one of the second things I bought was another pH meter

Much better than drops. That said, every time I double check or pre check with drops I'm within .1 or so of the meter so, maybe not so better after all.

mike550 · Feb 1, 2020

@Sarah1990 I was just running a nitrate test using Salifert and was getting frustrated that I couldn’t differentiate between 10 and 25. So in case you’re wondering Salifert isn’t much better.

Phil D. · Feb 1, 2020

Hanna Checkers.

mike550 · Feb 1, 2020

Phil D. said:
Hanna Checkers.

I don’t think Hanna makes a saltwater nitrate tester. If they did I’d buy it!

Uncle99 · Feb 1, 2020

I think the Hanna checker for Alk is great, but the CA one is not to accurate as the sample is too small.

That being said, For other than ALk, Salifert makes easy to read tests for a good price

PatW · Feb 1, 2020

The colormetric tests can drive you crazy. A problem you have is the tint you get is a bit different than the test cards. I would say that your nitrate is a bit higher than 20.... say 30 And pH 8.3. The Red Sea pro nitrate has worked better for me. But almost all nitrate tests run in gradations of pink.

hllb · Feb 1, 2020

For nitrate, I like the nyos kit I just got.

I tend to prefer Salifert overall and use the alk and po4 hanna checkers

mike550 · Feb 1, 2020

hllb said:
For nitrate, I like the nyos kit I just got.

I tend to prefer Salifert overall and use the alk and po4 hanna checkers

hllb what are the breakpoints on the test? Is it like 8, 12, 25...?

I seem to always get caught fighting with whether I’m closer to 10 or 20 When I’m using Salifert.

hllb · Feb 1, 2020

mike550 said:
hllb what are the breakpoints on the test? Is it like 8, 12, 25...?

I seem to always get caught fighting with whether I’m closer to 10 or 20 When I’m using Salifert.

I think it’s 0,1,3,9,12,25,40,65,95,160.

I am treating my tank right now so can’t do a water change and the nitrates are climbing. On Salifert, I couldn’t tell between 25/50/100. This was much easier to read that it was 25.

Sarah1990 · Feb 2, 2020

mike550 said:
@Sarah1990 I was just running a nitrate test using Salifert and was getting frustrated that I couldn’t differentiate between 10 and 25. So in case you’re wondering Salifert isn’t much better.

I'd heard good things but that solves that question, thank you lol

Sabina · May 13, 2020

Sarah1990 said:
Does anyone else have trouble reading the red sea test kit results? I find it so hard to tell what reading it matches most sometimes and I'm worrying I may not be reading things as being as high as they really are.
Is there a test kit with easier to determine results?
What would you read these as? I'm thinking maybe just over 20 nitrate and 8pH??
Also regarding nitrates when does it become a dangerous amount? I only did a 15% water change 3 days ago and a 25% water change a week before that

Starting to get dangerous for corals at 20ppm nitrate. I have kept aquariums at that level before. 50-200 ppm starts bothering fish (depends on the fish).