Weird test results with Red Sea kit

Daeron · Jul 7, 2016

Got my Red Sea kit in this weekend and run the full series of tests. Everything looked great except my nitrates were at the highest scale (I think it's 50 on it). Stressed out, I checked with the LFS and they gave me a test strip to try and recommended I bring in some water too. Test strip said my nitrates were 0. LFS tested my water and they showed it at like 5. I re-ran the test just to make sure I didn't mess anything up, and came up with the pegged 50 again. Has anyone seen this?

Daeron · Jul 7, 2016

AdamNC · Jul 7, 2016

Get with Red Sea, they'll replace the reagents for you.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Jul 8, 2016

Many nitrate kits give not very reliable results, and I'd be careful to not assume the LFS is getting it right.

donnievaz · Jul 8, 2016

I'd be leaning towards bad reagent. Either that or you're performing the test incorrectly. It happens to the best of us...

Daeron · Jul 8, 2016

I contacted Red Sea and they are sending me new reagents. I'll see how it goes when I get those in. Until then, I'll have to rely on the API tests (those are what I have access to readily here).

Paddy c · Jul 8, 2016

Don't use Red Sea text kits as the colour of the test in vial never matched the colour on the chart for me on most of the test kits salifert is better. Just my opinion though!!