Oreganoodle Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 3 days ago or so I was about a week out from my last water change but also had a lot going on that night so decided just to test the nitrates to decide if the water change could wait. Got a reading between 10-20 on API freshwater master, and decided I could wait a few days. Fast forward to last night - I open a new testing kit b/c my last one was running low and I wasn't sure if it had 10 drops left in each bottle. 5 ppm. I hadn't touched the water in between (not even a top-off). I thought I must be tired/doing it wrong so I tested again -- same thing. So I went to bed and then tested again today. I used both tests this time (low-and-behold I did have 10 drops in the older kit). Sure enough - the kit I've been using for awhile says between 10-20 and the new kit says 5 ppm. The are both unexpired, and both the same exact brand. I've run the 5 ppm one three times total and it always is a very clear 5 ppm. Which would you trust? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KBOzzie59 Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 do you shake the solution per the instructions? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrencher_Scott Posted July 21, 2022 Share Posted July 21, 2022 (edited) On 7/21/2022 at 3:13 PM, Oreganoodle said: 3 days ago or so I was about a week out from my last water change but also had a lot going on that night so decided just to test the nitrates to decide if the water change could wait. Got a reading between 10-20 on API freshwater master, and decided I could wait a few days. Fast forward to last night - I open a new testing kit b/c my last one was running low and I wasn't sure if it had 10 drops left in each bottle. 5 ppm. I hadn't touched the water in between (not even a top-off). I thought I must be tired/doing it wrong so I tested again -- same thing. So I went to bed and then tested again today. I used both tests this time (low-and-behold I did have 10 drops in the older kit). Sure enough - the kit I've been using for awhile says between 10-20 and the new kit says 5 ppm. The are both unexpired, and both the same exact brand. I've run the 5 ppm one three times total and it always is a very clear 5 ppm. Which would you trust? I would trust the newer one. But.... I read somewhere, maybe here, that the #2 bottle can get thick or chunky or something. That's why you need to shake the crap out of it. Maybe one of those is that way? But either way, 5 or 20 ppm is nothing to write home about anyway. Edited July 21, 2022 by Wrencher_Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oreganoodle Posted July 22, 2022 Author Share Posted July 22, 2022 On 7/21/2022 at 6:59 PM, KBOzzie59 said: do you shake the solution per the instructions? Yes. 10 drops of #1 in, flip the tube once or twice; shake bottle #2 for 30 seconds; 10 drops of #2 in; shake tube for 1 min - wait 5 minutes then read ... every time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeNks Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 They are wildly inconsistent. I tested our RO water for giggles before it got tested by the company and it showed 15-20 nitrates. The RO company came back with 2 nitrates. Try mixing the old #1 with new #2 etc and see what you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon p Posted July 22, 2022 Share Posted July 22, 2022 (edited) Which test strips do you have. What company? If they were the coop strips contact customer service. Edited July 22, 2022 by Brandon p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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