Nitrate test

[svachon9]

I have API drop test kit for nitrates but it's nearly impossible to differentiate between 5-10-20 PPM nitrate levels.  Is there a kit that does?

[Tony s]

you have the api master test kit? That's actually one of the more sensitive kits for nitrates. But you really have to shake it to death to get it accurate. test strips are even harder to read. maybe there is something beyond those. not sure what though. I do believe both seachem and fritz are developing or have developed their own master test kits. But I haven't used them yet 

[T. Payne]

I would consider any of those nitrate readings to be safe.

[svachon9]

My problem is that 5 ppm is not what I need for plant health.  20 is fine. But I can’t tell if it’s 5 or 20

[Whitecloud09]

On 5/30/2024 at 5:44 PM, svachon9 said:

My problem is that 5 ppm is not what I need for plant health.  20 is fine. But I can’t tell if it’s 5 or 20

Pictures would help, @svachon9, I have the same problem with the API test kit. 

[Pepere]

I find I can easily tell the difference between 5 and 10, but hard to distibguish between 10 and 20.

 

what I do is tjat if it reads 10-20,I will do a 50% dilution of tank water and retest.  Ie if It looks more like 5 ppm on retest I know the tank water is closer to 10 ppm, but if the retest looks pretty much the same I know the original was closer to 20 ppm…

[face]

There are a lot of other test kits out there most are much more expensive there’s a really good video out there that shows them all (most) but it’s from a company so I don’t think I can post i hear on the cheaper end salifert nitrate test is ok there’s also a question of accuracy but that’s a whole other thing lol

[tolstoy21]

On 5/30/2024 at 4:07 PM, svachon9 said:

I have API drop test kit for nitrates but it's nearly impossible to differentiate between 5-10-20 PPM nitrate levels.  Is there a kit that does?

I have the same problem with that kit. I just can't differentiate some of the colors as compared to color of the water in the vial.  

I have not tired the Sera nitrate test kit, but have used other tests from Sera and really like them.

[Jovius]

No, the only better options are way more expensive(photometer - $400 to $2000+). 

I have found that holding my tank light up by my head I can more easily see the colors. I have also found that the safe levels are also the ones that I can't differentiate so it doesn't even matter that much.

[Lonkley]

On 5/30/2024 at 2:44 PM, svachon9 said:

My problem is that 5 ppm is not what I need for plant health.  20 is fine. But I can’t tell if it’s 5 or 20

It really doesn't matter as long as it's not zero.

[Pepere]

On 5/31/2024 at 3:25 AM, Lonkley said:

It really doesn't matter as long as it's not zero.

I find my plants grow better at 30 ppm than they do at 5 ppm….  I feel its useful to get somewhere close to knowing so you can know how much to dose after a water change…

The API test is not going to get you there precisely, but I do find with doing a dilution test I get as close as I really need to.

[Whitecloud09]

Putting it near the natural sunlight can help, I stand by the window, and get a bright desk light, then put it as close as my light, then compare. 

On 5/31/2024 at 6:09 AM, Pepere said:

I find my plants grow better at 30 ppm than they do at 5 ppm….  I feel its useful to get somewhere close to knowing so you can know how much to dose after a water change…

The API test is not going to get you there precisely, but I do find with doing a dilution test I get as close as I really need to.

Same, when my nitrate was 5 my plants was struggling, but when the nitrates were 20, my Pearl weed and micro sword started thriving, but my pearlweed doesn’t care if it’s 0 or 60, it still is thriving!