High Nitrates......maybe not?

[meloyelo]

I've been struggling with what my API liquid test kit show as high Nitrates. When I test I come up with 80ppm. Tap water results show 30. Seems like no matter what I do I can't get the reading down to a reasonable one. I've actually done back to back testing to make sure I was being careful and always come up with the same results. Today I went by 3 of my LFS to get them to double check my readings. Two of the shops were fish only, salt and fresh. The third was a Petsmart. They ALL used a test strip and ALL came up with an identical reading of right around 20ppm. I questioned them as to why they used strips when all I've read is that they are pretty much worthless. I got the same answer, "they are pretty accurate now days and much easier than using the liquid kits". So now I'm torn as to what to believe is correct. I don't know if I'm wrong with the 80ppm or if the 3 of them are wrong with 20ppm.

 

[Scouser]

The nitrate test is known to be finicky, make sure you give the second bottle a good long shake an maybe even tap the bottle on a hard surface an try again

 

[LyndaB]

Test strips are crap. End of story.

With the nitrate bottle, you don't just have to shake or even tap it, you have to smash it against the countertop to break up those crystals inside, otherwise you'll never get proper results. Once you use it on a regular basis, the crystals don't reform and it just requires shaking.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Test strips may be more reliable now than in the past but I'd still use API master kit its never failed for me personally. It is possible that your nitrate solution is bad. Is there a way u can check it against another liquid test?
Also if your tapwater is at 30 then your stuck with the inevitable fact that your readings will always be high. Even if u do a 90% pwc your stuck with at least 35 - 40 ates.

 

[meloyelo]

The nitrate test is known to be finicky, make sure you give the second bottle a good long shake an maybe even tap the bottle on a hard surface an try again

I bang the bottle hard about 6 times on my counter top and then shake the fool out of it for roughly a minute. That's after shaking bottle one drops up and then adding bottle two drops. I do the remaining shake up for the required minute and then wait 5 to read the result. It has always show high. As far as I know i'm not doing anything incorrect on the test. Thanks for the advice, just in case.

 

[LyndaB]

What's your expiration date on the test kit?

 

[meloyelo]

What's your expiration date on the test kit?

Not 100% sure. I just recently got another one since I ran out of Nitrate test from the original kit. Is there a certain way the date is on the bottle or is it pretty much xx/xx/xxxx?

 

[LyndaB]

Each reagent bottle has a Lot # printed on the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of manufacture. Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is manufactured in January of 2002.

Pond Care Wide Range pH, Ammonia, High Range pH, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH(low range) and Pond Care Salt Level will last for five years.

 

[Malawi Freak]

Each reagent bottle has a Lot # printed on the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of manufacture. Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is manufactured in January of 2002.

Pond Care Wide Range pH, Ammonia, High Range pH, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH(low range) and Pond Care Salt Level will last for five years.

Great info there, I never knew that.

 

[LyndaB]

You should see me at Trivial Pursuit and Jeopardy.....

 

[meloyelo]

Each reagent bottle has a Lot # printed on the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of manufacture. Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is manufactured in January of 2002.

Pond Care Wide Range pH, Ammonia, High Range pH, Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years. Nitrite and KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH(low range) and Pond Care Salt Level will last for five years.

Thanks for the info. I'll check out the bottles and see what dates they show.

 

[meloyelo]

Well, from what I see on the bottles, they seem to be well within good dates. So again I say......

 

[meloyelo]

Ok, I'm back with this again. No matter what I do I can't seem to get my Nitrates down to a safe level. It is consistantly at the 60 to 80 ppm range with my API test kit. With the 30 to 40 PPM coming straight out in my tap water, it will never be below that. What I'm thinking now is going to a 50/50 mix with tap and RO during water changes to at least dilute the tap water Nitrates down. I don't think I will need to add anything to this mixture either, correct? Is this just a bad idea? Also if it will work, should I ease up to the 50/50 mix or just go straight in with it?

Thanks!

 

[Malawi Freak]

Are you planning to buy RO water or are you looking into a RO unit. For cichlids is not good to use only RO water since you will be stripping it of all alkalinity and you will forever be battling ph issues. I would recommend 25/75 (tap/ro) since those nitrates are so high.

 

[meloyelo]

Are you planning to buy RO water or are you looking into a RO unit. For cichlids is not good to use only RO water since you will be stripping it of all alkalinity and you will forever be battling ph issues. I would recommend 25/75 (tap/ro) since those nitrates are so high.

I would be getting the RO from a LFS. If I go with 75% on the RO, would I need to add anything back to make sure the required "good stuff" is there? I know there are products available. There may be enough just from the 25% tap portion.

Thanks!

 

[Malawi Freak]

You'll have enough from the tap water and what has built in your tank.

 

[meloyelo]

You'll have enough from the tap water and what has built in your tank.

Awesome, thanks!