KNO3

[Talon242]

I have been adding this for awhile now and I'm still not getting any registration in my test kit. I use a Red Sea Nitrate kit. My mixture I have been using is 120mL of water and 2 tbs of KNO3. According to Chuck's calculator I should be adding .91ppm per mL added to my 50 gallon tank and I'm up to about 8mL a day and still no reading.

Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia = 0ppm
PO4 = 1ppm

I'm really confused. Maybe I need a better sealed container, I have been using one of those bottles that the stress coat comes in. Should this mixture be refridgerated. I dont know whats going on. :?

 

[SnyperP]

i vote for bad test kit.

 

[Scuba_dude]

Been there before.

Look at the bottom of your #2 bottle to see if you have black stuff

I was registering notthing while I was at a staggering 80 ppm

 

[savga]

I have a heavily planted aquarium and it can easily suck up 5 to 10 ppm nitrate in a day. Check a few drops of your solution in a glass of water and see if you can get a reading on your test kit. Your plants and algae might just be using it up especially if you have excess phosphate.

 

[Talon242]

Been there before.

Look at the bottom of your #2 bottle to see if you have black stuff

I was registering notthing while I was at a staggering 80 ppm

I don't know what bottle #2 is but the one labeled A has black crap on the bottom im going to get a new test tomorrow.

Edit: If I let my lfs test my water is brining it in a plastic bag okay?

 

[Scuba_dude]

I have switched to "Aquarium Pharmaceuticals" since then no problem.

Please let me know what was your nitrate level with the new test

 

[SerLunchbox]

Edit: If I let my lfs test my water is brining it in a plastic bag okay?

that is fine

 

[BASSNMAN]

I just went through the bad test kit , same as you. All this time I thought I was doing such a great job that I always had 0 nitrates. I added the same solution to my newly planted tank with no reading. I then contacted my water department and found out my water has 40 ppm out of the fawcet. I am going to return the test kit to Red Sea. It has no expiration date.

 

[malkore]

redsea isn't a great nitrate test kit. Aquarium Pharm. is reasonable. Next best is SeaChem. Then you're into the $60 LaMotte or Hach kits.

 

[travis simonson]

Oh boy, I hate faulty test kits I had the exact same problem and managed to dose my tank up to around 80 ppm NO3 too before I realized what was going on. Unfortunately this happened right at the same time I first started CO2 supplementation so I assumed that the CO2 was driving nitrate uptake like mad and didn't think to question the veracity of my test results. I now use only LaMotte kits for testing nitrates and phosphates. I like the comfort of knowing exactly where my levels are. They might be more expensive, but I feel that it is totally worth the peace of mind they give me.

 

[Talon242]

I took a water sample to my lfs and they said everything was good but I'm ordering a SeaChem nitrate test when I get off of work tonight.