Nitrates?

[OGFrenchHorn]

Hey every one!
Ok so I though I was having Nitrate issues but not I'm not sure... My Salifert kit says I have 50ppm and my API says I have 0ppm. Both kits are about a year old so I went out and got 3 new test kits, here are my results:

New Salifert read 25ppm
New API read 0ppm
and New Elos read 1ppm

Can the Salifert kit be that off? Is API just as good as the Elos?

I've been carbon dosing like a mofo and been doing large water changes (30G's in a 225G) I've also been running 2L of zeolith rock in a reactor with very little flow. My skimmer is an Alpha 200 and has been producing lots of skimate. I'm Noticing that my corals have been coloring up too and I've been getting massive polyp extention, this is why I wan to believe the API and Elos readings... what do you guys think?

 

[enseye]

IMO, Salifert kits have been pretty reliable. I'm currently using am API kit that has been giving consistent and reliable results. May be a dumb question, but are you testing in the same spot, preferably away from return lines, to eliminate any variances?

 

[gonumber24]

Test some water you know has zero nitrates, such as distilled water. I use seachem nitrate test and is reliable.

 

[Mr. Plant]

I've always used API when testing for nitrates. Never had a problem. Just make sure you are testing water straight out of you DT, not your sump.

 

[OCReefMadness]

Have you try to use the Seachem De-Nitrate or Matrix rock in your sump. It's really help to control the Nitrate in your system.

 

[anostomus]

If your looking at salifert from the top its 25ppm.from the side its 2.5 ppm.difference of low and high range testing maybe?

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[n@no]

Fritz zyme 9 is a instant ammonia & nitrate remover

 

[Lamarine23]

Use the Elos, I dont trust API or the salifert. They vary too much from batch to batch!

 

[wickedfish]

Salifert FTW. API you have to shake the. Solution and beat it to get it all mixed correctly. Elos one sucks IME. Only elos test I like is calcium. I have had all of them at one point or another.


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[562socal]

Api nitrate test is just as good as salifert. I had both test kits and the ppm difference is only around 5-10ppm. You have to shake the $h!t out of the api tests bottles for atleast 20 to 30 seconds. Lol

 

[wickedfish]

Api nitrate test is just as good as salifert. I had both test kits and the ppm difference is only around 5-10ppm. You have to shake the $h!t out of the api tests bottles for atleast 20 to 30 seconds. Lol

Yep there's a thread in RC if I am not mistaken about shaking the sh!t out of the API tests.


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[Mr. Plant]

Just follow the directions on the API test kit, it tells you how long to shake it

 

[OGFrenchHorn]

Oh man! I had forgotten about this thread. Incase any one is interested in an update, I found that the Elos was the one that was way off. After a couple uses, the API and the Salifert were getting the same readings. I draw water from the front top part of the tank. I successfully dropped my nitrate dow to 2.5ppm by water changes, dosing bacteria, Vodka/vinegar, and running zeolith rock in a reactor. I never change the rocks, all I do is shake the rocks to get the mulm out. About 3 months ago I moded an Aquamaxx bioplellet reactor and I've been running Bio pellets. I stated with 250ml and ran that for a month. I've been adding 250ml of the WM pellets every month. During this time I also stopped dosing carbon and only changed 5 gallons of water (on a 250G twv) every other week... sometimes once every 3 weeks, so my nitrates can rise. I got them up to 25ppm and they've been there for a while now. Last week I added another 250ml of pellets for a total of 750ml. I tested today and my nitrates are finally starting to drop slowly. From what it says on the WM pellets, I need 1250ml of pellets for my system. I got 250ml soaking in salt water right now. That will raise my dose to 1L. I'm thinking that I might not need more than 1L to keep my nitrates low.

If you are wondering why I raised my nitrates, it was so I know when the biopellets started to work and so that I can dial in the reactor so that I can have total control over the amount of nitrates in my system because I don't want to be at 0ppm.

 

[wickedfish]

Sounds like you are doing it right. I think part of my BP failure is my tank only has or had 2 ppm at the high end of nitrates. I would think to run these right you need at least 8-15ppm other wise you get burn.


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[OGFrenchHorn]

Yeah, I think you are right. With the mod I did I can control the flow going through the reactor with out it affecting the flow in the reactor. Less "clean" water that comes out of it the slower it will drop nitrates.