Salifert Nitrate Test Kit: Correct Way to Read Results?

[d2mini]

This kit has alway baffled me and I end up using something else instead.
But people seem to really like it and it seems to be the standard by which other kits are judged.
So teach me... how the heck do you read this thing?
When looking down from above, do you sit the vial on the white card or do you hover above it?
The instructions say if you are getting a reading less than 10ppm to look from the side.
I tested this morning and it seemed to read right around 10ppm from above. If I look from the side it's more like 25.
And why is there such a jump... from 10-25?

I tested with NYOS at the same time and got a reading between 3-5.

Both kits are new, btw.

I also have the Red Sea Pro kit but I don't like that it's low range, and if you get a reading higher than 4 you need to do a whole second test. I like to keep nitrates around 5 give or take so that kit is a pain in the butt.

 

[daelie]

When you read from the side you need to divide by 10, so you getting 25 would be around 2.5 and correspond right around the elos kit.

 

[d2mini]

When you read from the side you need to divide by 10, so you getting 25 would be around 2.5 and correspond right around the elos kit.

Aha! Missed that part. The very last sentence in the instructions. lol. That makes more sense.

But I misspoke above... from the side it was more like 50-100 range. If 50, that would still compare close enough to the NYOS.

 

[clownsrcool]

The kit says if you do the reading from the side to divid your results by 10 so you actually tested at 2.5

 

[Scorpius]

This test offers two ranges.
Low range: 0.2 to 10 mg/L (ppm) as nitrate
Medium range: 2 to 100 mg/L (ppm) as nitrate

Clean test vial and scoop after use. Store this kit in a dry place.

Directions:

1. Fill the test vial with 1 ml of water.
2. Add 4 drops of NO3-1.
3. Add 1 level scoop of NO3-2 powder (compress this powder against the inner side of the powder container). Swirl gently (DO NOT SHAKE) for 30 seconds. Let stand for 3 minutes.

Color comparison:

a. Medium range: Place test vial on white part of color chart and compare colors looking from the top. Use diffuse daylight when comparing colors. If the color corresponds to a value lower than 10 mg/L nitrate, then it might be better to compare colors as shown for the low range.

b. range: If the medium range color comparison gave a reading lower than 10 mg/L, then you can use the low range procedure. This will increase accuracy. Compare the color for the low range procedure by looking through the side of the test vial. Hold the white part of the color chart firmly against the opposite side of the test vial. Use diffuse daylight when comparing colors. The color is amplified by approximately 10-fold so you have to divide the color chart values by 10.

 

[Damien Buckley]

FWIW I also found the same problem with the Red Sea kit - I have nitrate around 4-5 too. I use the NYOS kit now & have found it confirms the Red Sea Pro kit.

 

[greg 45]

d2mini I feel your pain. I am not color blind at all. Well at least I think so. Some on should come out with a better kit. I changed to LaMotte for alk . Thinking of trying there nitrate kit. LaMotte for alk has 3 colors start / finish / to far past limit.

 

[Velcro]

I prefer my Red Sea for low range and NYOS for high range.

 

[r33fswagg3r]

I know this is an old thread however I have to mention. All of the Salifert Nitrate Tests on Youtube seem to be completely inaccurate. I have noticed nobody follows the instructions provided by Salifert and actually compresses the scooper against the powder vial as Salifert advises. How far off could this possibly provide inaccurate readings?

 

[CNDReef]

Good question, I press it then cut the excess with the color card back into the bottle. I do remember Randy saying certain powdered on test kits aren’t really a exact thing.

 

[jd371]

^ Same. I use a plastic business card to press down the powder and then use the side of the card to scrape off the excess.

 

[watchguy123]

I use the salifert nitrate test kit. I have been frustrated by most of our hobby test kits including this one but I begrudgingly admit over time, I have gotten much better at reading those light pink variations. Plus reading through the side and dividing by 10 is much easier to arrive at an accurate reading. My nitrate tends to run between 1-5 ppm with an occasional peak to 10ppm ( vacation and an aquarium watcher over feeding). The color differences between 10, 25, 50, and 100 are much easier to be recognized than the color differences between 0, 2, 5 and 10. So I always use through the side viewing and divide by 10. And of course I challenge myself to see if I can get the same result with top down viewing. But it’s the side view that I actually use.

I have tried the Red Sea pro test kit repeatedly and although I find their kit good, their cutoff of 4 ppm for the low reading to be in the middle of my results and so doesn’t work well for me.

I like to think I follow the instructions carefully and I do compress the powder against the side of the container with the spoon. In fact when I remove the spoon from the powder container, I use the card to further compress the pile on top of the spoon and scrape away excess to get a level compacted spoonful of powder. Whether that is appropriate or not, I do the same thing each time.

I’m not convinced about the accuracy of most test kits unfortunately. But I do think that with consistent methods, that the results can be precise and repeatable. I like the Salifert nitrate test kit. I think it is precise and allows one to monitor nitrates well.

 

[Mandrake]

I find the Red Sea alk kit to be the easiest , so I use it more which is a good thing imo

 

[Scorpius]

Reading of the Salifert requires diffused daylight. I try to read my test outside not in direct sunlight.

 

[Potatohead]

I have both kits, mainly use Red Sea Pro but will check with Salifert from time to time.

Pro tip for the Red Sea - just use 4ml tank water and 12ml RO, then multiple results by 4. So if the color matches two, your nitrate is eight. This makes it easier to read the 5-15 range.

 

[Kati537]

Lots of great information. This helped me figure out what I was doing wrong

 

[William Morris]

I have both kits, mainly use Red Sea Pro but will check with Salifert from time to time.

Pro tip for the Red Sea - just use 4ml tank water and 12ml RO, then multiple results by 4. So if the color matches two, your nitrate is eight. This makes it easier to read the 5-15 range.

Thanks for the pro tip - much easier to read with that dilution - my range is 15-20

 

[Gordonm]

I hated using salifert for nitrate until someone suggested Nyos. Lot better and accurate readings.

 

[Clanger]

I know this is an old thread however I have to mention. All of the Salifert Nitrate Tests on Youtube seem to be completely inaccurate. I have noticed nobody follows the instructions provided by Salifert and actually compresses the scooper against the powder vial as Salifert advises. How far off could this possibly provide inaccurate readings?

I use the edge of the chart as a scraper to make sure it's level