Best Nitrate and Phosphate Test kits

kzziboy

kzziboy

New member
What should I buy?

I have the API ones that are getting old.
However, they have NEVER shown me anything other than ZERO.
That CAN'T be right. In fact I've purposely stirred up some nasty stuff in my substrate and tried to get some sort of phosphate or nitrate reading and I still get ZERO.
I hate their color chart too.

How about the Red Sea Pro kits? I'm looking to find something that will read more precisely. I see people posting levels at .12 or .10 or whatever for PO4 and No3.... I want a kit that will give me those numbers.

Anyone use the Red Sea Pro ones? I know someone at a LFS that will trade me those for some Live Rock and Xenia's.

Thanks!

Adrian
 
On the Nitrate test, does it give you easy to read believable results? How exact and precise is it?
On the API it show 0 or the next one up is .25. That isn't very precise to me...
 
I have used Hach and Salifert phosphate kits. They seemed okay to me. The Hach was a bit easier to read.

For nitrate, I've used Salifert, IO and Red Sea. Salifert and IO seemed okay. I used the old Red Sea nitrate kit, and didn't get such great results. The new kits might be a lot better.
 
I bought a hagen master test kit - and was so excited to use it.. it kinda sucks for determining anything more than 0 PPM on most of the tests... (for example trying to trend my levels coming down durning the initial cycling phase). The color card comparisons are pretty horrible. Real handy/nice case.. but I won't get hagen ever again.

Phosphates is OK.. but Nitrates is horrible in it.
 
I use Red Sea Pro nitrate kit and Hanna phosphate checker.

The checker is wonderful. Digital 0.01ppm precision.

The nitrate kit is a bit of a pain, but manageable. It still has a color chart and it does get confusing sometimes. It's good for low range, I could never get the high range to work for me. So I was using API for that. Low range precision is 0.25ppm. Which for nitrates is not bad at all. Once you get that water sample test to stay blue, your reading is 0-0.25ppm. Most people on here would tell you that such range is perfectly fine for any SPS systems. As this is what we consider undetectable.
 
That's cool. Thanks for the feedback.
I'm just tired of the API one I have. It just doesn't seem to be too believable to me. I know I have phosphates. I do now run a sump with chaeto, but I couldn't even detect any phosphate before that, but it has to be there judging by the algae and at times, cyano growth.
 
Well, it's possible for algae to growth with very low phosphate levels in the water. Our test kits aren't all that precise. I wouldn't assume that your kits are wrong, personally.
 
FWIW I prefer Salifert for everything except Ca. It'll measure nitrate down to 0.2 ppm and phosphate to .03 ppm.
 
Unfortunatley up to about 2 years ago, my system was VERY neglected. Little kids and every other excuse in the book contributed to that. I've been very strict on myself about maintenance lately. I do know that a lot of nutrients and phosphates had to have accumulated in my system prior to that. Back then I didn't even use RO/DI water. I just want to be sure of what I'm dealing with.
 
I have used the Red Sea pro kit for over 11 months, and have been very happy with the ease of use. The results seem to be pretty accurate to me.
 
FWIW, I have compared up to 4 year old API test kits to brand new ones and I have produced the same results. So as far as API, "old" solutions seem fine.
 
Algae or not I have not once measured nitrates or phosphates on a test kit and have barely registered over zero on the low range Hanna tester.

For me testing those two parameters is useless. If you have algae you have phosphates somewhere (might be in the rock though).

On a side note I like API for ph/alk and calcium but for phosphate and nitrate they aren't really useful as their range is too high anyhow.
 
Phosphate test kits only measure the unbound phosphate levels, there still could be more in the tank that is being used by algae or other animals, I usually use the visual test to get a good feeling for the tank, I would also assume with a new tank you will have phosphate
 
Salifert for nitrate nitrite ammonia. Hanna checker for phosphate. I have followed the recommendations of Mr. Saltwater tank.com
 
For SPS tanks, low level nitrate test kits like Lamotte are great. Expensive to buy the kit, but refills are $23-25 for a refill. Easy to read the colors too. FWIW, I have Salifert I use as well, but not for low range.
 
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