Salifert Nitrate test kit question

[audacious1]

Do you compare colors almost immediately or do you wait the 3 minutes they say then compare? my lfs checks my water and says that you have to wait like 30 secs then compare because with time it gets darker. please clear this up for me thanks

 

[jjk82901]

I would go with what the manufacturer documents. The lfs may just be telling you your water is fine so you buy corals or clams or whatever it may be only to have them die due to bad water parameters. Rinse and repeat.

 

[Malyon18]

Ya I would stick with what the instructions say, the test is a chemical reaction and probably takes a certain amount of time to complete that's why it gets darker with time

 

[cordell]

Yep, wait the 3 minutes. But, just fyi, when doing my nitrate tests, the color that I get after mixing everything and before waiting 3 minutes is the same as the color I get after 3 minutes. Not sure why that happens, but I always wait 3 minutes just in case.

Do you have your own test kits? If not, I would highly suggest they be placed near the top of your to-buy list. I'm guessing you have your own kits because you know what the directions say, but I just wanted to ask.

 

[mc-cro]

Lets see, do I go with Habib the owner of Salifert and chemist, or some dude at the LFS?

 

[Habib]

Do you compare colors almost immediately or do you wait the 3 minutes they say then compare? my lfs checks my water and says that you have to wait like 30 secs then compare because with time it gets darker. please clear this up for me thanks

Wait 3 minutes.

And this is straight from the horse's mouth.

 

[audacious1]

lol ok thank you guys and yes i totally agree he just wants me to buy their corals. i have the test kits but i often go test it with them to see what they have to say