What test kit is telling the truth

[acrodave]

I have two test kits one is a Tropic Marin no3 and the other is salifert no3..So i tested the water on the same day at the same time. and the TM gave me a reading of 100mg that is max on there test .and on the salifert i get 15-20mg. How can they be so far apart they are both still in date.I dont get it

 

[ct_vol]

I hate testkits... But I wouldn't want either of those results.... lol But I guess you're still cycling the new tank...

 

[acrodave]

no.. no cycling i used almost 50% old water and about half the old sand bed..so it was just like a huge water change

 

[ct_vol]

You like having your nitrates a bit higher??? I know some people do... I don't know much about the Zeo system...

 

[acrodave]

no i want 0-5. but that were they are .. im just wondering why the extreme diff in the two.. i can see them haveing 20-30 mg diff but not 85

 

[Runner]

My solution is to just not use test kits.

 

[macclellan]

I take it you already repeated the test at least once to eliminate the probability of operator error (no offense... things happen), dirty test tube, different sample, etc. etc?