Salifert Nitrate test kit question

[Brian_R]

I have been running my tank for 5 weeks now, working on week 6. It took a while for my tank to actually start its cycle. Was 3 weeks in before I was able to detect anything. I think running my lights all the time from day 1 was the problem. I had hair algae on week number 2, which I think was consuming anything that could be tested.

I shut the lights down and on week 3-4 I started detecting Nitrates. I still have not seen ammonia at all, except on the 1st 2 days of the tank.

Anyway, I was doubting my test kits so now I have a new Salifert Nitrate test kit. In the instructions it says "NO3-2 is omitted in this procedure!"

It wants me to mix one scoop of NO3-1 powder and then 1 scoop of NO3-3 powder. The test kit did not come with NO3-3 powder. It only came with NO3-1 and NO3-2.

I ran the test kit anyway with 1 scoop of NO3-1 and then 1 scoop of NO3-2 and I can see purple if I look through the side of the vial. I can not see purple look directly down into the vial. If I do the chart comparison looking through the side of the vial, it measures out to 25. Dividing this by 10, as the instructions say, I come up with 2.5.

Am I doing this right? Am I suppose to use the NO3-2 in place of the NO3-3? I am unsure why I don't have the test powders the instructions call for. Anyone else have this and can fill me in?

[Fly Guy]

If you got your rock already cured from a established tank, or from a LFS and it really never left the water, you very well could simply not see much of a cycle.

sounds as if you have a typo in your instructions. There is no no3 powder.


Procedure for both ranges:

1. Fill test vial with 1mL of water.
2. Add 1 level scoop of NO3-1 powder (compress this powder against the inner side of the powder container).
3. Add 1 level scoop of NO3-2 powder and swirl gently (do NOT shake) for 30 seconds.
4. Let it stand for 3 minutes.
5. Color comparison:
   
   Medium Range:
   
   Place the test vial on the white part of the color chart and compare colors looking from the TOP. Use diffuse daylight when comparing colors.
   
   If the color corresponds to a value lower than 10mg/L nitrate then it might be better to compare colors as shown for the low range (see below).
   
   Low Range:
   
   If the medium range color comparison procedure gave a reading lower than 10mg/L then you can use the low range prodecure. This will increase the accuracy.
   
   The color for the low range procedure has to be compared by looking through the SIDE of the test vial.
   
   The white part of the color chart has to be held firmly against the opposite side of the test vial. Use diffuse daylight when comparing colors.
   
   The color is, by looking through the side, amplified by approximately 10 fold. For this reason you have to divide the color chart values by 10. For example 2 will become 0.2 and 50 will become 5.

[Brian_R]

Thanks, that is exactly what I have been doing.

It just strikes me as odd cause in big bold black letters it says, NO3-2 is ommited in this procedure.

You can't miss that statement, yet it did not ship with NO3-3 which is what the instructions tell you to use.

The rock was fully cured, but it was shipped to me, so assuming it was in water at premium aquatics, it was out of the water for approximately 2 days.

I am not so much worried about the cycle time, just more about the nitrate test kit not having NO3-3 powder and if that was a problem. You cleared it up for me though, so thanks.

[Fly Guy]

Whats the expiration date on your test kit??