Quote:
Originally posted by cayars
Curious Marc, can you comment on how you were reading the test kit wrong?
Maybe somebody else is doing the same thing.
Carlo
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I've posted it a few times, but perhaps not in this thread. So I'm glad you asked.
I use the Salifert Nitrate test kit. On the color chart, after you've mixed it 30 seconds and waited 3 minutes, you then compare colors.
If the reading is 10ppm or less, hold the beaker up in front of you, hold the card behind it, find the matching color and then divide that number by 10. If the reading matches 50ppm, (divide by 10 and) the result is 5ppm.
If the reading is higher than 10ppm, place the beaker on the comparison chart and look down. Find the matching color (25, 50, 100ppm).
In my case, I've always looked at it through the side of the beaker, divided by 10 and thought my nitrate was 7.5 -
Before dosing my tank with anything, I got a second opinion by testing my water with a LaMotte kit, and it agreed with the correct way of reading the Salifert kit. Over 50ppm.