API test kit - shake nitrate bottles for 2min?

[ryanpal]

hello everyone.

a few months ago i read a web site which states that the nitrate bottles in the API test kits should be shaken for 2minutes instead of the recommended 30 seconds.

i wanted to see if anyone else does this.

is it necessary? could there be any negatives from shaking the solution this much?

just curious.

ryan

[MSU Fan]

I hope not! That is the worst part of all the test I have to do!

[Percula9]

I don't trust that test kit. Depending on how hard and long you shake the second bottle gives you different values.

[Guygettnby]

buy a different nitrate kit. the API nitrate test is very inacurate or at least for me and a few other people i know.

[bertoni]

I think many hobbyist nitrate kits are reported to have problems. I'm surprised that it'd be necessary to shake the bottle for 2 minutes, or that the shaking would change the results very much. Have you tried shaking 30 seconds vs two minutes?

[Billybeau1]

Here's the deal from my experience.

If you have low nitrates (0-40ppm) then the API kit can be of concern. In this case the Salifert gives good results.

However, if you are dealing with nitrate levels above 40 ppm, the API kit is pretty doggone accurate for hobby grade test kits.

My API test kit says to shake the #2 reagent for 60 seconds.

If it gives me accurate results, there will be a whole lotta shaken going on.

Can you say Jerry Lee Lewis.

Showing my age now huh

[ryanpal]

interesting.

i must say that my nitrate levels were high when i first setup my tank. ive done countless water changes only too see the levels boost back up a few days later. the API kit displays around 15-20ppm. the corals all seem to do well so im curious how accurate it is.

[Billybeau1]

I'd say its pretty accurate. Most corals handle those levels of nitrates with little problem.