Are there any Digital Nitrate readers available?

[LiamPM]

Its better to aim for a consistant number with the same tester and the same regent (whilst it lasts) than to cross reference with others. I know they should all give the same value but the hobby level equipment isnt that precise across the board realistically.

Use your own tester with your own regeant every time and that itself should be consistent with itself.

I like your idea of a Milwaukee style water drop tester though - Get inventing!

 

[SauceyReef]

People have smaller Nano's and don't test daily. I'm not saying you are doing anything wrong just not sure the juice is worth the squeeze.

Everyone has success in their own ways. My tank is becoming more filled with a plethora of different corals and I have been running into a problem of nutrients bottoming out randomly. Maybe because I have a 4-5" squamosa in basically a ten gallon sucking in nutrients, but it is important to me for this specific system to figure out the nutrient export with the small amount of macro algae in the fuge I have.

 

[SauceyReef]

I don't know if it fits your budget, but you could look into the Mastertronic for automated daily monitoring of nitrate, phosphate, and more.

Costs like $1200

I referenced this above just forgot the name. Every month I want this more and more. I just dont have a lot of money and hard for me to justify spending that much with my savings. But I think as soon as I have a couple grand savings I am going to buy it. A new computer comes first than this if nothing has come out yet. Some people here are so smart, somone has to get on it!

Its better to aim for a consistant number with the same tester and the same regent (whilst it lasts) than to cross reference with others. I know they should all give the same value but the hobby level equipment isnt that precise across the board realistically.

Use your own tester with your own regeant every time and that itself should be consistent with itself.

I like your idea of a Milwaukee style water drop tester though - Get inventing!

Well let me tell you a story of an experience I had with this system I am running. I got a hydrometer and refractometer to test my salinity. They kept giving me different readings. I made sure the refractometer was calibrated correctly and went to literally 4 different LFS to get readings from them - all different salinity numbers all using "calibrated" refractometers. Some re-calibrated right in front of me. That is what made me buckle down and invest in the Milwaukee. Now I basically calibrate/test my salt everyday with ease. One of the best purchases I ever made. I assumed there would be something like this for other chemicals in the tanks but was ignorant to think so.

 

[areefer01]

Everyone has success in their own ways. My tank is becoming more filled with a plethora of different corals and I have been running into a problem of nutrients bottoming out randomly. Maybe because I have a 4-5" squamosa in the tank sucking in nutrients, but it is important to me for this specific system to figure out the nutrient export with the small amount of macro algae in the huge I have.

Fully understand. As already noted Hanna may be something worth considering in this use case then.

High nitrate - 7 minutes, 1 reagent
Phosphate - 3 minutes, 1 reagent
Alk - 1 reagent and time it takes you to run the process (less than 1 minute if that)

Nyos is also a good nitrate kit

You have a clam so you may want Calcium - I don't test for it manually (I use a trident) but when I did I was using salifert I recall. Not that it was asked sounds like your Nano may be a great candidate for TM AFR once you are happy with the nutrients.

 

[SauceyReef]

Fully understand. As already noted Hanna may be something worth considering in this use case then.

High nitrate - 7 minutes, 1 reagent
Phosphate - 3 minutes, 1 reagent
Alk - 1 reagent and time it takes you to run the process (less than 1 minute if that)

Nyos is also a good nitrate kit

You have a clam so you may want Calcium - I don't test for it manually (I use a trident) but when I did I was using salifert I recall. Not that it was asked sounds like your Nano may be a great candidate for TM AFR once you are happy with the nutrients.

The nice thing about the calcium is thus far I have been able to maintain stable levels with my water changes due to how small the water column is. 2 gallons water change is 25%-35% of the water in the tank. The nutrients are becoming less manageable though probably due to my coral selection, clam, and macro algae. The tank is about 1.5 years old. Clam has been in there a year. The more established the tank becomes and corals/clam grow the more it sucks out nutrients.

 

[SauceyReef]

@areefer01 curious what does your trident test for fully? you recommend the purchase?

 

[LiamPM]

I referenced this above just forgot the name. Every month I want this more and more. I just dont have a lot of money and hard for me to justify spending that much with my savings. But I think as soon as I have a couple grand savings I am going to buy it. A new computer comes first than this if nothing has come out yet. Some people here are so smart, somone has to get on it!


Well let me tell you a story of an experience I had with this system I am running. I got a hydrometer and refractometer to test my salinity. They kept giving me different readings. I made sure the refractometer was calibrated correctly and went to literally 4 different LFS to get readings from them - all different salinity numbers all using "calibrated" refractometers. Some re-calibrated right in front of me. That is what made me buckle down and invest in the Milwaukee. Now I basically calibrate/test my salt everyday with ease. One of the best purchases I ever made. I assumed there would be something like this for other chemicals in the tanks but was ignorant to think so.

I use the same device - Just purely for its ease of use to be honest - Would be lovely to have other elements tested in that way.

One of the most common things with the equipment in this hobby is that no two devices yeald the same results - Frustrating - But its why i would always pick one to stick - At least youll know its fairly consistent.

My NO3 may read 10 on my own device but 60 on my LFS - at least i know using mine that yealds 10 is going to give me a consistant result whilst i use it, for the most part so its the method and figure i stick with - Just as an example.

 

[SauceyReef]

I use the same device - Just purely for its ease of use to be honest - Would be lovely to have other elements tested in that way.

One of the most common things with the equipment in this hobby is that no two devices yeald the same results - Frustrating - But its why i would always pick one to stick - At least youll know its fairly consistent.

My NO3 may read 10 on my own device but 60 on my LFS - at least i know using mine that yealds 10 is going to give me a consistant result whilst i use it, for the most part so its the method and figure i stick with - Just as an example.

You make a good point but I do not think it is a bad idea to cross reference with other reliable devices for a more consistent average. You just have to make sure the device or tester is "reliable" which not all LFS are at all whatsoever at least in my area. I learned that with the salinity fiasco I had a year ago.

 

[areefer01]

@areefer01 curious what does your trident test for fully? you recommend the purchase?

It only tests for Alk, Ca, and Mg. Reagent based and a Apex (Neptune Controller) required. Based on my understanding of the display in question I would not recommend it, no. Reason why:

1. It does not test the parameters you are interested in based on my understanding in this thread
2. It requires the controller, then the test automation kit, so we are talking about $1400 maybe(?) not sure that is worth it based on my understanding of this thread.
3. Hanna Nitrate, Alk, and Phosphate would save you money (if that is a concern) and are fast kits to use

Ignoring money for a minute it sounds like some nutrients are bottoming out. Nitrate and Phosphate. There are some great kits out there that are fast, repeatable, and consistent (easy to use). I'm biased towards Hanna as I noted earlier. I'm also biased towards the Nyos Nitrate kit. They are all fast and easy to use for me - that is why. Results are consistent.

If your reefing journey takes to you to a larger display, or you have one now, and looking at controllers then sure - take a look at the Trident and Apex. But I do not think it is needed here. Sounds like you are already doing an amazing job and they (automated testers) are not something that is needed.

 

[gbru316]

The GHL Ion director tests nitrate, but you're looking at $1500 for the full kit because you need a doser as well.

 

[doubleshot00]

I can see the OPs argument here as i have been checking my main tank almost every day trying to regulate phosphates.

I use Hanna exclusively but sometimes im ill use red sea alk and nitrate for a quick check. Then Salifert for phosphate to back up the hanna. When you get low phos the Hanna can get thrown off sometimes. Soni recheck with Salifert.

Then on top of it i have two more tanks i test once a week maybe twice. So the reagents add up. I just bought a bunch that will be here next week cause I don’t want to run out.

 

[gbru316]

I can see the OPs argument here as i have been checking my main tank almost every day trying to regulate phosphates.

I use Hanna exclusively but sometimes im ill use red sea alk and nitrate for a quick check. Then Salifert for phosphate to back up the hanna. When you get low phos the Hanna can get thrown off sometimes. Soni recheck with Salifert.

Then on top of it i have two more tanks i test once a week maybe twice. So the reagents add up. I just bought a bunch that will be here next week cause I don’t want to run out.

The challenge though, and what makes it pretty much impossible -- is that these numbers naturally fluctuate throughout the day. Each individual test isn't really important, we need to be looking at the bigger picture. More like, averages. You can't take a test one day, and compare that to a test yesterday, and say with any certainty that "yes, PO4 is going down" or "crap, it's going up." Because there is no trend here. It's just 2 discrete data points.

Maybe the first test was mid-day with the lights blazing and the 2nd one was after the lights went off. Did that affect the results? Did you feed the exact same amount both days? Did that impact results? Was your tank a few tenths of a degree cooler or warmer one day than the other, impacting livestock metabolism? Did THAT impact results? Hard to say. Right? Which is why trends and the bigger picture are more instructional.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

What's not simple about dumping a packet in a cuvet, giving it a few shakes, and pressing some buttons?

It's far more reliable and accurate than standard titration tests. It's probably one of the best pieces of equipment I've ever purchased given the difficulty of deciphering between "pink" and "near imperceptibly differnt pink" of typical NO3 color charts.

I think you may be confusing different methods? I've never heard of a titration nitrate test.

 

[areefer01]

The GHL Ion director tests nitrate, but you're looking at $1500 for the full kit because you need a doser as well.

Yes it does. Assuming:

1. you can get one - they are not taking orders at the moment and there is already a line
2. you get one that works

 

[SlugSnorter]

The only reagent-less nitrate test is the one that uses UV light. The sensor alone costs $5,000. I expect the technology to trickle down to the hobbyist level eventually.

for this price might as well get like an aquaspin or smth

 

[gbru316]

I think you may be confusing different methods? I've never heard of a titration nitrate test.

Quite possibly, I'm not a chemist, and my chemistry classes were years ago. I'd edit the post if I could.

I meant colorimetric, Got the two mixed up. And I guess technically the Hanna is colorimetric, too. Isn't it? It just uses a calibrated sensor to measure the color instead of an uncalibrated eyeball and chart.

 

[doubleshot00]

The challenge though, and what makes it pretty much impossible -- is that these numbers naturally fluctuate throughout the day. Each individual test isn't really important, we need to be looking at the bigger picture. More like, averages. You can't take a test one day, and compare that to a test yesterday, and say with any certainty that "yes, PO4 is going down" or "crap, it's going up." Because there is no trend here. It's just 2 discrete data points.

Maybe the first test was mid-day with the lights blazing and the 2nd one was after the lights went off. Did that affect the results? Did you feed the exact same amount both days? Did that impact results? Was your tank a few tenths of a degree cooler or warmer one day than the other, impacting livestock metabolism? Did THAT impact results? Hard to say. Right? Which is why trends and the bigger picture are more instructional.

I do my tests same time every day or once a week on Fridays at 4-5 o’clock. And wait to feed until after the test. Its been consistent.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Quite possibly, I'm not a chemist, and my chemistry classes were years ago. I'd edit the post if I could.

I meant colorimetric, Got the two mixed up. And I guess technically the Hanna is colorimetric, too. Isn't it? It just uses a calibrated sensor to measure the color instead of an uncalibrated eyeball and chart.

Yes, all Hanna and all nitrate and phosphate tests that reefers use at home are colorimetric. Essentially, add fixed reagents and look at the color/light absorbance to get a value.

All calcium and magnesium and alkalinity tests other than Hanna and possibly certain controllers are all titrations (add fluid to a specific color and the answer is based on the amount of fluid added).

 

[EricR]

Well I am probably just going to dump all the reagents and buy a new pack than.

Don't dump the old reagent packs. If you buy new, compare the two.

*aside, if your checker is newish, you might reach out to Hanna (via their website) noting your issues and stating that you suspect bad reagents as a possible issue. They might just send you new reagent for free,,, at least that's what they did for me when I was having an issue with a new Phosphate ULR unit (...purchased on Amazon, not even from Hanna directly).

Also, did you mention how much variance you saw between your test and the LFS test (on same water sample)?

 

[SauceyReef]

Thank you for the advice everyone. Going to speak with Hanna and see if I can get some free reagents. I’ll start testing same time every day and averaging over a week to get more consistent results. I’ll also try the older ones and see what the deal is. It was fluctuating from 0-20/25ppm.