Help me create a Nitrate Reference Solution

[LongBeachReefer562]

Yes, I double-checked your calculation and the amount of nitrate is correct (730 mg of nitrate in 1 g of NaNO3), which provides 730 ppm when added to 1 L of water. Yes, the good old C1 x V1 = C2 x V2 is the way to go to determine the dose for your tank. I think most people overestimate their tank volume, so I would recommend reducing your tank volume by 20% to accommodate for rock and overestimates on sump and tank volume (e.g. I just measured the volume on my 20 long and it only takes ~17 gallons to fill to the rim).

Thank you Courtney!!! Ben over a decade since I took my last chemistry course so glad I remember at least one thing from it lol.

REALLY good point about reducing overall tank volume...never took rocks into consideration for dosing.

I'm actually not dosing but just making some standard solutions to figure out calibration curve. I realized my hannah phosphate checker works outstanding with saliferts N03 test so need to run some test to get this test method dialed in. For the salifert N03 kits, color matching by eye is next to worthless for anything under 10ppm IMO.

 

[Twoddler]

NO I ended up having a bad Nyos kit. Nyos was testing at 3 PPM nitrates when in reality I had dosed my tank up too 150+ PPM Nitrate. Confirmed with Salifert, API, Red Sea, and Reference solution. I have been working my way back down and am now at 30 PPM. Nyos kit cost me some nice SPS frags due to the no3 overdose.

I did exactly the same, using Nyos on a 1000ltr tank still doing 3, 12% water changes a week, costing a fortune in salt

 

[William Morris]

You could always take the lazy man's route and buy a bottle of Fauna Marin Multi-Reference solution...

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/fauna-marin-multi-reference-solution.html

This seems like a nice idea - has anyone ever used this? Thoughts?