Help with salifert nitrate test

[Phillyd1990]

i could really use a second set of eyes with my nitrate test. I hate comparing colors as i can never tell which one. I prefer digital tests. Theyre much easier

 

[Big G]

15-20 ish. Try squinting your eyes a bit. My wife is an artists and she gave me that tip and it seems to work.

 

[Phillyd1990]

15-20 ish. Try squinting your eyes a bit. My wife is an artists and she gave me that tip and it seems to work.

Ill have to try that. Its always such a pain figuring out the right color. Ive been battling high nitrates and cant seem to get them down.

 

[Big G]

Have you tried reading outside in natural bright light?

 

[Big G]

Large water changes 25-50% aren't working? Do you have a sump? Chaeto?

 

[Phillyd1990]

I do %15 a week and i have 30g sump with chaeto. Bubble magus curve 7 skimmer. I dont think i feed that much. Ive got a decent bio load so the only thing incan think is that it just need more time to stabilize. Tank is 5 months old

 

[Jason mack]

You can do a low RES test by holding the chart behind and looking through the Side , iT Will appear darker .. match it too the chart and devide by 10 ..so if iT matches the 50 on the chart then Your Reading is 5

 

[Jason mack]

 

[moreef]

You can do a low RES test by holding the chart behind and looking through the Side , iT Will appear darker .. match it too the chart and devide by 10 ..so if iT matches the 50 on the chart then Your Reading is 5

^^^^this is what I do. Much easier to read this way imo

 

[foxt]

+1 on trying natural light. I too struggle with the readings, especially at 10 or below. I found the low range method that Jason posted to work, but it looks like you are +10 at this point so it might not be much help.

 

[Phillyd1990]

Awesome. Ill give that a try too.

 

[Phillyd1990]

+1 on trying natural light. I too struggle with the readings, especially at 10 or below. I found the low range method that Jason posted to work, but it looks like you are +10 at this point so it might not be much help.

I usually do take it outside or near a window to try and avoid the warmer light from inside. Like you said though it does look somewhere in between 10 and 25. Ive been contemplating marine pure brick i just dont know because of the whole Al thing.

 

[mtfish]

^^^^this is what I do. Much easier to read this way imo

This is great if you levels are below 10. This one looks above that, hence the high resolution test of looking straight down. OP, I would say your level is around 15-20 like a previous poster stated.

 

[rockslide123]

Consider vodka or vinegar dosing if you haven't already. A small daily dose has worked wonders for me.

 

[rockslide123]

Opps double post

 

[jsker]

I would suggest running seeded filter media such as Siprox, Matrix, Zeovit or Life Bio Fil. All these product can be run in the sump in a flow tray. I change out 10% every 8 weeks and my nitrates are now under control after trying carbon dosing, bio pellets;)

 

[Phillyd1990]

Consider vodka or vinegar dosing if you haven't already. A small daily dose has worked wonders for me.

I did dose with vinegar a little bit ago and went a little too fast with it dropping nutrients too fast. Lost a few corals but i may try vodka as a last resort.

I would suggest running seeded filter media such as Siprox, Matrix, Zeovit or Life Bio Fil. All these product can be run in the sump in a flow tray. I change out 10% every 8 weeks and my nitrates are now under control after trying carbon dosing, bio pellets;)

I may give spirox a try. Do you have it in low flow?

 

[jsker]

I did dose with vinegar a little bit ago and went a little too fast with it dropping nutrients too fast. Lost a few corals but i may try vodka as a last resort.

I may give spirox a try. Do you have it in low flow?

I have it in one of my dividers in a try,