High and low range Hanna Nitrate tester

[RaeRae]

I just realized I have been doing it wrong for the last year. I have been using the simple 7 minute high range tester for my reef tank! Everything seems to be doing well. I try to keep my Nitrates at 15 or so with what I thought was the right tester. What can I come to realize my true Nitrates are when I get the low range Hanna tester?

 

[billyocean]

I just realized I have been doing it wrong for the last year. I have been using the simple 7 minute high range tester for my reef tank! Everything seems to be doing well. I try to keep my Nitrates at 15 or so with what I thought was the right tester. What can I come to realize my true Nitrates are when I get the low range Hanna tester?

The low range is if you want something super accurate for like 0-5 ppm. If youre at 15...I dont see the need unless I missed something

 

[exnisstech]

I'm not sure I understand the concern. I have only ever used the HR tester. It will measured below 1.0 ppm. I see no need for a lower nitrate reading.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I use the HR tester to keep nitrate in my target range of 5-50 ppm. Yes, it is not very accurate at low levels, but that’s not the range I want nitrate in anyway. :)

 

[Lasse]

The NO3 Hanna High Range method has an accuracy of ± 2 ppm + 5 % of reading NO3 and I use it because my NO3 will alter between 1 - 10 ppm. This means that if I instead use the Low Range with an accuracy of ±0.2 ppm + 2 % of reading I will need to dilute my samples before reading. A procedure that will need the standard dilution method 1:10 and to use fresh saltwater as dilution liquid and the procedure needs to be done with high precision. The low range method is also a complicated method and if everything go south - you will end up with a result that exceed the HR accuracy. If you don´t are a trained lab person - IMO - its better to use the HR method because its easier to use and has lesser moments that can go wrong.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[rishma]

I'm not sure I understand the concern. I have only ever used the HR tester. It will measured below 1.0 ppm. I see no need for a lower nitrate reading.

While it reads below 1 I don’t believe the results that low. I tried to maintain non-zero using the HR tester to test low levels. I don’t think it worked out. I am now going to try to keep it above 5ppm now to ensure it’s not zero.

 

[exnisstech]

While it reads below 1 I don’t believe the results that low. I tried to maintain non-zero using the HR tester to test low levels. I don’t think it worked out. I am now going to try to keep it above 5ppm now to ensure it’s not zero.

That's pretty much where I'm at now, 5-10 on this tank I like. I don't intentionally try to run low and just use it to try and stay above zero.

 

[BriDroid]

I have both, I guess I like to spend $ .
When the HR is below 1ppm, I’ve tested with the LR and I’ll get anywhere between 0.1 to 1.5ppm. So yes, below 1ppm the HR isn’t very accurate. I don’t like the LR test, it’s like doing a science experiment! So many steps.

 

[RaeRae]

The NO3 Hanna High Range method has an accuracy of ± 2 ppm + 5 % of reading NO3 and I use it because my NO3 will alter between 1 - 10 ppm. This means that if I instead use the Low Range with an accuracy of ±0.2 ppm + 2 % of reading I will need to dilute my samples before reading. A procedure that will need the standard dilution method 1:10 and to use fresh saltwater as dilution liquid and the procedure needs to be done with high precision. The low range method is also a complicated method and if everything go south - you will end up with a result that exceed the HR accuracy. If you don´t are a trained lab person - IMO - its better to use the HR method because its easier to use and has lesser moments that can go wrong.

Sincerely Lasse

So if I continue to use the high range test and want to keep my nitrate between 10 and 20 I should be fine?

 

[Lasse]

At least I do that. If it show around 15 - you are between 12 and 17 ppm for sure

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Dan_P]

So if I continue to use the high range test and want to keep my nitrate between 10 and 20 I should be fine?

The HR is a good match between how it performs and what you want to achieve.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Speaking of nitrates....

... at what point are Nitrates too low for a Softies dominated tank?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Speaking of nitrates....

... at what point are Nitrates too low for a Softies dominated tank?

I recommend 5-50 ppm for a reef tank, but since there can be other sources of N, such as ammonia, it is possible
To have corals thrive at lower levels.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

From my experience the LR NO3 is horrible. The HR NO3 is solid (to my standards). I just feed more and don’t worry about the low side :). Seriously though, if my HR blinked I would use Salifert just to check for color. I wouldn’t even compare it to the card. I’m not as militant about NO3 as I am PO4.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I recommend 5-50 ppm for a reef tank, but since there can be other sources of N, such as ammonia, it is possible
To have corals thrive at lower levels.

Thanks for your reply.


@Randy Holmes-Farley

Historically I've been around 40-50 for a long while but with some recent changes in filtration (mainly moving all of my siporax to very low flow area of my sump I'm now down to 17; 32-27-24-17 few weeks apart each.

I'm on a steady downward trajectory with Nitrates; no water changes.

At what point should I genuinely worry that I'm going too low and start thinking about supplementation?

Does it have any co-relation to phosphates? Currently my phosphorus is at 32ppb

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Interesting. @BZOFIQ - last January my NO3 was 33. I’m now dosing 220 mil of ammonia and have NO3 of 10-12.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I would dose, or increase the dose, at levels below 5 ppm nitrate.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Interesting. @BZOFIQ - last January my NO3 was 33. I’m now dosing 220 mil of ammonia and have NO3 of 10-12.

Yeah, I never had that "problem", it was always slowly trending up and I'd do water changes at 50PPM to knock it down some.

So by Randy's last response I have nothing to worry about until about 5. Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley We'll see what happens.

Now that I've stabilized my Alk and Calcium, latter was extremely low, my coraline is exploding.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Yeah, I never had that "problem", it was always slowly trending up and I'd do water changes at 50PPM to knock it down some.

So by Randy's last response I have nothing to worry about until about 5. Thanks @Randy Holmes-Farley We'll see what happens.

Now that I've stabilized my Alk and Calcium, latter was extremely low, my coraline is exploding.

Now that I am dosing ammonia my consumption has gone up greatly. here you saying you got it under control before you entertained dosing ammonia is good. I switched from 2 part to solely a CARX while I was dosing ammonia to find an amount that I could level off with. I shouldn’t have done both at the same time.

 

[CHSUB]

the HR is the Pinto of the testing world, even Hanna calls it Junk. Since I keep no3 at ocean levels using the HR would be like “peeing in the wind”….