Low Range No3 test

[chipmunkofdoom2]

It's been a hard pass for me since I learned the range was 0 - 5 ppm. Even if most reefers target 0 - 5 ppm for nitrate (I don't think they do), this Checker is essentially worthless for marine aquaria. Let's say you target 3 ppm for NO3. What happens if your nitrate increases by only 3 ppm to 6 ppm total? That's not a very big increase, and many things could cause a few ppm bump in NO3 in a few days (skimmer hiccup, accidental overfeeding, new livestock, etc). If this happens, this Checker is going to provide zero usable data until you get the levels to 5 or below. You can't trend to see if you're going in the right direction. You can't check that your nitrates aren't still increasing. This Checker will read MAX until your NO3 is 5ppm or lower.

The great irony is that traditional test kits (Salifert for example) do the low range (0 - 10 ppm) really well. If your level is above that, the traditional test kits can still read it, unlike this Checker. Really not sure who the target audience is for this, or how the range was decided.

 

[Jon's Reef]

Can't you just dilute your sample (1 ml sample, 6 ml distilled) giving you a range of 0-35 ppm with 1.75 ppm accuracy?

 

[01xp]

This checker is a hard pass for me. From reading the instructions posted it seems like a pia and I thought the calcium was annoying

 

[piranhaman00]

Ya I too dont see the use in this, any reading from 0.1 to 5ppm is essentially the same thing. I dont care if its 1ppm or 5ppm but I do care if I am 1-5ppm or 20-30ppm.

0-50ppm range would be useful, but even then as described above, Salifert works amazingly well.

Edit: Saltwateraquarium just added this to the description


Get accurate water testing results with the HI781 Marine Nitrate Low Range Colorimeter. With a digital read out, there is no more struggling to determine colors visually. This nitrate tester's compact design fits in your pocket or stores easily in your shop.

• Easier to use and more accurate than chemical test kits.
• One-button operation makes getting your nitrate results simple.
• Great for aquariums and marine environmental testing.
• Range 0-50 ppm with a Dilution.

The HI781 Checker®HC (Handheld Colorimeter) is a simple, accurate and cost-effective way to measure nitrate in saltwater.

Nitrate is a bi-product of ammonia. It comes from fish waste, plant decay, and leftover food. Over time, nitrate can build up in your aquarium. While low levels are not harmful, too much nitrate can be detrimental to the health of your fish and plants. Both odorless and colorless, nitrate can only be detected by testing.

Designed as a more accurate alternative to chemical test kits, the HI781 marine nitrate meter provides quick, accurate results in a few easy steps.

 

[Badilac]

• Range 0-50 ppm with a Dilution.

Even so still a hard pass. way too many steps and way too much time. I'll stick to Nyos

 

[piranhaman00]

Even so still a hard pass. way too many steps and way too much time. I'll stick to Nyos

Ya agreed, it says you need to filter the sample as well through filter paper? Crazy