That could be useful.
I did use a Red Sea kit a while back to confirm and it seemed to confirm what I'm getting with the Hanna HR Nitrate Checker, however admittedly the Red Sea test kit's reagents were expired. The Hanna reagents I'm using are not expired.
But I'm hardly feeding anything here. I don't have any fish. I did have a bit of hair algae early on, so I added some CUC critters, and I do occasionally now target feed them since the algae is largely gone. I am adding a pinch of Reef Roids nearly daily in an effort to raise phosphates (and I understand this will also raise nitrate), but I had high nitrates and low phosphate from the beginning, even before I had corals, a CUC or was adding Reef Roids. So I'm quite puzzled here, I've never personally been in this situation (high nitrate, but low phosphate).
I got the Nitrite checker by mistake when I was trying to buy a different checker from another reefer (he sent me the wrong one by mistake lol!). I've never ver used it, and would have to see if the reagents are still good, but I can try to test for nitrite if you think it would help.
That's all I can think of too, but again only 50% of my rocks were totally dry, new base roc, the other 50% was well cycled from another tank. And this tank has been running since late February, so wouldn't the organics be exhausted by now?
Interesting! I check my newly mixed water for Alk, but never thought the check for nitrate.
I started with AquaForrest Sea Salt and have now switched to AquaForrest Reef Salt mix.
In the refugium section, under the rock you could place a decent layer of sand - or even in just a small bag have some (that’s what I do in the coral trays if they’re small - a thin layer of sand in the back or a small bag of it if it’s only got a back chamber)
I could do that, I could also add a small bag of sand in my media caddy too. But could I please ask, how would this help my situation? Would you expect phosphate to be bound to the sand?
OK, maybe I'll check my newly mixed saltwater, I'm running out of other ideas here lol!
I was JUST about to comment this!
Interesting!
If it were me, I’d switch. I’d not bother testing it. I would use a salt that’s proven to not have any nitrate issue, like Instant Ocean purple, Red Sea, Tropic Marin, etc.
