Which test kit should i chose?

[mantis keeper]

When chosing test kits for nitrate which test kit should i chose?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I always used salifert and never had any issues with it

 

[bvickery1974]

I live my Hanna HR Nitrate. I am getting older and find numbers much more readible than figuring out what shade it is.

For simple kits Salifert is the gold standard but also hear Red Sea and Nyos are pretty good too

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

IMO the salifert test is good enough

 

[EnterName]

Judging from Randy's target range for nitrate which is "Let nitrate float between 5 ppm and 50 ppm", you don't really need a highly precise test in my opinion. Salifert is more than fine for nitrate.

If you try to mimic natural nitrate levels instead, there is no sufficently hobby-grade test available. Even the Hanna Checker for Low Range nitrate measurements has an accuracy worse than ±0.25ppm, which is insufficient to ensure natural levels of below 0.03ppm NO₃.

I personally just keep it undetectable with Salifert. Corals prefer ammonia, urea, and amino acids as nitrogen sources anyway so nitrate doesn't tell me much about the available nitrogen, it's just an "insurance" that there is enough nitrogen available.