Are API Nitrate Tests Accurate?
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
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I hear people say that API nitrate Test Kits are not accurate, but I think people just don't realize how high their nitrate is. I have no reason to believe the tests are not accurate.
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Interesting. I'd be interested is seeing you experiment with human drinking water test strips. Apparently cheap made at laboratory human consumption standards. 16 tests in one strip they test everything. Look into them under $20 for 50-100 strips depending on the brand. I think this would be great content for a series of videos mate!
I've been testing (API) Nitrite " not Nitrate" levels in my 30 gallon tank.
Nothing I was doing was lowering it. Endless water changes at 50%, nightly.
Following instructions applying Prime, Stability, Fritz, Microbe-lift all quality.
I have vacuumed the gravel every day, seriously have been doing Everything suggested.
Nitra-Zorb media in the filter, ripping my hair out, the API test results for over 2 weeks " 3-4 PPM"
My two goldfish are acting as they always do, plucky, playful and begging for more food.
I have drastically cut their food volume, feeding them every other day, or just a few pellets.
They are HANGRY. They are Big, 6 inches long with fins. They are active in their tank.
I dug out my SERA Nitrite test this evening. Two tests, No. 1 and No.2 they are not mixed, you test individually. The Nitrite Reading on both tests ?! " 0 ppm" No Nitrite detected. NADA ZIP.
All I have seen for over two weeks from the API test is Deep Magenta, off the chart Nitrite.
Ammonia is 0. Nitrate is 0! I am confused and needless to say Angry. If the API test is faulty, my Buppies have been through all of this for NO reason. Me too, the stress is unbelievable, doing everything you possibly can to ensure their health, with zero results. API Test, I have 2 bottles, both results the same.
Sera results " yellow" stayed Yellow which is " ZERO Nitrite"
Thank you so much for this video. I had to cycle my tank and after a month of seven 25% to 30% water changes and scratching my head I was still getting blood red readings on my API Nitrate tests. Today after a water change when it showed up around 40 ppm I re-did the test mixing half fresh tap water with the tank sample and it came out at a clear 5 ppm!!! (indicating nitrates in my tank were actually only 10 ppm). Conclusion, the test kit is simply not accurate at 10+ ppm nitrate levels. In future I will apply a 50% dilution to my samples and then multiply by two to get an accurate measure.
In general, I test with quick test strips. That just tells me if there's something I should investigate.
When I need to actually test I use a correlated Hanna checker. It ends up costing less in time and energy because you don't have to question what's actually happening.
I use the API test kit and the Tetra test strips. They usually agree except for Nitrates. API 20-40 is 0-20 on Tetra. And API 40-80 is 20-40 on Tetra. I always get these results.
Great video if you are finally getting orang your tests are good. I've had to 20% twice a a day for several days before to finally see orange. Couldn't go bigger due to temps.
I really enjoy your content my friend, you have a good approach and explain your reasoning so people can take that away
I use JBL strips as my nitrate/proxy test. I change water once it gets to 90ish.
I 100% agree with u
I’m starting to wonder about the API Nitrate test kit, I have multiple and I have consistently had nitrate explosions for years in all my tanks. I religiously do maintenance and have a lot of filtration and most my tanks are loaded with plants. Nothing helps or works and I’m stuck and it’s frustrating.
Check your source water. Mine has nitrate in it, so I can never get it below about40 ppm. (Nitrte doesn't harm your fish so you don't need to stress over it.)
@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly I have many times and every single time it’s zero. I thought maybe because I was using cold water only when I checked it so I tried just hot water and still zero across the board.
@@tracemiller1519 I'm not sure what to tell you then, other than try a different brand, like "Sera" and see if it makes a difference. i hear a lot of complaints about the API tests.
Hey Dan, I think I've asked you this before but do you follow the API test procedures to a tee( shaking bottle 30 sec., shaking vial 1 min.)? I ask this because my lfs doesn't shake a thing, says it takes too much time. I follow the steps and like you I end up with a red vial both before and after. I've pretty much given up worrying about nitrates. My fish seem to be doing fine.
For the nitrate test, you MUST vigorously shake the 2nd bottle to break up the caking agent in the solution. Once mixed in the vial, 30 seconds isn't necessary as long as it's well mixed. But a non shaken, or not properly shaken 2nd bottle will show a negative (or at least reduced) test result.
When you 'read' the vial, do you hold it right against the chart? I notice a huge difference when it's against the chart and 1 cm away.
@@KrypticChewie I've been told both by the customer service at Mars (API). I personally find it to be more accurate when held away from the paper. No light from behind makes it appear much darker.
@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly Really? Then I guess the Tetra and API might be on par after all. Thank you so much. I've been putting my aquarium Koi through almost 80% water changes to keep Nitrates between 40 and 80. My Koi and my back thank you!!!
@@KrypticChewie I ordered some Tetra test strips, so I'll be doing my own comparison tests and video about what I find.
I think API nitrate test kit is really bad. It gives me a reading of about twice of what my Salifert and Fluval test kits give me. Are other people getting similar results?
Do you have JBL products where you live? These test kits are known to be at least 5 times more accurate than the API Test kit. I used to use API for years but the JBL is a massive change to the results
The problem is not just too much nitrates, it is the fishkeeper over feeding and over stocking their anks. Your fish wil not die if you skip a days feeding every other day or even only feeding 2-3 times a week to lower the ammonia production and nitrate production.
I stopped testing the water in my tanks . I test my well water occasionally .
I change about 1/4 of the water in each tank twice a week the fish seem happy.
Cool platies.
Is the nitrate in your water source..tap?
I have equipment that removes it from my well water.
@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly You should still test the tap. As you know, those resins don't last forever
I just started the video so you might say this but I think they expire way before the date.
I think it's ridiculous that API produce a test kit that makes it very difficult to accurately determine the level of nitrate in your tank water when the level is above 40ppm !
That's because it doesn't really matter. Why do you need to know if you 80 or 85 ppm?
@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly Sure, don't get me wrong, I totally realise that anything below circa 80 ppm is no big deal and nothing worth overly worrying about (unless you're keeping discus, perhaps). However, my point remains, it's ridiculous to be selling a nitrate test kit that is largely incapable of accurately testing the nitrate levels in peoples tanks ..!
My nitrates with the API are always high. I have tons of plants too.
I love your videos!
Have you not had any fish health issues/loss of fish at 120ppm nitrates?
Nitrate isn't very harmful to fish.
@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly I ask because I use a Nitrate kit by Interpet which is a brand here in the UK but they have always said between 2.5 and 5ppm, happy days! But to make my testing quicker I bought a Tetra 6 in 1 Strip kit a couple of weeks ago and it was reading over 100ppm which I thought nooo can’t be BUT at the same time my fish lately have been gasping for air when the lights go out and I’ve lost three fish now, at first I thought it was a parasite but meds aren’t changing anything. I’ve done water changes now and the test strip is reading 25 which is good but one fish still seems to be struggling. I’ve googled it and high nitrates can be damaging to a fish, it does something to their blood apparently, it can lead to bent spines and fertility issues and gasping at the surface is a symptom I’ve read which is why I was wondering what your tank has been like. This is why people say 40ppm nitrates but anything last that is iffy. What do you think?
@@shaunbates49 Extremely high nitrate (many hundreds of ppm) can be deadly. Long term exposure has some health effects, like exposure to high levels of anything for long periods of time.
Nitrate itself is inert, so it doesn't really directly affect the fish.
Gasping for air is ammonia damage to the gills, or high nitrite exposure. (extremely high nitrates can convert to some nitrite in the blood).
It could also simply be low O2 in the water. Have you added an air stone?
@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly My ammonia is and nitrites are at 0ppm although I did get a bit of a nitrite spike but not ammonia not too long ago but luckily I caught it straight away so it didn’t get above 1ppm, water changed and reduced feeding to every other or every second day, lasted about a week and then it was back to 0. I don’t have an air stone in it currently I have the outage of my filter and I have a double sponge filter in where the pipe sits above the water line and dumps water back into the tank creating surface agitation. Do you think this would be enough? Only reason I took the air stone away many months ago is because of my Betta fish, I didn’t want the surface moving too much for him with him coming up for air as he does
@@shaunbates49 That should be plenty of O2. I'm not sure what to suggest at this point.
If it ware my tank I would blame the root tabs!