# question about my new nitrate test kit



## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

I have used Hagen Nutrifin nitrate test kits for many years. When I'm bang on with w/c's my test colour is a faint pink, showing very low nitrate (lowest reading). The colour wheel doesn't give a "zero" option. I have just purchased the API master test kit and have tested 4 tanks (45/65/90/135g) and all 4 tanks test nitrate to be "zero". The next reading is 5 on the scale. I followed the recommendation and shook reagent #2 really well and then gave the test tube a good shake as well.

Should I not get some sort of nitrate reading? Bad test kit?

w/c schedule averages to be 50% 1x/wk, also tested (from the same test kit) ammonia and nitrite, all tested zero in all tanks, as they should.

Thots?

Thanks


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

Make sure you shake both bottles and the test kit all for a minute. Also make sure you are adding ten drops of Each. So give it one more try


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## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

I didn't shake the life out of reagent 1, just maybe 5 sec. The instructions clearly, in bold, stated to shake reagent 2 for 30sec then the test tube for 1 min (or the other way around, can't remember). Nothing specific about reagent 1. Maybe will try again.


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## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

OK, interesting. Only difference this time was that I shook reagent 1 for 1 min prior to use (not in the instructions). Tested 2 tanks, 1was 10ppm the other 20ppm. Wondering if 1 of the reagents might have had some precipitate from sitting on the shelf for a long time and needed to be busted up? Expiry date is june '18 so that shouldn't be an issue.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I do shake all my reagent bottles just to get the 'stuff' mixed up well though the #2 bottle for nitrate does require the extra bottle shaking for accurate results.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

Sounds good, seems like the problem is solved


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## chiroken (Sep 25, 2007)

:thumb:



AfricanLove said:


> Sounds good, seems like the problem is solved


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