Getting A More Accurate Nitrate Reading

[fry_lover]

Okay, this is slightly related to another thread of mine, but i wanted to clear this up in its own right....

I am in North London and my tap water Nitrate is a consistent 20-30ppm.

So therefore, without any specific Nitrate lowering mechanisms or RO, with my non-planted tanks it's always a bit of a battle to keep the nitrates below 50-60ppm. This is despite 30-40% w/c weekly. I know that 50-60 or even 60+ is not cause for anxiety with the fish i keep, but i like to follow nitrate readings anyway, as they can give me clues about my feeding routine and water change routine.

Anyway, every test kit i have used, i find it hard (impossible almost) to differentiate the readings once they get past the 40mg/l or 50mg/l colour on the chart.

IDEA

Evian bottled water says it has something like 3.8ppm Nitrate in it and when tested on kits i have found it to read 0.0

If when i do tests, i use 50% Evian and 50% tank water, i would obviously get a lower reading on the Nitrate chart and it would be easier to tell the colours apart (i find that under 40/50ppm on colour charts its much easier to differentiate the readings)

Therefore, i could use the Evian method (50% Evian and 50% tank water), and then simply double the reading i get, to obtain the true tank reading? (or true/er tank reading)

Or have i lost you all?

 

[littlest]

I know of people that use the exact same method. I don't see why it wouldn't work unless the nitrate level in evian varies from batch to batch.

 

[fry_lover]

yeh i would test the Evian before i did it

there wil be someone along to tell me its all too much bother, but i enjoy this part of the hobby

 

[chipper_222]

yeh i would test the Evian before i did it

there wil be someone along to tell me its all too much bother, but i enjoy this part of the hobby

I work in a water laboratory and agree that the 50% Evian/ 50% tank water would work fine.....just remember to x2 your result. I wouldn't worry to much about the nitrate levels in the Evian as I can't see it varying to much.

 

[fry_lover]

yeh i would test the Evian before i did it

there wil be someone along to tell me its all too much bother, but i enjoy this part of the hobby

I work in a water laboratory and agree that the 50% Evian/ 50% tank water would work fine.....just remember to x2 your result. I wouldn't worry to much about the nitrate levels in the Evian as I can't see it varying to much.

Thanks for input Chipper