What Litmus Paper Range Tests Nitrates/no3

[deansplit]

I currently use the Tetra 6 in 1 test strips for water testing, and not once has there ever been anything other than the Nitrates/NO3 patch that is wrong, which is when I then do a water change. Let's be honest, they're not the cheapest product in the world, so surely it's possible to buy the same pH range of litmus paper on it's own and just dip a piece of that in, and use the same colour/measuring chart on the tube of the Tetra test strips? I could then use the strips for occasional use to test the other levels.
 
Thanks

 

[Akasha72]

the test strips are a complete waste of your money. They are seriously inaccurate too. You'd be better to spend a bit more and get a liquid drop test kit - such as the API Masterkit - which will give you all that you need and last far longer

 

[StevenF]

 
 
the test strips are a complete waste of your money.

That is your opinion.  I use them and they generate results constant with the water quality report for my city.  I also have a RO system.  RO water has known PH, Alkalinity, and hardness.  The strips generate the correct numbers.for RO water.  At Amazon.com there are a lot of customer reviews of these strips and some have compared the results from the strips with API and other conventional test kits.  They report that the strips generate the same or close results.  
 
The problem with the strips is people don't follow the instructions.  The strips should be inserted vertically  into the aquarium, exposed to water for no more than one second (1/4 second works fine) and then removed vertically so excess water can drip off.  Many people reporting poor result keeping them in the water too long, lifting the strip out horizontally to "keep the strip wet", or fail to put the lid back on the bottle causing humidity to destroy the unused strips.  Using a syringe I have found only about 0.1 ml of water (about 2 drops per pad) to get good results.  With everything I have seen, I see no reason to doubt the results.  Furthermore it is very quick and easy to check the health of your aquarium.
 

 
 
Nitrates/NO3 patch that is wrong, which is when I then do a water change.

The ideal aquarium will have zero ammonia, zero nitrites and preferably no more than 20ppm nitrates.  Many well run aquariums will routinely generate zero ammonia and zero nitrites.  In some lightly stocked aquariums with plants it is also possible to see zero ammonia, zero nitrite, and zero nitrate.  I have seen that my strips report many times zero nitrites and zero nitrates.  When I first set up the tank I almost always saw nitrates and occasionally low but safe levels of nitrites.    I was using RO and my plants were always dying due to no nutrients int he water and I made beginner mistakes in maintaining it.  Once i realized I needed to add micro nutrients to my RO water and improved my maintenance, my plants recovered and nitrates doped down to zero.  and nitrites stayed at zero.  Lately my pond snail population exploded and and i started to daily crushing those i could find,  I left the remains in the tank for the shrimp.  I am now frequently seeing a trace to 20ppm nitrate but that is as high as it has gotten.
 
They also make ammonia test strips (they need a longer exposure to water to work) but I find the color scale difficult to read accurately so I would not recommend the ammonia strips.  

 

[Akasha72]

and that is your opinion. I'm afraid though that you won't find anyone on this forum who will advocate the using of these tests strips

 

[deansplit]

Thanks guys, didn't really want to start an argument... what I wanted was a source to the one little patch that reads the nitrates and buy a load of it, but guess that's not really available.

 

[Akasha72]

there is no arguement, certainly not on my part. If you have taken my comments in that context then that is up to you. I was happy to respond and try to help but as I don't want to be accused of starting an arguement I shall bow out
 
Regards
 
Akasha

 

[StevenF]

You can find other brands of nitrite test strips on Amazon.com
http/www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=nitrite+test+strips.
 
While looking through it I saw one that surprised me a JBL strip that measures everything 6 in 1 strips do but adds CO2.  Also inaddition to the manual color chart comparison they appently have a phone app that does a photo analysis and gives you numbers.  I"ll have to look more carefullly at that one.  API also makes 5 in 1 test strips.  Given that JBL and API are trusted brands they must believe these are accurate enough to bring to market.  I have only used the Tetra 6 in 1 strps.
 
http/www.amazon.com/JBL-Smartphone-Evaluation-Freshwater-Aquarium/dp/B00R5S9EQ6/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1461268016&sr=8-11&keywords=nitrite+test+strips.
 
The bast way to verify the accuracy of any test kit is to use it to testlab made reference solutions.  these can be hard to find but they are out there.  Other than that you can take a sample of your aquarium water measure it with your test kit or strips and then send the rest of the water out for testing.  You will spend more on that and it could take weeks to get the results back.  My sister did that with her tap water the Lab reportd 280ppm and I saw 300 with the strips.  Given that 300 is the maximum possible reading for the strips th 9% error is probably due to my inability to se the difference between for color for 280 and 300.  Regardless we installed a RO system  and the strips reported GH of 25ppm, KH 0ppm, and PH of 6.8 which is what one would expect for RO water. Other than RO water you can check for a water quality report from your local utility and than compare your test kit or strips to the data in the water quality preport.  I have done that also.  
 
Other than different brand test strps you could get a typical liquid test kit and compare it's results with those from the strips.   The third way  is to invest in a Hanna Colorimeter.  In this you mix a chemical with your aquarium water and then a meter test the sample and gives you a number.  These are lab quality instruments that cost $50 and are accurate down to 0.1ppm and Hanna does sell kit that allow you to verify the device is in calibration.  
http/hannainst.com/products/checker-colorimeters/hi707-nitrite-lr.html

 

[HarpyFishLover]

StevenF, I never knew this about the strips... the directions on the bottle said to hold it horizontally. I shall try it your way and see what I get. Now, my ammonia tests are done with liquid. Would you recommend strips for this, or just stick with liquid?

 

[StevenF]

MY latest bottle just had pictures showing the strip vertically.  I just looked at a older bottle I gave my sister so that she could check her RO system  It doesn't have pictures just text and it doesn't have the word horizontal on the bottle.  Just to be clear I am talking about Tetra 6 in 1 strips.  I haven't tried other strips, only the tetra.  
 
As to the ammonia tetra strips the color scale is just a shad of one color and at the low end of the scale I find it very hard to read.  So I wouldn't recommend it.   To be honest at the moment I don't have any ammonia test kit.  I got rid of the strips once they expired.  In any cae I almost never see nitrite and when I do only at very low  safe levels.  Furthermore Nitrate is always under 20ppm. My plants have been doing a great job keeping nitrogen levels good.  So ammonia at the moment doesn't concern me.  However if I had to buy one now I would go the Hanna Coloimeter ammonia tester.  It cost more at $50 but i think the one time cost is worth the extra accuracy.