Help Nitrite test strip results (aquarium), is it bad?

[pyamu]

I did a 3x dilution to get around 10ppm or 10mg/L solution but I'm assuming my sn is not good bc of the nitrate content
There's a lot of error bc I don't have proper measuring tools but I used a scale (0 decimal places) and starsted at 1g/100mL with a graduated cylinder

 

[Tzu]

I'm curious where the testing method of using aquarium strips to establish SN purity started. I've been in the aquarium hobby for a while, these strips (across all brands) are pretty widely regarded as being all but useless for establishing accurate nitrite/nitrate readings. I cannot imagine they do their job any better for this purpose. Liquid test kits, while a bit pricier, are much more reliable.

 

[Aim]

View attachment 129124I did a 3x dilution to get around 10ppm or 10mg/L solution but I'm assuming my sn is not good bc of the nitrate content
There's a lot of error bc I don't have proper measuring tools but I used a scale (0 decimal places) and starsted at 1g/100mL with a graduated cylinder

Looks good to me, as far as I know.

 

[jujuklam]

I'm curious where the testing method of using aquarium strips to establish SN purity started. I've been in the aquarium hobby for a while, these strips (across all brands) are pretty widely regarded as being all but useless for establishing accurate nitrite/nitrate readings. I cannot imagine they do their job any better for this purpose. Liquid test kits, while a bit pricier, are much more reliable.

Thanks for the tip, but what am I looking for exactly in a liquid test kit? Do I need to go to a particular type of store for what you suggest?

 

[TimetoGo!]

Isn't this the one on Amazon? £24.99.

 

[Tzu]

Thanks for the tip, but what am I looking for exactly in a liquid test kit? Do I need to go to a particular type of store for what you suggest?

You'd be looking for any kind of aquarium/pond water testing kit that includes tests for both nitrites and nitrates. Brand doesn't matter a lot, they're all pretty similar. You can buy those tests individually instead of getting the extras (API does a stand alone nitrite liquid test) but it's not necessarily cheaper than just buying a whole set.

Store wise it depends, most likely to carry them besides online sites are local fish keeping stores. Might find some in a generic pet store, but they often just carry the strips.

View attachment 129260View attachment 129261View attachment 129263View attachment 129264

Isn't this the one on Amazon? £24.99.

This would work fine. I've only got personal experience using NTlabs/API testing kits and i'd say those are the most commonly relied on in hobby (at least where i am) but there's not a lot of difference between liquid test kits, they're all basically equivalent.

 

[pyamu]

Is nitrate showing up as a result a red flag? Or is nitrate being positive for SN a typical result?