Worthless test kits......

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Gill Passman wrote:
Koi-Lo wrote:
Jungle's Quick Dip sticks! Worthless... I called the water co. and
spoke to them about the high nitrates coming from my tap. Uh oh,...
these quick-dip sticks are very, very off.

My reading was 20ppm nitrates and his was .34ppm = what a difference!

You two are not testing the same water! Can you take a sample there
and have him test it? Not what he uses; hobby nitrate kits are, um,
"sub optimal".
===========================
No. They have a professional Laboratory in Lebanon TN do their tests. They
only do certain tests there but you can't just walk in with a bottle of
water and have them test it for you.

If my kit is off by around 19ppm then my tanks really have a Nitrate reading
of 39 or 40ppm and not 20ppm as the strips show. :-(
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

If my kit is off by around 19ppm then my tanks really have a Nitrate reading
of 39 or 40ppm and not 20ppm as the strips show. :-(

Around here better stores will tesy your water with a LaMoe kit, the
only one that's accurate.

If you just change a lot of water you'll have bugger-all in the way of
nitrates.


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
If my kit is off by around 19ppm then my tanks really have a Nitrate
reading
of 39 or 40ppm and not 20ppm as the strips show. :-(

Around here better stores will tesy your water with a LaMoe kit, the
only one that's accurate.

If you just change a lot of water you'll have bugger-all in the way of
nitrates.
================
I've been doing endless massive water changes as often as possible would
like to know exactly what the readings are nonetheless. I ordered the
Flourish products. The should be here in less than a week.

The stores here use the same Quick-Strips I have. Some don't do any tests
except for ammonia and nitrites. And then only if you bring back a dead fish
for a refund. :-(
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

I've been doing endless massive water changes as often as possible would
like to know exactly what the readings are nonetheless. I ordered the
Flourish products. The should be here in less than a week.

Then I'd suspect you have a sewage bed in your gravel that is continuosly
leeching stuff into the water. There's absolutly no way fish can make
nitrates spike that high quickly by themselves.


--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...
I've been doing endless massive water changes as often as possible would
like to know exactly what the readings are nonetheless. I ordered the
Flourish products. The should be here in less than a week.

Then I'd suspect you have a sewage bed in your gravel that is continuosly
leeching stuff into the water. There's absolutly no way fish can make
nitrates spike that high quickly by themselves.
===========================
I know. The gravel bed is thoroughly vacuumed several times a month and the
gravel isn't that deep. That's why I believe James at the water co. that
the nitrates are .34 as the leave the plant, and *not* 20ppm as the sticks
say it is. According to the Quick-Sticks the nitrates stay at 20ppm until
the next water change.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Koi-Lo wrote:

"Richard Sexton" wrote in message
...

I've been doing endless massive water changes as often as possible would

like to know exactly what the readings are nonetheless. I ordered the
Flourish products. The should be here in less than a week.


Then I'd suspect you have a sewage bed in your gravel that is continuosly
leeching stuff into the water. There's absolutly no way fish can make
nitrates spike that high quickly by themselves.

===========================
I know. The gravel bed is thoroughly vacuumed several times a month and
the gravel isn't that deep. That's why I believe James at the water co.
that the nitrates are .34 as the leave the plant, and *not* 20ppm as the
sticks say it is. According to the Quick-Sticks the nitrates stay at
20ppm until the next water change.

I've been pouring nitrate into my plant aquarium on Mr Sexton's advice
(fighting BGA) and have yet to see 20 ppm nitrate. The plants seem to
soak it up .

I use a SeaTest nitrate test kit that's many years old, and it uses dry
cadmium powder reagent. It seems very accurate, but I haven't seen this
type in the stores recently. Apparently cadmium is a suspected carcinogen.

Steve

I use a SeaTest nitrate test kit that's many years old, and it uses dry
cadmium powder reagent. It seems very accurate, but I haven't seen this
type in the stores recently. Apparently cadmium is a suspected carcinogen.


The Hagen kit I bught last year (sucks) has a cadmium regent too. I'm
amazed you can buy cadmiuin any form; it's beyond dangerous. The car
guys would kill for real cad plating (they send stuff to Mexico for it)

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home page: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

"Steve" wrote in message
.. .
Koi-Lo wrote:
I know. The gravel bed is thoroughly vacuumed several times a month and
the gravel isn't that deep. That's why I believe James at the water co.
that the nitrates are .34 as the leave the plant, and *not* 20ppm as the
sticks say it is. According to the Quick-Sticks the nitrates stay at
20ppm until the next water change.
===============
I've been pouring nitrate into my plant aquarium on Mr Sexton's advice
(fighting BGA) and have yet to see 20 ppm nitrate. The plants seem to soak
it up .

Oh well, we live and learn. These quick-sticks seemed too good to be true
and they apparently are. I'll pick up some of the other type the next trip
into the city.

I use a SeaTest nitrate test kit that's many years old, and it uses dry
cadmium powder reagent. It seems very accurate, but I haven't seen this
type in the stores recently. Apparently cadmium is a suspected carcinogen.

I don't think I've ever used that brand.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o