Best Nitrate Test Kit: Investigation of NO3 Stabilizers

The fishes surely love to live in peace. Eat, excrete, swim, and repeat. But their waste can raise the nitrate level, and their filth can cause them to die.

So, you must measure the nitrate level in the aquarium.

But the test result does vary. And since you want the most accurate results, you need the best nitrate test kit.

However, there are simply too many options in the sea. So, it’s easy to get confused. But fret not, reefers. We’re here with the top 5 nitrate test kits in town. And we’ll go over them in a while.

That’s not all. We’ll also review the buying guide built, so you know what to look for when buying a nitrate kit.

Anyway, we have already wasted a lot of time. So, without any further ado, let’s get right into the main topic of the day-

Comparison Table

Product Overview

At the top of our little list is the NYOS 40 Testes Nitrate (NO3) Test Kit. Now, the Nyos brand is pretty famous, but have you heard about its amazing nitrate test kit? You know it comes with a yellow color chart.

Now the chart is quite helpful. It guides you throughout your nitrate test. So, you can put down your tested bottles and compare the color by gliding the test kit on the color chart.

We have to mention that this is the only product that comes with a helpful color chart that can be spread on the table. The others have printed colors that must be read from the manual or product box.

For optimum accuracy, we suggest you go near the daylight. You see, the blue lights from the aquarium can hamper the test results.

Moreover, this test kit can also measure a 1 – 160 mg/l range of nitrate. This is quite a high range, so if your nitrate level inside the aquarium is anywhere between this range, this test kit will surely detect it for you.

Additionally, this test kit has 50 test strips. So, you can carry out the tests 50 times.

Now, this number may not be the highest on our list, but you can still carry out a lot of tests using this specific kit.

But what comes in the box? Inside, you’ll find 2 reagents, 1 micro scoop, 1 syringe, 2 cuvettes & foam light blockers, and a color chart.

All of these will help you to carry out the test quite easily. You won’t need anything extra.

Adding to this, it also has a calibrated dropper. They can help to ensure that the test results are more accurate.

However, the precision for this test is quite high. It’s 5 ppm, to be exact. But fret not; this nitrate test kit is still quite accurate. And you’ll get the right results with this test kit.

Pros

• You get precise results
• Durable in nature
• It can measure a high range of nitrate
• You can easily match the colors after testing
• Works great on seawater

Cons

• Too many pieces that need to be managed

Product Overview

The next product on our list is the All Seas Marine SI021 Salifert Nitrate (No3) Test Kit. This test kit is the only nitrate test kit based on liquid. So, let’s check out what this has to offer us.

Well, the liquid test kits are very fast and accurate. So, if you’re a beginner, this test kit will help you.

You can simply watch a video and use this kit with the help of the tutorials you find online.

Moreover, the precision is quite accurate. You see, the precision is 0.2, which is very low. Now, the lower the precision, the higher the accuracy you’ll get.

This means you won’t have to conduct many tests to ensure you find the right nitrate level in your aquarium. But we suggest you still do a few tests before you conclude.

Adding to all this, the All Seas Marine SI021 test kit has 60 test strips.

Now, this is higher than the previous one. So, you’ll be able to conduct more tests with this one.

However, due to its high accuracy, we doubt that you’ll need so many strips. But you can always keep it in store for later use.

However, remember that the product shouldn’t be used after it has crossed its expiration date.

Not only this, you see, this test kit comes with dual test kits. One is for the aquarium with fish, and the other for corals. You see, aquariums with fishes and corals have different nitrate levels.

So, if you have two sets of kits, you can test the two aquariums separately and get verified results.

As a fair warning though, you should keep the test kit out of children’s reach. Otherwise, they might get some chemicals in their eye.

Pros

• It’s fast
• Even beginners can use it
• It’s quite accurate
• Great for saltwater uses

Cons

• It can be hard to distinguish the color

Product Overview

In third place, we have the Red Sea 306030 ARE21525 Marine Care Test Kit.

They might be a bit low on the list, but you should note that this has the lowest precision of all the test kits on our list. Let’s see what this means-

As stated earlier, the lower the precision, the higher the accuracy of the test. You see, this test kit has a range of 0.05 to 2 ppm.

Now, if you have a look at the comparison table, then you’ll find that this is the lowest.

So, if you can carry out the test properly, the results will be quite accurate. Besides this, the size of this test kit is 100, so you get 100 nitrate tests.

But that’s not all; this test kit lets you examine all the different chemical levels in your aquarium. To be exact, it lets you test nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and pH, which are head alkalinity levels.

So, you get to completely control the reef tank that you have in your home. And it’ll be in optimum condition so your fish won’t end up dying.

But the best part is you get to do 100 tests for nitrate and 100 tests for alkaline. You see, this test kit is quite generous.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Measures most chemicals in the tank
• It’s quite precise
• You can conduct a lot of tests

Cons

• Comes in cheap plastic cases

Product Overview

We have another testing kit called the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals LR1800 API test Kit.

Now, if you are looking for something a bit budget-friendly, then this is the one for you. But what more does it offer?

To start, you can measure 9 varieties of chemicals in the aquarium. These are Ammonia, Aquarium Water Testing, Copper, GH & KH, High Range pH, Nitrate, Phosphate, pH, and Adjuster.

So, by using this kit, you can ensure that your aquarium is safe for all your fish and corals to live.

Besides, this can be used on tap water as well; you see, it’s not limited to aquarium uses.

Hence, it serves multiple purposes. You can say that it is versatile, besides this testing kit for both freshwater and saltwater. So, its usefulness is endless.

As for the range, it is from 0-160 ppm. Now, within this range, you can measure the nitrate level, and if your aquarium’s level fits in this range, you can easily detect it.

Not to mention, the test has 90 strips. So, you get to conduct 90 nitrate tests with this kit. And that’s quite a lot of tests. Not the highest, but it’s still a lot.

Pros

• It works on a lot of chemicals
• You can conduct a lot of tests
• It’s multipurpose
• Budget-friendly

Cons

• At mid-level, the colors start to look the same

Product Overview

At the end of the list, we have JNW Direct Aquarium Test Strips for Fish Tank. This one might be the last product on our list, but it’s surely a good one.

It can measure quite accurately because it can be connected to phones to keep track. But which phone?

Well, it works on both IOS and android. So, no matter what you’re using, you can use your app to track the test results for this kit. Isn’t that a bit too cool?

Other than this, you can measure total hardness, free chlorine, iron, copper, nitrite, nitrate, pH, total alkalinity & KH/carbonate using one test kit.

So, you can check all the chemical levels of your aquarium and ensure that it’s safe for the fish. But don’t worry about the process. It’s super easy.

All you have to do is dip the test strips in the water and then compare the color to get the test result. Doesn’t that sound quite easy to you?

As for the test strips, there are 100 of them. So, you can conduct as many tests as you want to be sure of the results. Now, this is the highest number of strips available on the list.

Other testing kits don’t have such a high number of test strips.

Pros

• Can be connected to phones for accuracy
• You can measure all the chemicals in your aquarium
• It’s easy to test

Cons

• Some of the tests are quite irrelevant

 

Buying Guide

We understand that you might be worried about the differences in test results. Most of the time, it’s due to the errors made during the test. However, it may also depend on the testing kit.

To ensure that you end up with the right test results, you need the right test kit.

For that, there are some basic requirements that you need to be aware of. And we’re about to start discussing that particular topic.

Size of the Testing Kit

On the top of our heads, we think you should be aware of the size of the tests. Now, if you notice, then you’ll find that most of the tests out there offer 100 tests.

That means they are good for 100 different tests. So, you can carry out your experiment as many times as you want and then make an average to come up with the right nitrate level.

Even after that, some of the test strips will be left for you to use later on.

This can be handy since you won’t have to drive to the local stores to get them.

However, some test kits only serve 50 strips. Since the number of strips is limited, so are your chances of experimenting.

But if you’re looking for a small kit, this size isn’t too bad, either. You just have to find the right size for you.

Precision

Other than the size, precision is also important. You see, each kit has varying precision. Some may be limited to 2 to 1 ppm. But the best ones have a precision of 0.2 ppm.

Yep, the lower the precision, the better the test kit. This indicates that the test kit can be accurate to a more precise level.

And for the nitrate test kit, you surely want to be accurate. Well, the lives of your fish do depend on it.

Measuring Unit of The Testing Kit

Apart from all these, you should also note what the test kit measures. You see, some of the kits measure NO3- ions while the other measures NO3-N ions.

The problem arises because 1 ppm of NO3-N ions equals 4.4 NO3- ions. So, if the test kit measures NO3- ions, the result will be higher. But that doesn’t mean that this measurement is wrong.

It’s more like a comparison between 1 foot and 12 inches. Both of them are the same.

So, all you have to do is convert the test kit to the same unit of measurement to compare the test results. Otherwise, you’ll get varying results.

Expiration Date

One more thing to look into while buying a nitrate test kit is the expiration date.

You see, the expiration clock starts ticking when the product is manufactured. And by the time the kit reaches its limit, it becomes useless.

So, to ensure that the kit works properly, you have to ensure that the clock doesn’t cross the expiration date.

Versatility

Lastly, try to ensure that the product is more versatile, which means it can test for ammonia, pH, alkaline, chlorine, and many more.

This will make sure that you get your money’s worth and that you pick a more useful product.

But this is totally up to you. It’s simply an additional feature that can be quite beneficial.

FAQs

Question: Do nitrate test kits go bad?

Answer: After crossing their expiration date, the nitrate test kits go bad. You even have to throw them away once they have gone past the expiration date.

Question: How long do nitrate test kits last?

Answer: The lifetime of a nitrate test kit depends on the brand. However, generally, they last somewhere between 1 to 4 years.

Question: How do nitrate test kits work?

Answer: Normally, the nitrate test kits convert the nitrate into nitrite. And then test the nitrite concentration to measure the nitrate level in the tank.

Question: Why do nitrate levels increase in fish tanks

Answer: The nitrate level rises because the fish are sometimes overfed. They consume more food, and that’s why they excrete more waste. This way, they pollute the entire water quickly.

Conclusion

Alright, guys, that’s a wrap on the best nitrate test kit. Remember, it all boils down to you in the end.

The errors you make during the experiment can cause fatal differences in the results. So, make sure to repeat the experiment for accuracy. But with the right kit, you’ll be a bit more confident. So best of luck!