Nitrate testing variances between LFS and Hanna?

[Qckslvr]

So last week I decided to get a Hanna HR Nitrate checker. My Nyos kit is easy enough to use, but the color differences is crazy. 12 is one color and the next is 25. So any color in between those two is an educated guess.

I have used it three times and gotten test results of 8 - 8.8 Nitrates on the Hanna

But when I go to Neptune, I get a test result of around 20 ppm on average. I even tried a different LFS that has the same tester as Neptune and my Nitrates tested the same at 20 ppm. Other LFS stated that comparing the Hanna to their tester would never result in the same readings. And that consistency is what is more important.

The wife is wanting to add a dragonette to our tank. All our parameters are in check except possibly the Nitrates. If I go Hanna, I am golden, if I go LFS I am on the border of too high.

Who do I trust? or did I get a bad checker?

My Nyos kit also shows to be in the 15-20ish range... Again really hard to tell because the color falls between 12ppm and 25ppm.

 

[derek_SR]

I can guarantee you that a dragonette does not give a shit if your nitrates are 5, or 20, or 120. I would be way more concerned about having a large, mature tank that is well stocked with pods.

IMO there isn't much difference between 8 and 20 as far as the rest of your tanks habitants are concerned either. Pick one (I'd recommend your Hanna) and use it moving forward to understand trends. You're going to lose your mind obsessing over slightly different results across different test methods - they'll never be the same.

 

[MichaelB]

I would recommend the Hanna. The spin tester isn't as accurate. Its really only good to know ur in a general acceptable range.

Important thing is what ever method you choose to use stick to it so it gives you a baseline that you can inturn use to keep things stable.

The salifert po4 test is the same as you describe not accurate enough to judge things based off trying to determine different shades of a color with our human eye site.

It would let you know if things were really bad I suppose yet nothing I would trust the results of to determine dose needed to adjust my tank.

We posted at same time It seems but I agree with Derek about the dragonette as well. It could starve if you don't have pods unless it was pre conditioned to eat frozen or pellets. You will have to dose lots of pods if you wanna keep it alive. Unless you got it from hightide.

 

[derek_SR]

Looks like you started your tank about a month ago, and it's small. If you add a dragonette now it will die. Please don't do that!

Work on managing stable salinity, predictable/small temp swings, and get your easy fish and CUC in a happy place. Add some basic corals along the way. In a year or so maybe you can add a dragonette - although they often do not survive in tanks that small regardless of maturity level. A very small tank simply can't support a large enough copepod population for them.

This is easily the #1 most killed fish by noobies.

 

[Qckslvr]

thank you all for the replies

I shall keep to the Hanna, so far all my other tests match (with in 5%) it's just the nitrate that was way off.

As for the dragonette. I know it is pretty, but I also know my tank is not mature enough.... It is convincing the wife

 

[derek_SR]

thank you all for the replies

I shall keep to the Hanna, so far all my other tests match (with in 5%) it's just the nitrate that was way off.

As for the dragonette. I know it is pretty, but I also know my tank is not mature enough.... It is convincing the wife

Has your wife ever watched a fish starve to death? It takes a few weeks.

 

[Alexander1312]

What is your source you used to learn how to keep a dragonette? This source must have included a nitrate reference but seemingly not information that truly matters.

Discussing which sources to rely on for fish keeping would be a more useful thread than discussing which nitrate tester is more accurate.

Btw, Hanna seems easy to use but the devil is in the detail, so misusing the Hanna is not an unlikely scenario. I get my Hanna Nitrate within 3 ppm of the ICP results but I go through several steps to max out its accuracy.

 

[L/B Block]

What is your source you used to learn how to keep a dragonette? This source must have included a nitrate reference but seemingly not information that truly matters.

Discussing which sources to rely on for fish keeping would be a more useful thread than discussing which nitrate tester is more accurate.

Btw, Hanna seems easy to use but the devil is in the detail, so misusing the Hanna is not an unlikely scenario. I get my Hanna Nitrate within 3 ppm of the ICP results but I go through several steps to max out its accuracy.

Be interested to know the steps in how you max its accuracy??

 

[L/B Block]

thank you all for the replies

I shall keep to the Hanna, so far all my other tests match (with in 5%) it's just the nitrate that was way off.

As for the dragonette. I know it is pretty, but I also know my tank is not mature enough.... It is convincing the wife

There are some places such as biota that raise them to eat pellets and other food and I do have one that naturally took to the feeder.

That is the only way I would consider it now. Even with my 60 gal it would compete with the wrasse