sirdarksol

I've been looking for nitrate tests, and they're hard to find. In the end, I couldn't get my hands on an API one without ordering, but I found a Nutrafin Nitrate test kit.

First impression: Cost is significantly higher than an API nitrate test kit. I paid $14 plus tax for the Nutrafin. It only does 80 tests, too. So if you're looking for cost efficiency, go with API.

Moving onward, the test is more complicated. The test tube has a rounded bottom, meaning if you break or lose the cheap, thin plastic tray that comes with it, doing the test will become more difficult.
There are three reagents, rather than two. You add five drops of the first two bottles, shake, then add three drops of the third and shake again. Let sit for five minutes, shake again, and check against the chart.
The fact that you do a different number of drops is aggravating to me. I've got problems enough with counting to need to try to keep track of which bottle needs how many drops.
Even worse, the three bottles are different as far as adding drops. The first one has about the same give as the API bottles. The second is a lot harder to squeeze; hard enough that I think someone with arthritis or familial tremors might actually have problems with it. The third isn't a squeeze bottle at all. You tip it at a 45 degree angle and let it drip. There's no nozzle, either. Again, someone with tremors or something of the sort would have serious problems.

Edit: According to Hagen's Montreal science team, this test is only functional in softer, more acidic water. I have not tested at what pH it starts working (though I'm contemplating how to do so). This explains why I am getting the same reading each time.
In short, If you have hard, basic water, don't buy this test kit. It won't do anything.

In all, it doesn't seem worth it, unless you're using a chemical that renders the API test worthless (don't know what that would be, though). I'll be going back to good ol' API once this kit runs out.

Edit -
A few other notes of import:
One of the nifty things about the kit is that it comes with a simple squeeze-bulb pipette, allowing for more accurate measurement of water samples.
Another nifty thing is that there's a metal ball in the third reagent, which is the one that settles out and needs to be well-shaken.
The seal on one of the bottles is pretty poor. It leaks when I'm putting drops in the tube.
Lastly, I'm having accuracy problems. In fact, I'm not getting a reading beyond 5-10 PPM, despite the fact that I know I'm dealing with a water sample that has 40 ppm nitrates.

JRDroid

Thanks for the review!

sirdarksol

Contacted Hagen about accuracy issues. Got a reply asking questions about my setup. Sent my answers. Waiting for return reply.

catsma_97504

I have had a similar experience with the NutraFin testing kits. They are 30-50% higher in price, and often run about half the number of tests. And, I too have experienced issues with accuracy.

I'd be interested to see what their reply is.

Thanks for sharing.

sirdarksol

You're welcome.

Your accuracy issues: How often did they occur, and were they typically high or low? Did they always show up as a particular ppm, or did they just show as a bit low or a bit high? Thanks for the info.

catsma_97504

My accuracy issues were that the NutraFin test would always read low. It wasn't stuck in a specific range, although I don't recall ever getting a reading over 20PPM.

It has been a few years since I switched to the API test kits. But when I had both test kits I did a side-by-size test and while the NutraFin Nitrate test showed something in the 5-10 PPM range, the API test showed 40PPM.

I was losing fish at the time and was unaware the nitrate was so high. Using the API test, I lowered my nitrate levels to under 20PPM. At this point, I ran the NutraFin test and it came back with a slight shade above 0.

I cannot address whether or not my test kit had expired. All I can say is that I had it in my possession for about 6 months when I threw it away.

One thing I've always wondered, knowing how much we have to mix/beat the API solutions, if there is something similar to the NutraFin test kits where something needed more attention to be properly mixed to obtain valid test results.

sirdarksol

You were having almost identical issues to what I'm seeing so far.
The third vial is, I think, the same kind of deal, because they tell you to shake for 30 seconds, and there's a little metal ball to help mix everything.
That first night, I shook the bottle for 5 minutes between the three tests (thing leaked all over my hand, too), and it had no effect on the test results.

Well, I'll have to wait for their input to progress on this, I think. Eventually, I can go up to my friend's house and check the test out in his tanks. He has well water and doesn't add any chemicals to his aquarium. That would test whether or not the NovAqua is having a negative impact on the test.

catsma_97504

I wasn't using NovAqua, Prime or anything that is recommended and used today. I honestly cannot remember the name of the water conditioner product I was using back then. All I can tell you is that I was using a blue crystal mix that would make the water appear very blue. Over time, as I became smarter about fishkeeping, I discovered that this product was PO3 based and having phosphates in my water became a nightmare dealing with algae.

Even today, using Prime, my oldest tank has 10-20PPM PO3. The 55G that was set up last June has up to 5PPM because of the water. Over time it builds up with no way to remove it (short of RO - which I cannot afford).

sirdarksol

Thanks for all the info. It seems to me that this is all a lot of hassle, and that's to someone who is interested in learning the guts of how something works.
I think I'm going to continue suggesting only the API test kits, especially to new members, who are often already swamped with the amount of work that we suggest.
It's too bad. I had been hoping for another alternative.

catsma_97504

I've basically come to the same conclusion. I will only recommend API and I'll special order it if I have to. If someone is using another product, I often let it go as that person may be happy with their test kits.

sirdarksol

I sent a reminder that I am waiting for a response. The contact said that she had sent off more urgent requests to multiple specialists in the company, hoping that she'd get a response sometime sooner.

sirdarksol

Updated in first post.

vixflix

I tested nitrate wit Hagen aka nutrafin and it shows 5-10 PPM, I guess I should not rely on it and make 10-20% PWC. It wont harm anyway. API nitrate test kit should arrive by coming tuesday.

Agree with the review this kit has non glossy shade card which makes it difficult to match colour. The only good thing it has is the pipit. I guess I bought a £20 worth pipit. I use API kits for ammonia and nitrite and ordered pH and nitrate.

sirdarksol

The kit should be reliable if you have neutral, soft water. It's only if you have hard, basic water that it fails.

And while the pipette was really expensive, it was worth it to me. I would never have figured out I could use one for feeding time if I hadn't had one sitting on top of an aquarium.

vixflix

I checked GH an KH with api strips and they max out. I guess Hagen or nutrafin nitrae is unreliable for me. Though ammonia and nitrite test matched. Once I receive api nitrate kit I will compare results and post here.