jasontatro Posted October 12, 2003 Share Posted October 12, 2003 Looks like all the things I have heard about Tetra test kits is true. I have been wondering about my nitrate levels for awhile. All my tests with the Tetra nitrate test have yielded results around 25 mg/l. I knew this had to be wrong. Afterall my inverts are thriving. I don't have any coral yet and these levels are part of the reason I have put it off. Also, I have bubble algae, which I have heard some people say requires an environment free from nitrate and phosphates. So naturally I was getting a little skeptical. The final straw was yesterday, when after doing a 20% water change, my nitrates were still testing at around 25mg/l. I scoured these boards and others to find that other people have also had problems with Tetra nitrate kits. So... I went to my LFS determined to get a Salifert kit, but to my dismay they were out. I recalled hearing a few people here saying that they had used Hagen kits with good results, so I picked up one of their kits. Not surprisingly, when I ran the test my nitrates tested at right around zero. I looked on the Tetra test kit, and unlike Red Sea and Hagen, I dont see an expiration date on it. I'm not sure how to find out when this batch was made. Well, the moral of this story is, I guess, that Tetra nitrate tests are not the most accurate. This makes me wonder about the other Tetra tests I am using. Although, I am not all that concerned about ammonia and nitrites now that my cycle is concerned. Sorry for the lengthy story, but thought it might help others if they are in the same situation. Link to comment
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