An accurate test, but rarely needed in saltwater
Written: Apr 09 '05 (Updated Jul 07 '05)
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Pros: Accurate and inexpensive test kit. Good to track the beginning of nitrogen cycle.
Cons: Rarely needed beyond starting tank. Some companies and LFS will pressure to buy as essential.
The Bottom Line: An accurate test that is good for tracking the beginning of the nitrogen cycle when starting a tank. Not needed otherwise.
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| colstudent69's Full Review: Fastest Nitrite Test Kit |
Nitrite is a very toxic chemical in freshwater(FW) aquariums, but it is rarely toxic in saltwater(SW) aquariums due to the difference in pH and the very different water chemistry between FW and SW. This test kit can be skipped after your tank has established a biological filter, as long as it remains stable(see below on Nitrogen cycle).
The Good:
This appears to be a fairly accurate test as I have tested my water with this test kit and then took my water to a local fish store and the nitrite readings were identical.
Good for tracking the progress of a newly established tank. "I see nitrites, so that means my tank cycle is progressing." Note: Sometimes nitrite is quickly converted to nitrate and it never shows on your test kits.
Foil packets keep the chemical test agent fresh much longer than other test kits. I have used these test chemicals over 2 years past their expiration date and they are still accurate.
WARNING: This is not recommended for most test kits and when using expired test kits, you should always double check occasionally with a new test kit or a trip to a trusted local fish store to verify accurate readings.
Having detectable(by this test) nitrites in your system is usually a sign of something very wrong in your SW tank, so this test is useful for that.
The Bad:
The test chemicals expired after 18-24 months, and with the infrequent use of this test, when a problem happens and you need it again, they are typically expired. When buying test kits, ALWAYS check the expiration dates and buy the one that is good for the longest amount of time.
Most local fish store(LFS) employees and on-line stores will try to convince you that testing for nitrite is essential and I feel this is just to make you spend more money.
The Nitrogen Cycle:
The Nitrogen Cycle is when ammonia is converted to nitrite to nitrate to nitrogen gas and the gas bubbles out of your saltwater aquarium. The nitrogen cycle is most critical to test when starting your tank(new tank syndrome) or when you have a major problem with the tank that results in a lot of death to inhabitants.
Ammonia: Produced by animals when they eat and poop. Fish are typically the biggest source, but snails, shrimp and crabs all contribute. Also uneaten decaying food can be a major source of Ammonia. Ammonia is very toxic in saltwater aquariums, starting at levels of .5ppm and and especially at or above 1ppm. It is VERY important to test Ammonia in saltwater tanks when starting them up and if you ever have any major death events. Luckily, ammonia is typically converted to nitrite after 2-4 weeks of starting an aquarium. This function is performed by Nitrosomonas bacteria(a good bacteria!).
Nitrite: Nitrite is far less toxic to fish in aquariums than ammonia. How if affects other SW reef inhabitants is less well know. However, nitrite is rapidly converted into nitrate by Nitrobacter bacteria(yet another good bacteria). Nitrite is typically only detectable in the first 2-4 weeks of a tank being established and then drops to zero after that.
In an established SW tank that has a stable biological filter, nitrite is not detectable on commercially available tests. So testing Nitrite after your tank is established(assuming no major problems) is a waste of money.
Some reports have been published that show that nitrites in up to 100ppm is not harmful to some saltwater fish. Don't take my word for it though, for further reading, pick up: Stephen Spotte's book "Captive Seawater Fishes" that has an excellent discussion of nitrite toxicity in SW fish.
Nitrate:
Nitrate is even less toxic to SW fish and most other inhabitants(the most notable exception is small polyped stony corals(SPS) that can be quite sensitive to high nitrates). I recommend that nitrates be tested every 1-2 weeks and more frequently if levels higher than 10ppm persist. Unfortunately the conversion of Nitrate to Nitrogen gas by bacteria is a slow process and nitrates will build up to detectable levels in most SW fish tanks, especially if the fish are fed frequently with too much food.
Summary:
In my experience an accurate test that is cheaper than most other test kits. However, it is only needed a few times when you first establish your tank. After that Nitrite is rapidly converted to nitrate so that nitrite is not detectable by commercial test kits.
If possible, just borrow a few from someone else or take your water to be tested at a trusted local fish store that typically will test your water for free(just make sure they use this test kit or other good test kits like Sailfert). Don't waste your money testing frequently with this test kit.
Even if your tank has major problems, I would recommend checking temperature, Nitrate, Ammonia, pH, and salinity before bothering with nitrite.
My Other Aquarium Related Reviews:
Testing Equipment:
Salifert pH test kit
Salifert KH/Alkalinity Test Kit
Salifert Calcium Test Kit
Salifert Magnesium Test Kit
Salifert Phosphate Test Kit
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FasTesT pH Test Kit
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FasTesT Ammonia-Nitrogen Test Kit
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FasTesT Nitrite-Nitrogen Test Kit
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FasTesT Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and pH Test Kit also called the Multi-Master Test Kit now.
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals FasTesT Nitrate-Nitrogen Test Kit
Aquarium Systems SeaTesT Hydrometer
Pumps:
Hagen AquaClear Power Head 201
MAG-DRIVE PUMPS
Rena Air Aquarium Air Pumps
Skimmers:
CPR Aquatic Cyclone Bak-Pak 2R
Aquarium Systems SeaClone Protein Skimmer SCPS-100
Aquarium Supply Stores:
Marine Depot Aquarium Supplies
Drs. Foster & Smith Online Store
Aquariums:
All-Glass Standard Size Aquariums
All-Glass Large Size Aquariums
My Aquarium Advice:
The top 10 things you NEED to start a saltwater aquarium
Recommended:
Yes
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colstudent69
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Member: Brian
Location: Houston, TX
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Instructional Technology Educator
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