Tropical NO3 Test 50 Tests

Tropical NO3 Test 50 Tests - Product description

What is the source of nitrates (NO3-) in the aquarium?
Fish faeces, uneaten food and other organic debris that accumulate in the aquarium are broken down by bacteria, and one of the products of this process is the dangerous ammonium ions (NH4+), which in alkaline water (pH>7) partially convert to the highly toxic ammonia (NH3) for fish. In a mature and well-functioning aquarium, ammonium ions are oxidised by nitrifying bacteria in the nitrification process to the less toxic nitrite (NO2-) and then to the relatively fish-safe nitrate (NO3-). Nitrate is the final product of nitrification and is not further metabolised in the aquarium. Although some nitrate is taken up by plants, its concentration in the aquarium increases steadily.

Why should nitrate concentration in an aquarium be controlled?
Nitrate (NO3-) is much less toxic than ammonium ions (NH4+), ammonia (NH3) and nitrite (NO2-). However, due to the systematic increase in their concentration in the aquarium, there is a need to control nitrate levels in the water. A concentration of 100 mg NO3-/l is considered dangerous for fish. However, as little as 50 mg NO3-/l can have a detrimental effect on many sensitive fish species and cause massive algae growth.

Tropical NO3 Test 50 Tests - Technical data

• Quantity: 50 tests

Additional information

In a well-functioning aquarium, nitrate concentration rises steadily due to decomposition of organic residues. In order to prevent dangerous nitrate concentrations, regular water changes and bottom de-silting are used. However, there are situations where the nitrate concentration rises rapidly, which can be caused by:

Too many fish in the aquarium.
Overfeeding of fish.
Use of tap water with high nitrate concentration for water changes.
Dead fish that have not been removed.
Fertilisation of aquatic plants with fertilisers that contain high concentrations of nitrogen.

Method of use:

Rinse the vial 3 times with aquarium water.
Fill the vial with 5 ml of test water.
3. add 1 scoop of reagent A and mix.
4. after 1 minute, add 7 drops of reagent B and mix.
5. add 7 drops of reagent C and mix.
After 10 minutes, compare the colour of the water with the colour scale provided. Take a reading from above in daylight.
After the analysis, rinse the vial thoroughly under running water.