Sera Nitrate NO3 Test Kit

Makes it easy to monitor the nitrate level in fresh and marine water.

Ammonia is the most significant dissolved waste in an aquarium. It is produced by fish wastes, rotting leftover food, and decomposing plant matter. The bacteria in your biofilter convert ammonia first into nitrite and then into nitrate. While ammonia and nitrite are highly toxic to fish, nitrate is much less so. However, as nitrate accumulates, fish will eventually be affected.

The level of nitrate cannot be detected directly, as it is invisible and odorless. An algae bloom usually indicates high nitrate levels, though algae is able to grow in newly set-up tanks with nitrate levels as low as 10 ppm

Many fish will not show any symptoms of nitrate poisoning until the level reaches 100 ppm or even higher, but studies have shown that long-term exposure to sub-critical concentrations of nitrate stresses fish, making them more susceptible to disease, interfering with the growth of young, and decreasing the likelihood of reproduction.

When nitrate levels rise to completely intolerable levels, fish will become lethargic and may have open sores or red blotches on their skin. It is common for fish kept at high levels to die suddenly, and often when a new fish is added to an aquarium in which the fish have gradually become accustomed to high nitrate concentrations, the new fish quickly dies from the shock.

Sufficient for approx. 60 measurements.