Resource Testing my SN using the aquarium testing strips

[nw7]

I received the 2nd SN bottle today, because I ordered SN from 2 different sellers. So, this is the second time testing the SN using the aquarium testing strips, and decided to document and share the test results this time. I understand that the test is not highly accurate. But, I'm satisfied with the results, and I think it's good enough for our purpose.

1. Prepare 2 cups with 500mL of distilled water each. I didn't find 1L distilled water bottles in nearby stores. So, I recalculated the test based on 2 x 500mL.



2. Weigh 2.5g of SN



3. Dissolve the 2.5g of SN in cup1. Then, take 1mL from the cup1 and add it to cup2.



4. Now, we have 2.5g/500mL or 5g/L in cup1, and 10mg/L in the cup2. This picture actually the same as picture 1. Just distilled water. I reused it to explain this step.



5. Use the testing strips to test for Nitrite. We need the concentration of Nitrite in cup2. But, I tested both for comparison. I think the result is close to 10mg/L. Which is good.


6. Here is a closer look of the testing strip next to the color chart.

 

[Shakespear's Brother]

Really love your graphics here. Thanks.

 

[Halo13]

Thanks so much for sharing.

 

[martin8383784]

Is this SN from the Russian vendor?

 

[nw7]

Is this SN from the Russian vendor?

This is from the Polish vendor.

 

[essieni]

Would it be possible to measure how many grams are a tablespoon of sn? thanks.

 

[nw7]

Would it be possible to measure how many grams are a tablespoon of sn? thanks.

Level tablespoon of SN is roughly 8.8g. This is not very accurate, and just a rough number. Because, the SN was clumpy, and it was hard to get a level spoon. Besides, tablespoons differ in shapes and sizes.

 

[martin8383784]

once you have opened and sealed the bottles how much of an oxidization will take place?

 

[autumnal]

@nw7 thanks for the great guide!

I don't want to sound annoying, but I was only able to do this in a sub-optimal fashion and wanted to know whether you thought the results were still useful or not.

Didn't have distilled water on hand, so used store-bought spring water. The only cups I had only held 250mL, so used that amount of water in each.

The crappy scales I had only measured in 1g increments, so I used 3g of SN.

My SN was from a seemingly legitimate local chemical supplies website and advertised as 'Sodium Nitrite Food Grade 100% Pure'.

I had a syringe with measurements on it so was able to exactly transfer 1mL of solution from cup 1 into cup 2.

I used these strips for testing the mixture in cup 2 using their instructions (one second dip, remove and shake, 1 minute wait, read). On the relevant colour chart for Nitrite, the result was the highest possible being 80mg/L.

So on the face of it that sounds like a very strong concentration of Nitrite, possibly even so strong as to overrule any methodological shortcomings, but will any of those shortcomings mentioned make this result inaccurate?

If so, I will aim to get some distilled water and some more precise scales. If I'm still only able to source 250mL cups, please advise whether I need to change the maths at all in future calculations. Maths really isn't my strong suit.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Autumnal

 

[MsMaudlin]

I received the 2nd SN bottle today, because I ordered SN from 2 different sellers. So, this is the second time testing the SN using the aquarium testing strips, and decided to document and share the test results this time. I understand that the test is not highly accurate. But, I'm satisfied with the results, and I think it's good enough for our purpose.

1. Prepare 2 cups with 500mL of distilled water each. I didn't find 1L distilled water bottles in nearby stores. So, I recalculated the test based on 2 x 500mL.
View attachment 26592


2. Weigh 2.5g of SN
View attachment 26593


3. Dissolve the 2.5g of SN in cup1. Then, take 1mL from the cup1 and add it to cup2.
View attachment 26594


4. Now, we have 2.5g/500mL or 5g/L in cup1, and 10mg/L in the cup2. This picture actually the same as picture 1. Just distilled water. I reused it to explain this step.
View attachment 26595


5. Use the testing strips to test for Nitrite. We need the concentration of Nitrite in cup2. But, I tested both for comparison. I think the result is close to 10mg/L. Which is good.
View attachment 26596

6. Here is a closer look of the testing strip next to the color chart.
View attachment 26597

Thanks for this, it's really helpful ❤

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

@nw7 thanks for the great guide!

I don't want to sound annoying, but I was only able to do this in a sub-optimal fashion and wanted to know whether you thought the results were still useful or not.

Didn't have distilled water on hand, so used store-bought spring water. The only cups I had only held 250mL, so used that amount of water in each.

The crappy scales I had only measured in 1g increments, so I used 3g of SN.

My SN was from a seemingly legitimate local chemical supplies website and advertised as 'Sodium Nitrite Food Grade 100% Pure'.

I had a syringe with measurements on it so was able to exactly transfer 1mL of solution from cup 1 into cup 2.

I used these strips for testing the mixture in cup 2 using their instructions (one second dip, remove and shake, 1 minute wait, read). On the relevant colour chart for Nitrite, the result was the highest possible being 80mg/L.

So on the face of it that sounds like a very strong concentration of Nitrite, possibly even so strong as to overrule any methodological shortcomings, but will any of those shortcomings mentioned make this result inaccurate?

If so, I will aim to get some distilled water and some more precise scales. If I'm still only able to source 250mL cups, please advise whether I need to change the maths at all in future calculations. Maths really isn't my strong suit.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Autumnal

Sounds like you did fine. If you're really concerned, you can verify by testing with a bit of your blood, if the SN turns it a dark chocolate brown within a few seconds, it's strong enough to do the job.

 

[Soul]

Level tablespoon of SN is roughly 8.8g. This is not very accurate, and just a rough number. Because, the SN was clumpy, and it was hard to get a level spoon. Besides, tablespoons differ in shapes and sizes.

Hm — kitchen measuring spoons should be very close to a uniform 15 ml. I appreciate that your SN was lumpy but whatever shape the tablespoon is it's 15ml. Unless you mean something other than a kitchen measuring spoon.

As long as I'm here: I don't understand how adding 1 ml from one cup creates a 10% solution in the other cup. Can you explain that part again, like to a 2-year-old?

 

[Depressive1995]

Do you need a specific product or Can you take just any teststrip product? e.g. this one Amazon product ASIN B001B65ZVQ

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

Do you need a specific product or Can you take just any teststrip product? e.g. this one Amazon product ASIN B001B65ZVQ

That one tests sodium nitrate, so it would work.

 

[autumnal]

That one tests sodium nitrate, so it would work.

If you meant nitrATE, then it would not work.

 

[GoodPersonEffed]

If you meant nitrATE, then it would not work.

@Depressive1995 that was a typo, I meant nitrite.

 

[asifkhanny12345]

I received the 2nd SN bottle today, because I ordered SN from 2 different sellers. So, this is the second time testing the SN using the aquarium testing strips, and decided to document and share the test results this time. I understand that the test is not highly accurate. But, I'm satisfied with the results, and I think it's good enough for our purpose.

1. Prepare 2 cups with 500mL of distilled water each. I didn't find 1L distilled water bottles in nearby stores. So, I recalculated the test based on 2 x 500mL.
View attachment 26592


2. Weigh 2.5g of SN
View attachment 26593


3. Dissolve the 2.5g of SN in cup1. Then, take 1mL from the cup1 and add it to cup2.
View attachment 26594


4. Now, we have 2.5g/500mL or 5g/L in cup1, and 10mg/L in the cup2. This picture actually the same as picture 1. Just distilled water. I reused it to explain this step.
View attachment 26595


5. Use the testing strips to test for Nitrite. We need the concentration of Nitrite in cup2. But, I tested both for comparison. I think the result is close to 10mg/L. Which is good.
View attachment 26596

6. Here is a closer look of the testing strip next to the color chart.
View attachment 26597

White????

 

[jgm63]

@nw7 thanks for the great guide!

I don't want to sound annoying, but I was only able to do this in a sub-optimal fashion and wanted to know whether you thought the results were still useful or not.

Didn't have distilled water on hand, so used store-bought spring water. The only cups I had only held 250mL, so used that amount of water in each.

The crappy scales I had only measured in 1g increments, so I used 3g of SN.

My SN was from a seemingly legitimate local chemical supplies website and advertised as 'Sodium Nitrite Food Grade 100% Pure'.

I had a syringe with measurements on it so was able to exactly transfer 1mL of solution from cup 1 into cup 2.

I used these strips for testing the mixture in cup 2 using their instructions (one second dip, remove and shake, 1 minute wait, read). On the relevant colour chart for Nitrite, the result was the highest possible being 80mg/L.

So on the face of it that sounds like a very strong concentration of Nitrite, possibly even so strong as to overrule any methodological shortcomings, but will any of those shortcomings mentioned make this result inaccurate?

If so, I will aim to get some distilled water and some more precise scales. If I'm still only able to source 250mL cups, please advise whether I need to change the maths at all in future calculations. Maths really isn't my strong suit.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Autumnal

3g of SN, dissolved in 250mL of water.
Converting 250ml to L : 250/1000 = 0.25 L
So, you have 3g in 0.25 L.
So the concentration is 3 / 0.25 = 12 g/L.

Then you took 1ml of that solution.
So you took 1/1000 = 0.001 L.
0.001 L * 12 g/L = 0.012 g = 12mg
So the 1ml that you took contained 12mg

You then placed that into 250ml of water.
250ml = 0.25 L
So, you have 12mg in 0.25 L

So the concentration is 12 / 0.25 = 48 mg/L.

So you'll notice you're getting a x4 effect (since you're using 250ml), twice, so you're getting a x16 effect overall, combined with a L -> ml effect, since you're transferring 1ml over.

If the SN was 100% purity, then your test kit should have indicated around 48 mg/L.

However, if the amount of SN you used was closer to 4g than 3g (due to the accuracy level of the scales), then :
The first concentration would be 4 / 0.25 = 16 g/L.
The final concentration would be 64 mg/L
(you can check that by following the calculations above, but using 4 instead of 3)

In that case, if the SN was 100% purity, then your test kit should have indicated around 64 mg/L.

SO..... If you observed a result of 80mg/L then either something has gone wrong with the test, or the test kit is faulty (although I suppose another possibility is that you had about 4g in truth, and the test kit is not accurate enough to be able to tell the difference between 64mg/L and 80mg/L)


The x16 effect of using 250ml will cause any inaccuracy in the weight measurements to be heavily amplified.
So you would need to use accurate scales, and accurate measurement of the 1ml.

If your test strips can measure up to 80 mg/L, then I would do the following :
> Use 1 litre of water in each "cup" (actually, you would perhaps use bottles rather than cups)
> Use 10g of SN, and transfer 4ml from cup/bottle 1 to cup/bottle 2.
> This would mean you end up with about 40mg/L if the SN is 100% pure.
I use this approach because I think testing in the *middle* of the test range is better (see thread below, which explains the rationale behind that)

To get a better understanding of this test method in general, please take a read of this :

https://sanctioned-suicide.net/threads/sn-aquarium-purity-testing.34630/

Hopefully that ^ thread explains better how this whole test method works, and may allow you to design your own tests more effectively.

 

[Lastravel]

You could do same test with half or 1/10 of the amount of SN and check that the stripes results concord with your expectations.

Yet these tests won't allow you to be accurate to know exactly what percentage of nitrite there is in your product... but on the other hand the 95% value is nothing else but an estimation too.

 

[vikingman]

thank you very much, it helped a lot

 

[loopylou]

I want to do 5 tests so I need 5 litres of water?

 

[0siris]

I want to do 5 tests so I need 5 litres of water?

Yes.

 

[art900]

Can I use mineral water instead of distilled water ?

 

[quiet.rabbit]

Can I use mineral water instead of distilled water ?

Just test the water water without SN first. Then do the test with SN and subtract what you got from the first test from the results.
Oh and forgot to mention that test strips are known for being unreliable so I would suggest you use it on your water and check all values (even ones that arent NO2) seem reasonable. However, tests that use chemical reagents on water are better and I would suggest you get that instead if you can. You should always use these on whatever water youll use first to get a baseline reading since different water has some slight differences which these test will be affected greatly by.

 

[art900]

Just test the water water without SN first. Then do the test with SN and subtract what you got from the first test from the results.
Oh and forgot to mention that test strips are known for being unreliable so I would suggest you use it on your water and check all values (even ones that arent NO2) seem reasonable. However, tests that use chemical reagents on water are better and I would suggest you get that instead if you can. You should always use these on whatever water youll use first to get a baseline reading since different water has some slight differences which these test will be affected greatly by.

Thanks for your help. It seems that I will do quick blood test also just to be 100% sure. I'm very anxious about any failed attempts.

 

[headspin]

@nw7 thanks for the great guide!

I don't want to sound annoying, but I was only able to do this in a sub-optimal fashion and wanted to know whether you thought the results were still useful or not.

Didn't have distilled water on hand, so used store-bought spring water. The only cups I had only held 250mL, so used that amount of water in each.

The crappy scales I had only measured in 1g increments, so I used 3g of SN.

My SN was from a seemingly legitimate local chemical supplies website and advertised as 'Sodium Nitrite Food Grade 100% Pure'.

I had a syringe with measurements on it so was able to exactly transfer 1mL of solution from cup 1 into cup 2.

I used these strips for testing the mixture in cup 2 using their instructions (one second dip, remove and shake, 1 minute wait, read). On the relevant colour chart for Nitrite, the result was the highest possible being 80mg/L.

So on the face of it that sounds like a very strong concentration of Nitrite, possibly even so strong as to overrule any methodological shortcomings, but will any of those shortcomings mentioned make this result inaccurate?

If so, I will aim to get some distilled water and some more precise scales. If I'm still only able to source 250mL cups, please advise whether I need to change the maths at all in future calculations. Maths really isn't my strong suit.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Autumnal

That is amazing that you are able to do all that. I'm impressed. I wish I could test what I am getting with such detail. I don't have the mind for it right now.

 

[beseechgod]

Can I ask what test kit you used for this?