Anyone tried test kit on SN with low grade purity (Less than 10% but more than 0%), and if so what were the results?

[ToTheTwillight]

I bought this from Amazon which is Curing Salt, but has only 6.25% SN in it (on purpose).

I plan to test it using this method. I tested the other day not one, but two different SN sources with 99% purity and got perfect results, you can refer here to learn more.

Ideally I'd like to test something that has around 50% purity, but 10% maximum is what you can order in normal shopping in the US. I look forward to see how the purity test will come out for this, I think it will give better idea on how to read those test results better.

Will share with you details once it arrives and I tested it.

 

[アホペンギン]

If it's labeled as low purity SN then the test results wouldn't be that surprising. They'd prove even further that the SN is low purity and not suitable for ctb. The most logical thing to do is just buy high purity SN, don't waste money on the low purity SN.

 

[lopsidedcrawdad1]

If it's labeled as low purity SN then the test results wouldn't be that surprising. They'd prove even further that the SN is low purity and not suitable for ctb. The most logical thing to do is just buy high purity SN, don't waste money on the low purity SN.

I think theyre just buying the low purity SN to test it and see if it gives the same result as SN thats supposedly high purity.

 

[Decided98]

Makes sense let us know

 

[ToTheTwillight]

I think theyre just buying the low purity SN to test it and see if it gives the same result as SN thats supposedly high purity.

Exactly, or to be more specific, just seeing what kind of results I would get. Would it be just 6.25% of 99% of the coloration as a result (which practically is almost 0), would it be the same color, would it be something in between.

Also, one of the things I can do is have higher dosage of the Curing Salt in the water. So where the test says to have 5 mg (+95% purity SN) / 1 L, if I use 25 mg (Curing Salt with 6.25% purity) / 1 L, that is 5 times more of the 6.25% SN which is equivalent to 31.125% as far as how much SN is detected in it. Not sure if that's how chemically it works, but it makes sense that the more Curing Salt you have in the distilled water, the more likely the concentration of SN is higher, just not sure if it's as straight forward as being a 5 times multiplier in the example mentioned.

Overall, I would feel much more secure knowing I got the right SN, knowing that there is a possibility what I have is not pure enough, and when I attempt a CTB would backfire, would be a terrible experience. So for that I don't mind spending $15 to get a better idea with testing a lower purity SN

 

[ToTheTwillight]

So I got the Curing Salt with 6.25% SN purity, apparently the liquid sample results show almost the same max coloring as a supposedly 99% pure SN (Refer here for testing on the 99% SN purity).

The results below are from the Curing Salt with 6.25% SN purity:

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API Nitrite Test


Generic Nitrite Test


Aquarium Strip Kit



The one thing that is different is in the strip test kit, I see the Nitrite is somewhere arguably between the 1 and 5 color chart (closer to 1). This does make me wonder how reliable can we trust those testing methods in validating that the SN we have is pure enough.

 

[Kera]

So I got the Curing Salt with 6.25% SN purity, apparently the liquid sample results show almost the same max coloring as a supposedly 99% pure SN (Refer here for testing on the 99% SN purity).

The results below are from the Curing Salt with 6.25% SN purity:

---

API Nitrite Test
View attachment 120293

Generic Nitrite Test
View attachment 120294

Aquarium Strip Kit
View attachment 120295


The one thing that is different is in the strip test kit, I see the Nitrite is somewhere arguably between the 1 and 5 color chart (closer to 1). This does make me wonder how reliable can we trust those testing methods in validating that the SN we have is pure enough.

If you set the value to 10 and scored a 1, then the value is okay. In my opinion it corresponds to about 10% purity.

 

[ToTheTwillight]

If you set the value to 10 and scored a 1, then the value is okay. In my opinion it corresponds to about 10% purity.

Sorry to sound ignorant but how does the value work, is there a guide that explains it? Like why the test I made is considered that I 'set the value to 10'? Has to do with the 5 mg / 1 L?

Edit: I think after research I understood that 'set value' refers to maximum ppm on the testing kit, which for the one I used has a range from 0 to 80 ppm. I think the coloration is closer to 5 but not more than that. If say it is at 5, then out of the 80 ppm it means that it has 5/80 = 6.25% of purity. I know I mentioned and it looks a bit less than 5, but that could also be because I might had minor marginal errors in the quantity I used, like for example maybe I did a bit less than 5 mg / L

 

[Kera]

Edit: I think after research I understood that 'set value' refers to maximum ppm on the testing kit, which for the one I used has a range from 0 to 80 ppm. I think the coloration is closer to 5 but not more than that. If say it is at 5, then out of the 80 ppm it means that it has 5/80 = 6.25% of purity. I know I mentioned and it looks a bit less than 5, but that could also be because I might had minor marginal errors in the quantity I used, like for example maybe I did a bit less than 5 mg / L

Sorry, I hadn't noticed that the test kit goes up to 80mg/l
Did you use 1l or 500ml water/bottle?
How many grams of pickling salt you have dissolved in bottle1?
And how many ml of bottle 1 extracted into bottle 2?

I see the colouration more at 3, between 1 and 5.

---

Example:
If your test strip can measure up to 80 mg/l.
Our goal is 40 mg/l.
Test based on 2x1 liter water/bottles.
Dissolve 10 g of curing salt in bottle1.
Extract 4 ml from bottle1 to bottle2.
This would mean that for 100% pure curing salt you would be around 40 mg/l.
The result is around 3mg/l.
Here we have a purity of around 7.5%.
Testing in the "center" of the test area is better than at the edge.

 

[Klimpop]

Example:
If your test strip can measure up to 80 mg/l.
Our goal is 40 mg/l.
Test based on 2x1 liter water/bottles.
Dissolve 10 g of curing salt in bottle1.
Extract 4 ml from bottle1 to bottle2.
This would mean that for 100% pure curing salt you would be around 40 mg/l.
The result is around 3mg/l.
Here we have a purity of around 7.5%.
Testing in the "center" of the test area is better than at the edge.

Do you know a method to test a supposedly 99% SN purity batch using a liquid aquarium test kit that only measures up to 1 ppm (1mg/l)? I m not sure if its feasible because the range is so small.

 

[Kera]

Do you know a method to test a supposedly 99% SN purity batch using a liquid aquarium test kit that only measures up to 1 ppm (1mg/l)? I m not sure if its feasible because the range is so small.

Yes. In rough increments. 2x1l bottles. 1g SN. Extracted liquid 1ml. Colouration should be 1mg/l.

 

[ToTheTwillight]

Sorry, I hadn't noticed that the test kit goes up to 80mg/l
Did you use 1l or 500ml water/bottle?
How many grams of pickling salt you have dissolved in bottle1?
And how many ml of bottle 1 extracted into bottle 2?

I see the colouration more at 3, between 1 and 5.

---

Example:
If your test strip can measure up to 80 mg/l.
Our goal is 40 mg/l.
Test based on 2x1 liter water/bottles.
Dissolve 10 g of curing salt in bottle1.
Extract 4 ml from bottle1 to bottle2.
This would mean that for 100% pure curing salt you would be around 40 mg/l.
The result is around 3mg/l.
Here we have a purity of around 7.5%.
Testing in the "center" of the test area is better than at the edge.

I did it wrong as it turns out I believe, apologies about it. I used the following:

- 1.0 g SN (or Curing Salt w/ 6.25%) in 200 mL of water
- Transfer 2mL from cup 1 to cup 2 (both 200 mL of water)

Based on what I understand, this would be equivelant to:

1.0 g SN / 200 mL -> 5.0 g / 1 L
5.0g * (2mL / 200 mL) = 50mg / 1 L

I had little 'distilled water' at home, so I was being conservative and not using much of it. If I understand correctly, with 200 mL of water, I should use then 1.6g so then it will be equivelant to the 80 mg / 1 L, correct?

 

[Kera]

I did it wrong as it turns out I believe, apologies about it. I used the following:

- 1.0 g SN (or Curing Salt w/ 6.25%) in 200 mL of water
- Transfer 2mL from cup 1 to cup 2 (both 200 mL of water)

If you dissolved 1g of SN (or curing salt) in 200ml of water and extracted 2ml, then the concentration is 50 mg/l.
If the SN (curing salt) is 100% pure, your test kit should read around 50mg/l.

Do you know a method to test a supposedly 99% SN purity batch using a liquid aquarium test kit that only measures up to 1 ppm (1mg/l)? I m not sure if its feasible because the range is so small.

If you want the test kit to show 100% purity at 0.5mg/l, then you only extract 0.5ml of liquid. The color should then show at 0.5mg/l. I hope you understood me. Be sure to use distilled water. Before extracting the liquid (0.5ml) from bottle 1 into 2, the same amount of water (0.5ml) must be taken from bottle 2.

 

[Klimpop]

If you want the test kit to show 100% purity at 0.5mg/l, then you only extract 0.5ml of liquid. The color should then show at 0.5mg/l. I hope you understood me. Be sure to use distilled water. Before extracting the liquid (0.5ml) from bottle 1 into 2, the same amount of water (0.5ml) must be taken from bottle 2.

Thanks! I will be using demineralized water and hopefully i can test my SN batch during this week time.

 

[Kera]

Thanks! I will be using demineralized water and hopefully i can test my SN batch during this week time.

Hmm, distilled water is generally slightly purer than demineralized water. But when I look at the common applications, there shouldn't be anything against it.
Demineralized water is used for industrial and scientific purposes.

• Laboratory applications and tests
• Car wash
• Washing water for computer chip production
• Automotive, for example, uses lead-acid batteries and cooling systems
• Boiler feeding
• Laser cutting
• Optimization of fuel cells
• Steam iron and steam generator applications
• Pharmaceutical production
• Cosmetics
• Fire extinguisher

 

[Kera]

I had little 'distilled water' at home, so I was being conservative and not using much of it. If I understand correctly, with 200 mL of water, I should use then 1.6g so then it will be equivelant to the 80 mg / 1 L, correct?

Please excuse me for answering your question incompletely. Correct, the concentration is 16 / 0.20 = 80 mg/l.

 

[ToTheTwillight]

This is how I did the experiment with the Curing Salt with 6.25% SN purity:

- Measured 1.6g of Curing Salt put into 200 mL of Distilled Water in Cup 1, Cup 2 also has 200 mL
- Removed 2 mL from Cup 2, and Transferred 2 mL from Cup 1 with the Curing Salt into Cup 2
- Cup 2 now has (2 mL / 200 mL) * 1.6g Curing Salt = 16mg / 200 mL
- 16mg / 200 mL -> 80mg / 1L

With the ppm maximum at 80, this should be the right quantity, the results can be seen below which shows that the Curing Salt closely match the coloration of 5 ppm, and 5 ppm / 80 ppm (max ppm available) = 6.25%, so the results are fairly accurate.

 

[Kera]

This is how I did the experiment with the Curing Salt with 6.25% SN purity:

- Measured 1.6g of Curing Salt put into 200 mL of Distilled Water in Cup 1, Cup 2 also has 200 mL
- Removed 2 mL from Cup 2, and Transferred 2 mL from Cup 1 with the Curing Salt into Cup 2
- Cup 2 now has (2 mL / 200 mL) * 1.6g Curing Salt = 16mg / 200 mL
- 16mg / 200 mL -> 80mg / 1L

With the ppm maximum at 80, this should be the right quantity, the results can be seen below which shows that the Curing Salt closely match the coloration of 5 ppm, and 5 ppm / 80 ppm (max ppm available) = 6.25%, so the results are fairly accurate.

View attachment 120422

Yes, that's how I understood you. And if the SN (pickling salt) is 100% pure, your test kit should show about 80 mg/l.
Well, using both eyes ;) I see the colour at about 4 mg/l. Hence a purity of 5%. But in reality it often looks different from the photo. And at 4.5 mg/l with 5.625% it would still be OK. It's a pity that the test strip is not right next to the colouring.
I also see almost no colour difference between 40 and 80 mg/l nitrite.

 

[ToTheTwillight]

It's a pity that the test strip is not right next to the colouring.
I also see almost no colour difference between 40 and 80 mg/l nitrite.

For this you need more advanced devices that can get more accuracy, I saw online but they can be quite expensive

Yes, that's how I understood you. And if the SN (pickling salt) is 100% pure, your test kit should show about 80 mg/l.
Well, using both eyes ;) I see the colour at about 4 mg/l. Hence a purity of 5%. But in reality it often looks different from the photo. And at 4.5 mg/l with 5.625% it would still be OK.

In all fairness, there could be inaccuracies on my end as well with the measurement, especially when transferring with the syringe from Cup 1 to Cup 2, so that could explain some of lower purity.

I didn't try to ensure I'm getting 2.0 mL when transferring the 6.25% Curing Salt, like I did with the SN purity test that I have. In that one because I care more about it proving to have the purity, I literally used the digital scale to avoid inaccuracies as much as possible. Even then, there is always that 0.1 mL that it could be off, plus as you mentioned small difference in coloration between 40 to 80 ppm... That makes it so there can be potential inaccuracies. I guess you need a whole lab, perfect devices, and professionals to ensure every micro measurement is exact

 

[Meditation guide]

It looks like it has more nitrate than nitrite?

 

[ToTheTwillight]

It looks like it has more nitrate than nitrite?

Remember that this is a Curing Salt with only 6.25% SN purity, so take it with grain of salt the results (but don't consume it ). From what I see it's about 100 ppm from the 500 ppm max, so 20% NaNO3. It's not strong for either Nitrate or Nitrite from what I see, which makes sense.