Test Kit Recommendations?

[Soulcoffr]

There are all kinds of test kits out there and I'm a bit boggled by the choices available.

There's Red Sea, Kordon, Aquarium Pharmaceuticals, etc... I'm not sure which is the best to get. I've heard the test strips aren't the way to go, which is fine with me.

Plus, the water supply around here is dosed with chloramine, so I will have to use a water treatment which neutralizes that. But the precautions on the bottle of treatment say that if you use a test kit that uses Nessler reagents, I'll get a false ammonia reading.

So which is the best test kit that uses salicylate reagents?

[Uncle Bete]

:sad me and my test strip's :sad

Why I use'em:

1. Because I don't need to be that technical.
2. I haven't found a test kit that I can read between the colors to get that technical with. (and if someone tells me about it, I can't or won't afford it... back to #1)
3. If I did have something that read that good, I better take the reading at the same time (ie 9:01am), after the lights have been on for the same amount of time(get timer for lights), before I feed the fish and calculate how much I've increased the food since the last "time"(9:01am, 17 days ago) I tested, because the fish have grown. Calculate in any temp range diff. (tank and room) get out the tape measure to see how much plant's have grown. etc. etc. etc
4. Because now with Mardel's 5 in 1 strips, I can check [within reason (refer back to #1)].
Nitate
Nitrite
GH
KH
pH
in (edit: less than)the amount of time it would take just to get a water sample to test one of the above.
can't wait for the 6 in 1 to come out with ammonia too. :cool:
5. see #1

[blitzen25bm]

the master kits at petsmart works fine for me.

[Uncle Bete]

the Tetra one?

Thats what I used for yrs. worked just fine until I tried the strips... then... see #4 above :cool: ;)

[125gJoe]

Aquarium Pharmaceuticals master test kit is the one we use..

Not sure of "salicylate reagents.."

[blitzen25bm]

Originally posted by 125gJoe
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals master test kit is the one we use..

Not sure of "salicylate reagents.."

thats the one i use, they have several names depending on where you are but made by the same guys

[Captain Hook]

I recently got a Tetra test kit, the only testing I have bought in many years of fishkeeping. It seems to do a good job.

[DIYMatt]

I have the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master test kit I bought for like $12 at bigals. It works well for ph, gh, kh, and Ammonia. I also bought the Nitrate, and PO4 test kits from AP. They are OK at best, but they work. I have tested them and never get the exact smae coloration each time and they really aren't all that accurate. I mean, sometimes I would like to know if I have 11 ppm Nitrate or 19. Not just knowing its somewhere in that range. But, for most people they should work well. I do like the glass the tubes they have, you only have to fill them half way to leave room for mixing. I don't like the kits that come with plastic tubes you have to fill almost to the top. My first PO4 kit had that and I hated it.

I have never used the "strips". But, I read a while back that for anything other than Ph certain chemicals in the water can make them inaccurate. But, I don't know for sure.......if they do work OK it sure would be a time saver.

[RTR]

Aquarium testing is not rocket science. We simply do not need sprectrophotometer or flame photometer levels of accuracy and would not be able to use those calibrated data enough to make it worthwhile.

I use both Tetra and AP kits and have no problem with such for general tank upkeep and monitoring. They are simple and cheap and accurate enough to do the job.

If I need more accuracy (as the clarification of nitrate level in planted tanks mentioned before), I go to Hach or LaMotte kits, but you are paying for the accuracy.

[Soulcoffr]

Thank you all for the info!

So it sounds like Aquarium Pharm and Tetra are pretty good and the test strips aren't necessarily as bad as I've read.

All these test kits are compatible with chloramine neutralizing agents then?

[anonapersona]

I think the Tetra ammonia kit is compatable with the chloramine treatments. Also, Seachem. But, I am not certain, might check the websites.

[Uncle Bete]

My first test kit was Tetra's Laborett
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4371&D=laborette&R=6458&Ntt=laborette&Ntk=All&Dx=mode+matchallany&Ntx=mode+matchallany&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1

and used tetra kits up until i switched to strips
I have tried some of the others AP/lamotte/seachem/etc.

but here's what i use now.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/MainPro/itemdy00.aspx?HKW=&TKW=5+in+1&SKW=&EDP=34693&T1=F73+0214+0255&PgNo=1

yesterday I walked around the house and tested 3 tanks and a pond (approx. 30sec) sat down with all 4 and read'em(another 30 secs)
its more of a consistency thing for me any more.
ie, no ammonia show's = good/ if it shows I'm gonna be looking around for the problem. Doesn't matter if its .2 or 3ppm something isn't right.
no nitrite = good (see ammonia)
low nitrate = good (if not water change time)
KH = 70 - 90 good (I use plain 'ol tap water, if it shows any drop, I do a water change and its back to normal)
GH = around a hundred = good nuff for me (deal with it the same as KH)

[Skittyfish]

Just for another view...I use the Hagen Master Test kit. Works fine, the only problem I have with it is having to wait x amount of minutes for some tests to be finished. I mainly test KH and pH. I really only check nitrates if my plants look like something's not right, and then i usually do the full range of testing.